Culture of Suriname

Surinamese culturehas strongAsian,AfricanandEuropeaninfluences. The population is mainly composed of the contribution of people fromIndia,Africa,China,Europe,andIndonesia,as well asindigenous peopleswho lived in the area, before the arrival of European settlers.

Cultural events

• New Year's Day
• Holi-Phagwa
• Easter
• Labour Day
• Prawas Din(Indian Arrival Day)
• Keti Koti
• Javanese Arrival Day
• Indigenous People's Day
• Day of the Maroons
• Chinese Arrival Day
• Independence Day
• Diwali
• Eid-ul-adha
• Halloween
• Christmas

Music

Main article:Music of Suriname

Suriname is aSouth Americancountry, a former colony of theNetherlands.The country is known for itskasekomusic andBaithak Ganaas well as otherIndo-Caribbean musictraditions.

The termkasekois probably derived from the French expressioncasser le corps('break the body'), which was used during slavery to indicate a very swift dance. Kaseko is a fusion of numerous popular and folk styles derived from Africa, Europe and the Americas. It is rhythmically complex, withpercussion instrumentsincludingskratji(a very large bass drum) andsnare drums,as well assaxophone,trumpetand occasionallytrombone.Singing can be both solo and choir. Songs are typicallycall-and-response,as are Creole folk styles from the area, such askawina.

Kaseko emerged from the traditional Afro-Surinamese kawina music, which was played since the beginning of 1900 by street musicians inParamaribo.It evolved in the 1930s during festivities that used large bands, especiallybrass bands,and was calledBigi Poku(big drum music). In the late 1940s,jazz,calypsoand other importations became popular, whilerock and rollsoon left its own influence in the form of electrified instruments.

The biennial music festivalSuriPopis the country's largest music event.

Cuisine

A Surinamese"broodje bakkeljauw"in theNetherlands(bun with shredded and spiced stockfish), with a chili paste made from Madame Jeanette peppers on the side

Tjauw min moksi meti

Pom

Surinamese cuisine is extensive, since the population of Suriname came from many countries. Surinamese cuisine is a combination of many international cuisines includingIndian/South Asian,West African,Creole,Indonesian(Javanese),Chinese,Dutch,British,French,Jewish,Portuguese,andAmerindiancuisines. This has ensured that Surinamese cooking has spawned many dishes; the different groups were influenced by each other's dishes and ingredients; this new Surinamese cuisine includedroti,nasi goreng,bami,pom,snesi foroe,moksi meti,andlosi foroe.Basic foods includerice,plants such astayerandcassava,and roti. Usually, there ischickenon the menu in many variations of the Chinesesnesi foroe,the Indianchicken curryandpom,a very popular party dish of Creole origin. Also,salted meatandstockfish(bakkeljauw) are widely used.Yardlong beans,okra,andeggplantare examples ofvegetablesin the Surinamese kitchen. For a spicy taste,Madame Jeanettepeppers are used.

Besides the casserolepom,roti (often served with a filling ofchicken curry,potatoand vegetables) is also often served on festive occasions with many guests. Other well known dishes aremoksi-alesi(mixed boiled rice withsalted meat,shrimporfish,and any vegetable),rice and beans,peanut soup,batteredfried plantain,baraand the original Javanese nasi goreng andmie goreng.

Desserts includeboyo,a sweet cake made withcoconutand cassava, andfiadu,a cake containingraisins,currants,almonds,andsuccade.Maizena koekarecornstarchcookies made withvanilla.

See also

• Surinamese literature

Literature

• Bakker, Eveline, et al., eds. Geschiedenis van Suriname: Van stam tot staat, 2nd ed., 1998.
• Binnendijk, Chandra van, and Paul Faber, eds. Sranan: Cultuur in Suriname, 1992.
• Bruijning, C. F. A., and J. Voorhoeve, eds. Encyclopedie van Suriname, 1978.
• Buddingh', Hans. Geschiedenis van Suriname, 2nd ed., 1995.
• Colchester, Marcus. Forest Politics in Suriname, 1995.
• Dew, Edward M. The Difficult Flowering of Surinam: Ethnicity and Politics in a Plural Society, 1978.
• Economist Intelligence Unit. Country Profile Suriname 1998–99, 1999.
• Hoefte, Rosemarijn. Suriname, 1990.
• Lier, R. A. J. van. Frontier Society: A Social Analysis of the History of Surinam, 1971.
• Meel, Peter. "Towards a Typology of Suriname Nationalism." New West Indian Guide 72 (3/4): 257–281, 1998.
• Oostindie, Gert. Het paradijs overzee: De 'Nederlandse' Caraiben en Nederland, 1997.
• Plotkin, Mark. J. Tales of a Shaman's Apprentice: An Ethnobotanist Searches for New Medicines in the Amazon Rain Forest, 1993.
• Price, Richard. First-Time: The Historical Vision of an Afro-American People, 1983.
• Sedoc-Dahlberg, Betty, ed. The Dutch Caribbean: Prospects for Democracy, 1990.
• Szulc-Krzyzanowski, Michel, and Michiel van Kempen. Deep-Rooted Words: Ten Storytellers and Writers from Surinam (South America), 1992.