Jason Pollock Dominique Aulisio Laurie-Lee Williams William Colon Brian Reim

History

First Inhabited by Arawaks

Caribs replaced Arawaks

1595 - Sir Walter Raleigh

1667 - Treaty of Breda

1687 - Dutch began colonization.

1730 - Most important slave trading post in South America.

Maroons

Maroon Communities Saramaka Ndjuka Kwinti

1760 Maroon Independence

African derived religions

Subsistence

Gold mining

Ethnicities

Creoles

The East Indians 1873-1916

Javanese 1890-1939

Maroons

Current Politics

Political History Independence 1975 Military coup overthrows

government New constitution 1987 Desi Bouterse

Ethnicity in Politics 51 member national

assembly Political parties Small party size/

Numerous parties Ethnically grouped

parties Coalitions Problems/ Issues

Languages

There are between 17 and 22 Languages spoken in Suriname

Official language is Dutch

Two other popular languages are Suriname Javanese and Creole-Stranantango.

Its people are a mixture of Creole, British Indian, and Afro- Surinamese

Arts & Culture

Suriname people love to give gifts during birth, weddings, and funerals.

Javanese Wedding Gifts Include: A bouquet of different ornaments Umbrella Ornament: Protector of the family Grasshopper Ornaments: Quick on their feet to make family decisions

Some special events in Suriname include Chinese New Year

it is celebrated by people at the complex Ngie Kong Tong Sang, the oldest Chinese Surinamese society.

Arts & Culture

Jeran Kapan is a popular dance in Suriname.

It is carried out with gamelan music.

Prayer is a must before every performance.

Women performing a Maroon cultural dance.

Art & Fashion

A woman’s traditional gown , Koto

A men’s traditional outfit, Dhoti Kurto

Art painted by Suriname artists Marcel Pinas and Kurt Nahar.

Music

Music

Kawina

Suriname

Kaseko

Music

Chutney

Music

Land Rights

Land Rights for Indigenous and Maroon Communities

-No special legal recognition or collective land rights.

-Routinely excluded from negotiations regarding use of ancestral lands.

Ethnic Discrimination

-Creoles have historically controlled the politics of Suriname.

-City-dwellers and politicians have blatantly disrespected Maroon and indigenous land rights and culture.

-Development projects and displacement from land go hand-in-hand.

Civil War and Genocide

-In 1986 a guerrilla faction of Maroons responded to dislocation policies by declaring civil war on the government of Suriname.

-The Suriname army responded by massacring Maroons, using warfare as a cover to commit genocide.

-The Moiwana massacre of 1986 was one of the largest massacres and the government of Suriname has since been required to pay reparations and make formal apologies.

Civil War and Genocide

Solutions for the Future

-Use of international human rights standards by indigenous and Maroon groups to counteract impunity.

-Incorporating land rights into the Suriname constitution.

-Reserving seats in the National Assembly for indigenous and Maroon representatives.

-Funding of human-centered development including in the interior in accord with needs voiced by the communities, including public education and medical care.

-Promotion of a national identity based on respect, cooperation, and support between ethnic groups through popular and formal education.