She was born in a Maroon community where it is not customary for girls to receive an education. Fidelia Graand-Galon did not let the criticism deter her, studied hard and eventually became ambassador of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. She is the first Maroon woman to have achieved this. She is also the chairwoman of the Maroon women's network.
As a child, Fidelia Graand-Galon already had big plans for her life. “I wanted to be a teacher first, then a nurse and a traffic police officer. Becoming a teacher was my priority. All my primary school teachers fascinated me. I thought they were all so beautiful and intelligent. Always neatly dressed. I wanted to be a nurse and a traffic police officer because of their beautiful uniforms and the way they walk.” For a girl who was born in a Maroon community near the town of Moengo in Marowijne, these dreams are already very ambitious. In this community, it is not customary for girls to receive an education. In the end, she did not realize these dreams, but she did achieve an even greater feat by becoming the first female Maroon ambassador.
The road to this point was not without its challenges. “My mother managed to rebel against her husband and the rest of the community who saw no point in educating girls,” says the ambassador. “In the absence of my father, who regularly went hunting in the early morning, my mother registered me with nuns who went to villages on the Cottica River to recruit children for their new school in Abadoekondre. When I was old enough to go to school, I was put on the school boat, on my way to the Providentia school. That was in 1964, when I was five years old.” It took a long time before her father saw the point of education for girls. “He continued to oppose my Western studies until I was nineteen and wanted to make my mother see that it was pointless to put me in school. But my mother did not want me to be an illiterate like herself.'' As a punishment, Fidelia had to translate everything for her father, who was also illiterate, when she was a young girl. “For example, at the age of nine I had to read and translate the theory lessons for his driving license. This was meant as a punishment, but it was very essential for my social orientation as a child and teenager.'' For about five years, the young Fidelia translated everything for her father and in this way she mastered Dutch very well.
The ambassador did not hold it against her father that he did not accept her studies. "My mother always told me that dad loved me. I am convinced that he really loved me and that he tried to protect me from the immoral behavior of the westernized Surinamese, which was unacceptable to the Maroons, a behavior that went against the ethics, morals, customs and protocols of the Maroons. The Maroon upbringing and protocols were sacred to him." Eventually her father changed his mind. "A colleague pointed out to my father that the school I was attending was not for Dyukas, but that the Openbaar Atheneum is a koniman skoro.'' When her father heard that, he changed completely. "He did not allow me to have a boyfriend. I had to finish school first and get my diploma. He was very proud of his daughter who would be the first Maroon woman in the region to graduate from university. He told me he didn't know he would be the first lucky cottica (maroon) father whose daughter would make it this far. My mother is more of a modest type, but she is also grateful. She thanks God for her children. She says He did everything.''
The Galon family has had to take a lot of criticism, especially from the family. “I can still remember that an aunt was very upset when my mother told her that I would go to the HAVO. She yelled at my mother, in front of me, and asked her if she wanted me to become a bakra. I had a typing diploma and mulo, what more did my mother want? I was shocked for a moment, but said nothing. My mother said nothing either.” Because of her great perseverance and ability to take it, Fidelia's mother, Thelma Samadjo Palata, is her great source of inspiration. The resistance and later support of her father, Kabiten Ronald Bisato Galon, also inspired the ambassador.
The ambassador lives a very busy life. She is the one who has to represent Suriname and strengthen the country's diplomatic ties with friendly nations. Her big dream is to put Suriname on the map worldwide. "Suriname is a very unique country and we cannot deny that to the world." If she has nothing to do for a day, she is still busy reading and learning. "I listen to the news, read e-news or watch a true movie on Lifetime Movie Network. Sometimes I go shopping with my husband, because he likes that. I also like to read a good and educational book. Actually, I read everything."
Fidelia also has no good experiences with relaxers and now prefers to wear her hair naturally. “Relaxers do violence to your hair. I once relaxed my hair because I liked it at the time, not because I was ever ashamed of my frizzy hair. I think you should be grateful for who you are and for everything you have received from God. Love your hair and cherish it, because it is unique.”
The ambassador hopes that more Maroon women will break away from the still prevailing belief that education for girls is useless. “In my teenage years I had a strong desire to choose a profession where I could make people aware of their strengths and contribute to a better existence, a better living condition,” says Fidelia. “Yes, I hope that more Maroon women will follow my example, it is not easy, but with a positive attitude God will make a way for you.”