There are two possible origins of the Kwinti people. One oral account mentions the
Berbice slave uprising of 1763 in
Guyana, the other mentions a plantation in the
Para District. The tribe was initially led by Boku who died in 1765. Boku was succeeded by Kofi, who is claimed to be a brother of
Boni. The tribe was known from the early 18th century, and there had been several raids on plantations conducted by the Kwinti. On 19 September 1762, the
Dutch signed a peace treaty with the
Saramaka. In 1769, the
Matawai split from the Saramaka, and asked the Government for weapons against the Kwinti who had raided the Onoribo plantation in November 1766. During the late 18th century the tribe was attacked many times by either the Matawai or the colonists. In the 1850s, the Kwinti had made a peace treaty with the Matawai granman, and settled among the Matawai in
Boven Saramacca. There are currently two villages which are inhabited by both tribes. Another part of the tribe, settled on the
Coppename River where they founded Coppencrisie (Coppename Christians). Later the village was abandoned, and the villages of Bitagron and Kaaimanston were established. During the 19th century the tribe is hardly ever mentioned until a peace treaty with the Surinamese Government is signed in 1887. The treaty appointed Alamun as a head captain and not as a
granman. The treaty gives him control over the Kwinti living along the Coppename River, the Kwinti living on
Saramacca River remained under the authority of the Matawai. In 1894, the area of control was delimited around Bitagron and Kaaimanston, because of nearby wood and
balatá concessions. Also a
posthouder (post holder) was installed to represent the government. Until the early 20th century, there used to be a trail connecting both sides, but it had fallen into disuse and was reclaimed by the jungle. In 1970, when the Dutch government organised a well published tour with the five Surinamese Maroon nations to
Ghana and other African countries, the Kwinti were not invited. In 1978, Matheus Cornells Marcus was appointed as head captain in
Bitagron. In 1987, during the
Surinamese Interior War, Bitagron was partially destroyed during the fighting with the
Jungle Commando. Later the other villages were isolated from the outside world by the
Tucayana Amazonas. The other villages were in Matawai territory, and under the control of Lavanti Agubaka who was allied with the Tucayana Amazonas. On 30 September 1989, the Kwinti announced that they no longer recognized Lavanti, and demanded a
granman for their nation. In 2002, André Mathias was the first tribal chief to rule as
granman over all villages except for those where the Kwinti were in a minority; he died in 2018. Remon Clemens was named as
granman in 2020. ==Religion==