The first national Heritage Month Suriname was ceremonially concluded on Sunday at the Mama Sranan monument in Paramaribo. The month focused on heritage, identity and mutual connectedness, bringing together cultural groups, young people and policymakers around a shared national narrative.
The first national Heritage Month Suriname concluded on Sunday, 30 August, with a reflection ceremony at the Mama Sranan monument in Paramaribo. The gathering marked the conclusion of a month that drew attention to the history, culture, traditions and stories of the various communities that together make up Surinamese society.
The ceremony began with an Indigenous piai prayer to Tamushi, God, reflecting on contemplation and blessing. This was followed by floral tributes at the Migrantenmonument and the Mama Sranan monument. Various cultural groups contributed to the programme through performances and rituals.
Heritage Month was organised nationally for the first time this year. President Jennifer Simons previously announced the initiative as part of a broader commitment to nation-building. The month’s theme was “However we came together here, how we move forward together” and was intended to provide space for recognition of Suriname’s different historical backgrounds, without losing sight of the shared national interest.
Heritage Month Suriname centres on living heritage
Rachel Pinas, chair of the presidential Heritage Month 2026 working group, stressed during the closing that heritage is not found only in monuments, archives or official historiography. According to her, heritage also lives precisely in small traditions, sayings, stories and wisdoms passed down from generation to generation within families and communities.
“Keep telling stories from the past. It may sound simple, but that is what it is about. Everyone has a story, a nice story learned from an ancestor, from a grandparent. Everyone has learned wisdoms. Traditions, small things you receive while growing up. That is our heritage. Cherish it, preserve it, do not throw it away,” Pinas said.
Passing on stories and culture to young people
That appeal aligns with various activities organised during heritage month. The National Heritage Storytelling Days, for example, focused on oral tradition and sharing stories with young people. There were also cultural events, scientific gatherings and activities in which different population groups could present their history and traditions.
One of the larger activities was the Heritage Village at Onafhankelijkheidsplein. Culture, music, dance, food and encounters between different communities took centre stage there. The event formed an important part of the final phase of the first heritage month.
Heritage lives in stories, traditions and wisdoms passed down from generation to generation.
Adhin sees strengthening of Surinamese identity
Parliamentary Speaker Michael Ashwin Adhin expressed appreciation for the initiative during the ceremony. According to him, Heritage Month contributed to mutual recognition and appreciation among the various population groups. He looked back positively on the first edition and called President Simons’ initiative a great success.
Adhin stated that Surinamese identity arises precisely from the interaction between individual cultures. According to him, the shared community becomes stronger when different cultural backgrounds are not placed in opposition to one another, but complement each other. This idea is also an important part of the broader aim of Heritage Month Suriname: strengthening connectedness without erasing cultural differences.
Culture must have a stronger place in education
According to the authorities involved, attention to heritage should not be limited to one month a year. Education Minister Dirk Currie has instructed the Culture Directorate to examine how culture can be more firmly embedded in the education curriculum. Heritage must thereby also be given a structural place in the development of children and young people.
This step may be important for preserving knowledge that is not always recorded in writing. When stories, languages, customs and traditions are told or practised less often within families, there is a risk that parts of intangible heritage will gradually disappear. Education can therefore play an important role in understanding, documenting and passing on that knowledge.
Heritage month must become more than an annual celebration
On the official Heritage Month page of the Surinamese government, the initiative is described as a way to strengthen historical awareness, cultural appreciation and national connectedness. This concerns not only cultural heritage, but also historical and natural heritage and their significance for national identity.
The first edition has thus laid a foundation for an annually recurring moment of reflection, education and celebration. At the same time, the real value of Heritage Month Suriname will mainly become apparent from what happens after August. Discussions on history, identity and heritage preservation will ultimately also need to become visible in education, research, policy and social initiatives.
Moving forward together after the first Heritage Month Suriname
The conclusion at Mama Sranan underscored that the central principle extends beyond a month filled with activities. It is also about the question of how Surinamese people continue to recognise their different histories, how knowledge is passed on and how a shared future continues to be built from that diversity. This means that the motto, “However we came together here, how we move forward together,” remains relevant after August.
