  Suriname
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 374 Suriname Tips.921 Suriname Photos.0 Suriname Videos. Suriname Pages by ATLC
| Page Views: 8,835 Last Visit to Suriname: July, 1980 I Used To Live Here | ATLC's roots in Suriname by ATLC - last update: May 11, 2003 |
My birth country! Last visit just after the revolution on Febr. 25th 1980, and 5 years after independance from The Netherlands (1975).
Can you believe this? It's true: In winter 2000 I visited Romania and stayed with Romanian people in their apartment. My host was an engineer and had just returned from six months in India. There he met someone from Suriname who gave him the tshirt that I am wearing on this photo. Because he gave it to me!
Anyway, lots of my family still live in Suriname. Most of the population lives in The Netherlands, including 3 of my sisters, my aunt and her family.
In Suriname live many cultures and races. Chinese, Creole, Hindi, Indonesian, native Indian, Dutch...
All these people speak their own language although everyone also speaks Sranantongo (a peculiar mixture of all those languages) and Dutch.
Suriname was a Dutch colony. At first slaves were brought in from Africa (hence the Creole part of the population). The native Indians withdrew into the inland jungle.
At some point in the late 1800s, workers were needed and the Dutch struck up an accord with the British to bring people from India over to work on the sugar plantations in Suriname (Marienburg). But the Hindu proved to be too much trouble so the Dutch colonists decided to bring over people from Java (Indonesia). The first 94 Javanese set foot in Suriname in August 1890. They were housed and put to work on the Marienburg plantation (see travelogue Books). These people were not slaves but contract workers although there wasn't much difference really.
So unfortunately I cannot fantasize about descending from some Indonesian prince because naturally the poor people signed up for work in Suriname :-) I doubt that any of them had any idea where they were going, let alone that they would never return.
The people of Suriname are an easy going lot. Of course there are cultural and political differences. But mostly the cultures blend. There are many mixed families, even my own. It is surprising that even after more than 100 years, the cultures remain separate with each race keeping their own traditions and religions and yet they blend too into one Surinamese cultural diversity which has also been brought to The Netherlands and is now also firmly embedded in Dutch culture.
My finest memories are of the huge parties these people can throw at the occassion of weddings, christenings or circumcisions or any other reason to celebrate.
Cola-rum is THE drink and the parties go on until early morning. For days the women will be cooking because every guest will get a full meal at any party.
Suriname has the oldest Jewish settlement on the South American continent called Jodensavannah.
There's a huge dam called Afobakka which made many miles of country around unsuitable for living.
Well then, I am no walking & talking guide book. This is what I know by heart and quite enough for the time being :-)
Don't skip the travelogues !
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|  | CUTE EH? My brother (Gerlof) and me (left).
My brother was a native Indian from the original people of Suriname. I am Javanese (which is Indonesian originally). Our age difference was 6 1/2 months. |
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| Pros: | "Cultural diversity, relaxed people, wonderful weather, safe" | | Cons: | "Quite poor, not very touristy (this is not a con at all!)" | | In A Nutshell: | "Very interesting culture and social mix, great natural charm" |
ATLC's Suriname Travel Tips
 ATLC's Suriname Travelogues | | | |
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 Comments for ATLC about Suriname | | | | |
apekovic Sat Feb 2, 2008 09:46 UTC
Fantastic story of Suriname and your life! | Cruiseone2003 Fri Dec 14, 2007 00:53 UTC
As a child (late 60's, early 70's) we'd go to my grandparents house in Northern New Mexico, they had an outhouse too, I can't say they were fond memories but it sure made life interesting! | TheWanderingCamel Fri Oct 12, 2007 02:44 UTC
Must make it to the northern reaches of South America - as spicy a mix of cultures as of the food, just the sort of place I love to travel to. Nice looking back with you. leyle | jivanne96 Tue Sep 25, 2007 18:22 UTC
Nice knowing your roots! |
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