| Sainte-Rose-de-Lima | |
| Settlement Type: | Village |
| Pushpin Map: | French Guiana |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location in French Guiana |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | France |
| Subdivision Type1: | Overseas region |
| Subdivision Name1: | French Guiana |
| Subdivision Type2: | Arrondissement |
| Subdivision Name2: | Cayenne |
| Subdivision Type3: | Commune |
| Subdivision Name3: | Matoury |
| Leader Title: | Captain |
| Leader Name: | Charles Wingaarde[1] |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Established Date: | 1971 |
| Population Footnotes: | [2] |
| Population Total: | 500 |
Sainte-Rose-de-Lima is a village of Lokono[3] Amerindians in the commune of Matoury in French Guiana. The village is located on the RN2 near Cayenne – Félix Eboué Airport. It is the largest settlement of Lokono in French Guiana.[2]
In 1951, Lokono from Suriname started to migrate to French Guiana mainly for economic reasons.[2] The main villages of origin were Alfonsdorp near the Maroni River, and Matta in the Para District. At first they settled in the existing Lokono village of Balaté near Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni. Later, some migrated to Iracoubo and Cayenne often settling among the Kalina people.[2]
On 13 April 1969, a small plane carrying four people took off from Cayenne – Félix Eboué Airport in bad weather. It struck the tree tops, and crashed in the rainforest. There were no survivors.[4] In order to prevent future accidents, the rainforest in front of the runaway was cleared.[2] In 1971, the Lokono created a settlement in the cleared area. Originally it was called "CD5" after the road running along the village.[2] The Catholic Church built a mission in the village.[5] In 1980, the priest of Matoury, suggested renaming the village "Sainte-Rose-de-Lima" after Rose of Lima.[2]
Sainte-Rose-de-Lima has received access to drinking water and electricity. The land is legally owned by the tribe,[2] and the tribal government is recognized by French Guiana. However, the commune of Matoury refuses building permits citing safety and noise concerns.[2] Other shanty towns, mainly populated by Surinamese Maroons and Brazilians, have been constructed adjacent to Sainte-Rose-de-Lima. In 2020, INSEE counted five shanty towns in the commune.[6]
In 2008, the Federation of Lokono in French Guiana was established and is headquartered in Sainte-Rose-de-Lima.[7] In 1993, the Lokono had been awarded four hectares of communal land (ZDUC). In 2017, the land was controversially sold to a mining company.[8] In 2017, Sainte-Rose-de-Lima was host to the Grand Village, the meeting of all Amerindian tribal chiefs in French Guiana.[9] In June 2020, the village self isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic.[10]