THE SWEET ETHOS OF SURINAME

 

Suriname is a small country on the northern coast of South America, bordered by Guyana to the west, French Guiana to the east, and Brazil to the south. Its population of around 600,000 is made up largely of people of African, Indian, and Javanese origins, along with smaller communities from many other backgrounds. It is one of the few places in the world where Dutch is the principal language, while the cuisine reflects the remarkable diversity of its people. Nearly 93% of the country remains forested, and deep within these immense rainforests live indigenous communities whose cultures have endured for centuries.

I came to Suriname to explore whether I might contribute, in some small way, to warning indigenous communities about the dangers posed by industrialized food and the rapid spread of metabolic diseases.

What has overwhelmed me most, however, is the genuine friendliness of the people of this country, regardless of culture or ethnicity. It began quietly, with a lady in the hotel kitchen preparing something special for breakfast after noticing my interest in fresh food. Heavy rain disrupted our plans to visit the historic Jodensavanne, so when the skies finally cleared, I decided to walk through the streets of Paramaribo. Everywhere I went, people smiled warmly and had something pleasant to say.

At one point I noticed a sign for Tabiki Rum. Curious, I stepped closer, and someone immediately opened the door and invited me inside. As I examined copies of old maps dating back to 1599, we began speaking about the history of the region. The man turned out to be Rasmus, the co-owner and distiller of an original local rum. He invited me to taste it, and what followed was a long and fascinating conversation about Surinamese culture, the interior of the country, and its people. He showed me photographs from his journeys into the rainforest and spoke about the remarkable Werehpai caves, near the village of Kwamalasamutu in southern Suriname, where around 500 ancient petroglyphs have been discovered. The images, believed to be between 2,000 and 5,000 years old, were named by the local Trio people after an ancestral female hero.

While we talked, Surano, the bartender, prepared exotic cocktails with quiet enthusiasm. The “Tabiki Sizzle” was especially memorable; the freshness of mint mixed with the purity of the rum brought back memories of other tropical adventures across the world.

When I finally left, two hours later, I felt I had made a genuine new friend in this distant corner of South America. I walked back to the hotel buoyantly. The young receptionist, a university student, greeted me warmly and, knowing I would stay in for the evening, prepared a delicious meal for me herself.

What a day at Hotel Palacio.