Bustling Suriname festival

It is the immigrant communities that give Suriname its cultural identity, which is both familiar and unfamiliar. One of the best ways to learn about the unique aspects of Surinamese culture is to participate in their festivals.

Surinamese people dance and carry floats during carnival.

The festival year in Suriname begins with the carnival in February. Migrants from Brazil brought their traditional carnival and parades to Suriname.

During the week-long festival, people temporarily forget the troubles and annoyances of daily life to join the colorfully dressed parade.

In addition to the carnival, there is a smaller parade called the Avondvierdaagse. The event originated in the Netherlands and takes place over four days in April. Each day, the parade takes a different route.

The Javanese Surinamese community is large, so many Javanese festivals are also held in Suriname.

Notably, Bodo is a time for Muslim families to gather for prayer and celebration. Adults give lucky money envelopes to children, and everyone participates in torchlight processions. Housewives show off their skills by making many delicious dishes, especially sweets, that are only available during Bodo.

Non-Muslim residents and visitors can still celebrate the holiday or participate in individual and communal activities.

Keti Koti is celebrated every June 30 and July 1 to commemorate the official end of slavery in Suriname. Black slaves spent decades fighting the Dutch colonial government to gain their freedom in 1863.

Keti Koti is now a national holiday in Suriname, and the two-day festival features parades, marathons, concerts, and art displays taking to the streets.

One of the ways that black slaves in Suriname fought for their freedom was to gather in the streets every New Year's Eve to sing and dance. That was the origin of the Pagara Estafette New Year's Eve party.

On this occasion, every city in the country of Suriname turns into a music stage. Shops spread tables and chairs out onto the streets but still can't find enough space.

The festival starts in the early afternoon and gets more and more crowded as the night goes on. The highlight of Pagara Estafette is the fireworks display. Surinamese people set off meter-long red firecrackers, no less than the ones the Chinese set off on New Year's Eve.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/ron-rang-le-hoi-suriname-697468.html