For Suriname, these are anything but easy times. Social media are full of stories about corruption, layoffs, price increases and the devaluation of the SRD. I will therefore leave the discussion of whether November 25 is worth celebrating in the middle, but despite all that djugu djugu, 40 years of independence is a milestone. Time for a reflective look back.
The panjis are from Johanna Verhuur. The earrings and belt I wear on my shoulders are from the tourist shop at Wi Egi Sani.
For Suriname, these are anything but easy times. Social media are full of stories about corruption, layoffs, price increases and the devaluation of the SRD. I will therefore leave the discussion of whether November 25 is worth celebrating in the middle, but despite all that djugu djugu, 40 years of independence is a milestone. Time for a reflective look back. The Suriname in which I grew up has not only laid the foundation for the person I am. The country, the people, the food and the politics have shaped me in a way that I only now seem to understand.
The Colony of Suriname
When my parents, Surinamese in heart and soul, chose to return in the 1960s, the country was still a colony. In the village of Wageningen, a project of the Netherlands to grow rice, we were one of the first Surinamese staff families. That slowly but surely changed. In 15 years, around the time that Suriname became independent, the entire staff of SML (Stichting Machinale Landbouw) was Surinamese.
Growing up in Wageningen was great. Everyone knew each other, the school was around the corner, sports were practically free and thanks to my mother who ran the local library as a volunteer we read from Donald Duck to Gerrit Barron and from Anne Frank to Bea Vianen.
The Republic of Suriname
As young as I was, I still remember the energy of the days before independence. Surinamese people were unbelievably proud. I can still remember a sticker of a man with a phone in his hand with the text: “Know who you are talking to, I am Surinamese!” That face, that expression, still makes me laugh.
Independence Square
Lieve Hugo's music, especially the song "Srefidensi", was heard several times a day on every radio station. The "Who after who after, Who after famiri man" feeling was alive! I was not there personally but the colorful photos and images of that flag, formed by Surinamese people on Independence Square, were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen until then.
The coupe of '80
Not even five years later, when I was at the MULO school, the coupe came. At first, it all seemed to be okay. Of course, opinions were divided, but if I remember correctly, the military had quite some support, and there was also a group that didn't like it at all. At least no blood had been shed, so it would be okay.
Two years later, the harsh reality hit home. You can read about my December 8 experience in Kon Hesi Baka .
The 80s were cool. Super cool. Besides curfew and fear, the Surinamese currency was decoupled from the US dollar. That was more than a devaluation that led to scarcity of basic needs like bread, resulting in uprisings.
No bread, no school, unrest
I don't know what I was more afraid of, the military or not passing my final exams, but in my last year at AMS I participated in the "No bread no school actions." For weeks the schools were closed. What a djugu djugu that was.
The worst example I can remember from that time took place in the heart of Paramaribo. There were riots going on but luckily I had found a safe place behind the bars of the Vaco bookstore together with about ten others. I don't even know exactly what was going on but suddenly a soldier came from Dominee Street towards us to slap a woman in the face. Everyone, including me, stood with open mouths and disbelieving, scared eyes to witness what was happening. The woman was standing just far away from us. He stuck his hand through the bars to hit her a few times with an Uzi on the hip. I saw how she held back her tears and stood proudly. Everyone was silent. When he was gone and the riots were over everyone went their own way.
Fortunately, I passed and was allowed to go to the Netherlands to study. Despite the fact that I felt bad that I could not vote in the upcoming elections, I was looking forward to a new life, a new environment, a new start.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands
Without really realizing it, as a child I went from a former colony, a former republic and dictatorship to a Kingdom with a multi-party democratic system.
Where in Suriname you had to watch your words, especially not to speak too clearly to avoid problems, democracy in the Kingdom was different. If you were not clear, you could be walked over. The political climate, comparable to Suriname before the coup, was not super exciting. The big difference was of course that in Suriname politics ran along ethical lines, but for the rest it came down to the same thing.
Surinamese people lent themselves almost every election to attract ethnic votes, only to be passed over when it came to positions. What's new.
Rozenblad, Tara Oedraising Varma and Philomena Bijlhout provided a colourful spectacle, but you didn't hear much about the rest of the Surinamese in politics. In my eyes, they did a good job under the circumstances. Then, as usual, there is not much to notice and you hear little about it in the press.
What I didn't understand at all was that women bought books by Pim Fortuyn who historically answered a journalist's question with: "Woman, go cook." That the Netherlands found that remark funny was completely unacceptable to me. Although I settled quite well in the Kingdom, I felt lost when it came to women's (gender) issues, Suriname and racism.
The Netherlands was eager to offer development aid to Indonesia, the country had made it clear that it was not interested, but aid to Suriname had been stopped. I have had discussions about this and about Surinamese history, but it was often speaking to deaf ears. When it came to racism and women's issues, I preferred to keep my mouth shut, because somehow my way of thinking always fell outside the boat of the mainstream.
