About a month ago I was approached by Raul Neijhorst. Some of you may remember him as a photographer and jury member of Miss Kroeshaar 2010. Since then Raul's star has only risen.
He is now not only one of the most famous photographers in Suriname and the Netherlands, but also one of the most loved and followed with more than 50,000 Facebook fans.
Proud as he is as a Surinamese, Raul wants to express that through his work, he told me. This year Suriname is 40 years independent and although we may not be a perfect nation, there are enough of us who are doing exceptionally well and of whom we can be proud.
I completely agreed with him, but what did that have to do with me or kroeshaar.com, I thought?
Therefore, he continued, I have compiled a list of 75 special Surinamese people that I want to photograph and interview. The goal is to publish a book of these special men and women for 40 years of independence that we celebrate this year.
Of course I thought it was a crazy idea. I was completely impressed by the special list with Jorgen Raymann, Kenny B and Letitia Vriesde. Yet I still wondered what I or frizzy hair had to do with this. Then he suddenly said: I wanted to ask you if you also want to participate. You are also one of the Special Surinamese people that I would like to interview.
Finally, the penny dropped. I felt my frowning face change into a grin from here to Tokyo, which is still on my face. Of course, I said yes wholeheartedly. I feel honored to be included in a book with the 75 most special Surinamese people!
The smile is still on my face, but I am back on the ground. All special Surinamese people have to reveal something personal, something like releasing a secret that not many people know about them. Since, except for maybe a few afro fans, know that I sometimes write poems, I thought I would release that.
To reinforce the idea, I went to work and wrote a special poem about life in New York. It probably won't be in the book in its entirety, but as a reader of afro hair, you'll already have the scoop. Read the poem: Me in New York
Still, I'm not quite ready I think. In two days are the photoshoot and the interview, but I don't have my answers ready yet. Please help if you can: what makes me and/or frizzy hair special according to you?
Finally I was able to ask Raul myself and you can read the answer: What makes curly hair so special?
If you want to know more about Raul's project, go to BijzondereSurinamers.com .