Attend a Winti prey (religious ceremony)

This tour is currently only available on request. Please contact us before booking.

Winti is the traditional religion of the Afro-Surinamese population.
Locally it is often described as ‘culture’, as are its cultural practices. Jenny Tours now offers the unique chance to attend a Winti prey: a cultural event that was recently, unfortunately, portrayed rather negatively by the Dutch media in the TV programme Oplichters ontmaskerd (RTL5). That one-sided portrayal, with sources consisting mainly of taxi drivers and storytellers, was the reason for Jenny Tours to give visitors to Suriname a more positive picture.

When African slaves were brought to Suriname during the transatlantic slave trade, their winti (spirits) travelled with them.
Winti always have benevolent (bun-sey) and malevolent (ogri-sey) sides.
They are hereditary or transferable and, together with the spirits of the ancestors, watch over the family line (bere).
They are honoured, and family members make offerings to them out of gratitude.
There are certain spiritual laws and rules. Breaking them can provoke the anger and retribution of the winti.
Spiritual reconciliation and balance can be achieved by taking ritual (herbal) baths and performing ritual acts.

When a child is born, a male and a female winti take spiritual responsibility for the baby.
From that moment they are the child's supernatural parents (djodjo), and the child will share some of their character traits.

When, during a ritual, the winti takes possession of someone who has gone into trance, that person speaks in Kromanti (Kromanti tongo).
This is a language from the old continent and can be understood by certain African tribes.

Winti is closely related to Vodou (Haiti), Santería (Cuba) and Candomblé (Brazil), the latter being more mixed with Catholic influences.
In general it is also a mix of the different tribes that were brought together (forced together under slavery).

There are many interesting facts and customs, and the best way to experience them is to attend a winti prey (ceremony) yourself and take it all in.
We offer both ‘outsiders’ and interested people the chance to witness this.
You are of course asked not to disturb or comment during the ceremony, but you will have the chance to ask your guide all your questions afterwards.

Please note that there are good and bad applications, just as the winti have benevolent and malevolent sides.
Some things may come across as slightly shocking, but you are accompanied by one of our guides, so there is nothing to fear.
You will never be the subject of the ceremony unless you explicitly wish to be.
For Surinamese people living in Europe we also offer the option, besides attending a winti prey, of arranging certain rituals, baths or a consultation for you. You can always ask us for more information about this.

Times are indicative and may vary. The itinerary depends on the weather; it and the times may be adjusted. Parts of the programme are flexible. A special menu is available for vegetarians, provided this is explicitly requested in advance. Fruit, water, soft drinks and snacks are available during the tour. Every Winti prey has its own times, sometimes in the evening, sometimes during the day; below is a possible outline programme.

Winti preys don't take place every day. Ask us and we will find a suitable date; there are quite a few preys and we have plenty of contacts. So get in touch!

You can find the scheduled departure dates in the tour overview.