The United States of America
Fate would have it that after almost 14 years in the Netherlands, I ended up from a Kingdom to a democracy with a two-party system. Now that I look back, I realize that thanks to my Surinamese experience, I have learned to appreciate democracy again and on a deeper level.
Politics is I think basically, theoretically almost the same everywhere. You have to form coalitions anyway to get something done. With different angles, different cultures and religions that is difficult enough but if I have learned one thing it is that winning elections, with or without fraud, is not easy to begin with.
I am fortunate that I was able to follow the election campaign of Bush and Obama up close. What then Senator Obama was able to achieve is historic and will always stay with me. If there is one thing I learned from this, it is that it does not matter how many parties you have. What matters is that you have to attract votes.
In Suriname, we start our own party very quickly, following the Dutch model, when we no longer agree with someone else, but the question is, what does it yield? Fragmented parties, which ultimately have to compromise or get nothing done. Last ten, last monie, but yes, that is not politically true?
The big difference with democracy in America is not even in the number of parties, I think, but in the fact that no subject, no matter how difficult, remains undiscussed and that politicians, regardless of position, are not spared here. Where the politician in the Netherlands and Suriname may not be subtly addressed for irresponsible behavior outside of parliamentary work, in America even the president can be prosecuted.
Although I am not waiting for a new Monica Lewinsky scandal, it does provide “Power to the people”. Every politician takes this into account and that is a fundamental difference. If you are aware that every scandal can cost you your political career, you behave fundamentally differently. Then just have one woman less or you become more ingenious in embezzling 'national expenditures, but in principle no one is above the law.
Then there is the processing of a past that you would rather not talk about, but that will haunt you for the rest of your days. Where in America you at least have the documentary “ Slavery and the Making of America ”, it seems as if the Netherlands seems to deny any responsibility for slavery. The current generation would have nothing to do with it and it was all too long ago.
This mentality not only has serious consequences for the policy towards us as a former colony, it even affects today's society where racism is hardly discussed. The fact that Black Pete is still a hot topic speaks volumes. Here even White America understands that Black Pete is Blackface and outdated racism, but the Netherlands, the mother country, always knows better. Even when it comes to racism related to a colonial slave past, which is still difficult to process.
The December Murders
Although the December murders are still recent but of a different caliber, we in Suriname also do not know how to deal with this difficult to process part of our history.
Despite the fact that we have been shouting for years that Bouterse is a murderer, we have never been able to prosecute him. A hot potato that polarizes our people and that has been eagerly used, but that is politics after all.
Photos from http://www.dbsuriname.com/
You are for or against Bouterse, there is hardly any middle ground. At first it seemed like a majority that ignored, obstructed or avoided the former Sergeant Major in every way. Yet he managed to win the elections twice and even get amnesty by a polarized government. You may wonder, but then how?
I, who now has an easy time talking because she is abroad, do not have the answers. What I do know for sure is that we as Surinamese, all of us including me, have failed if you look at the current situation.
It is easy to endorse that we-are-a feeling when we make history like the first Srefidensie or when Nesty wins. It is hard to swallow when it goes wrong that we are still all of that Bon van Dubru anyway.
Far from perfect with all human flaws, things went wrong, really wrong and we are equally responsible for that, because whether or not you voted for Bouta, we are all in trouble, but hopefully we can learn from this.
American democracy is far from perfect, but if there's one thing we can learn from it, it's how Republicans and Democrats, who are diametrically opposed on moral grounds, deal with each other.
It certainly doesn't always go well, but despite sometimes cringe-worthy differences, they don't avoid each other, they don't finish each other off, at least not literally. In addition, the most sensational issues are discussed from sometimes brain-shrinking angles, but that is the essence of a Democracy. Why else would you deal with people with whom you don't have a single brain cell in common? Well, because they are compatriots, good or bad, in the end you all have to move forward.
I will not lie to you, anti-Muslims, anti-gays, anti-Christians, anti-Hindus, anti-Jewish, anti-White and people with those kinds of anti-ideas like Wilders, I will avoid. No, I do not want to deal with them but then I am not a politician by profession. I observe, discuss and cast my vote, but even that is not enough because as President Obama says Democracy is not a spectacle, you are expected to actively participate.
Talking fills no holes. I am well aware of that, but hopefully I can make a small contribution with this intensely long piece by sharing the reflective feeling that Srefidensie brings to me.
So Happy Srefidensie, wherever you are as a Surinamese, whoever you are, whatever your faith, whether you have frizzy hair or not, I carry you a warm heart in the hope that we can all, in and outside Suriname, contribute to a more successful and better Republic of Suriname. Soso Lobi!