Suriname, a cultural melting pot

Visitors who have ventured into the mysterious land of Suriname, simply refer this out-of-the-way country as nothing but unusual. Comfortably nestled between Guyana and French Guiana in the northern region of the South American continent, Suriname is indeed unusual for several reasons.

With a surface almost twice the size of Hungary and only one-fourth of the population of Budapest, this scarcely inhabited former colony of the Dutch Empire is a bizarre cultural enclave whose remarkable ethnic diversity stems from indigenous cultures, British and Dutch colonisation, the early importation of African slaves and, later, workers from China and then indentured labourers from Indonesia and India. “Few of Europe’s travel-obsessed individuals are aware that Suriname is the ideal destination where one can still fully enjoy the untouched nature, unique flora and fauna, an exceptional history, culinary excellence and the country’s true authenticity,” remarks Mr Stanley Betterson, Deputy Permanent Secretary on Tourism of the Suriname Tourism Foundation.

Suriname is a true melting pot of the region, whose cultures from far-away countries and ancient-old tribes from the long gone past have harmoniously congealed into the ethnic variety that the country uniquely displays. Betterson added that “the city of Paramaribo – nicknamed Par’bo just as our tasty national beer – is not only famous for being “The City of Smiles,” but also serves as an emblematic place of religious tolerance.” Indeed, the wooden inner city of Paramaribo, belonging to the UNESCO World Heritage, is exemplary in the sense that it boasts a beautiful mosque and the Dutch Israeli synagogue placed exactly next to each other – a sight hard to imagine anywhere else in the world. “It is worth noting that Jodensavanne, or Jewish Savanna, only 50 kilometres south of the capital, was a major attempt to establish an autonomous Jewish territory in the 17th century,” commented Betterson. Suriname’s variegated religious landscape consists of Christians, Hindus, Muslims, a small number of Buddhists, Jews and adherents of Amerindian religions in the deep south.

Those who are familiar with Papillon, Henri Charrière’s bestseller, published in 1969, might recall quite a bit of the region. Suriname, the last outpost of a once substantial Dutch presence in South America, is not only a worthwhile place to visit for those yearning for some adventure in the country’s dense tropical rainforest. Andras Jelky, the 18th-century discoverer, was one of the few Hungarians who saw Suriname with his own eyes: after being shipwrecked, Jelky was salvaged by a Dutch captain, who took him to the country. What he missed during his quick stay in Suriname was not only a pint of thirst-quenching Par’bo beer with an excellent Javanese dish, but also the endless opportunities that small-scale gold-mining holds for the intrepid explorer. Future visitors must be reminded: all that glitters is not gold, except by the Marowijne River, an active gold digging site even today.

Quick facts:

Get there: KLM flies daily from Amsterdam or take a bus from French Guiana
Talk: Dutch, Sranang Tongo and English
Pay: Surinamese dollar (EUR 1 = SRD 2)
See and do: South America’s largest wooden cathedral, vibrant central market, tropical rainforests, Amerindian settlements, Javanese food stalls, Paramaribo – the City of Smiles.