In 1968, the Amerindian nomads of southeast Surinam, South America known as the Akuriyo were rediscovered by the West Indies Mission through the Wayana and Trio Indians with whom the Mission worked in Surinam. Although the Akuriyo had always been suspicious of other peoples, they soon realized the missionaries and the Trio meant them no harm. Therefore, when asked to give up their nomadic existence for village life, most chose of their own free will to move to Trio villages where there was the promise of more food; a small band of maybe 10 people chose, however, to remain in the forest. The move proved psychologically and physically disasterous. The change in diet, exposure to new diseases, and the lack of expertise in Trio hunting and cultivation strategies proved debilitating in every possible way. Within less than two years, the Akuriyo population was reduced by 25%, and by 1973 the majority of the Akuriyo had lost or were losing their identity. Reduction in population and a severe deficit of females forced them to marry Trios or Wayanas, while they had to learn the Trio lifestyle to survive. Also, as recently converted Christians, the Trio contributed to the desire to acculturate by assuming a paternalistic posture and calling the Akuriyo "ignorant children". While the Surinam government was aware of and could have intervened in this disaster, it had traditionally relied upon the missionaries to handle Amerindians and had, therefore, no viable policy to countermand the situation. (JC)