▶Preface.
Suriname is located in the north of South America, bordering countries such as Brazil, Guyana and French Guiana.
It is a multicultural and ethnic society made up of indigenous peoples (Indians), descendants of slaves, and immigrants from Indonesia, China and Europe. This mix of diverse cultures and ethnic groups has led to a rich variety of folk art in Suriname.
Folk art in Suriname is an informal, non-traditional art form that usually involves crafts, music, dance and literature.
These art forms are often presented for an ethnic group, community or occasion and are passed on and preserved through oral and artisanal traditions. These folk art forms are disappearing due to environmental pollution, the challenges of modernization, and disputes over cultural interests.
The preservation and transmission of Surinamese folk art is a necessary work. We hope that these forms of art can be preserved, passed on and encouraged through more cultural activities, preservation measures and education.
▶ I. An overview of the types and history of folk art
Crafts include weaving, pottery, crafting, and carving. Both indigenous peoples and settlers use these techniques to make furniture, clothing, and various ornaments.
Music is a very important art form in Suriname as it can be expressed through various cultural and religious events. In this country, there are many ancient folk music traditions such as seku and banakoe, among others.
Dance is at the heart of Surinamese culture and society. It is a shared experience, just as music is a shared experience. In Suriname, dances are organized by communities and families, each with their own dance.
Suriname also has its own literary tradition, mainly legends, myths and stories. These stories express religious, cultural and social ideas and are often passed on through oral tradition.
The history of folk art in Suriname dates back to ancient times. The indigenous people of Suriname are Indians who have their own cultural and artistic traditions, including carving, painting, weaving, and music.
In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, European colonists began to enter Suriname and brought with them new culture and art. They brought medieval European artistic styles and techniques to the country and began to use them to create their own works of art.
In the nineteenth century, slavery was abolished in Suriname. Enslaved people began to break free from the yoke and tried to rediscover and recreate their own culture and art.
Many new forms of music, dance and literature emerged during this period. These new art forms expressed a spirit of struggle and solidarity and encouraged cultural diversity and democracy in Surinamese society.
▶ 2. Introduction of folk artists and works
Craftsmen: There are many craftsmen in Suriname, who combine tradition and innovation to make very beautiful products.
One of them is Sherida Asinga. Sherida, a native of Suriname, loved knitting since she was a child. She hopes to preserve and pass on Suriname's weaving tradition with her work. She mainly makes woven baskets, aprons and napkins.
Musicians: There are many musicians in Suriname, including Darrel Lie Kwie and Maite Heesterbeek. Darrel Lie Kwie is a serqin player who enjoys playing traditional Surinamese music and tries to combine traditional surinamese music with modern music.
Maite Heesterbeek is an ethnic musician whose music blends elements of European, Indonesian and Surinamese cultures.
Dancers: Surinamese dancers such as Engelbert Sabajo and Ludwine Seymor, who are very famous dancers and dance instructors.
Engelbert Sabajo is mainly dedicated to the promotion of the Surinamese Kaseko dance, a dance that combines elements of American, European and African music.
Ludwine Seymor is a tall dancer whose grace, grace and performance in kaseko, salsa, dance djembe, modern dance and other dances have made her the first female dancer in Suriname to obtain a degree in dance from the University of Cooperny-Meberland.
▶ The influence of folk art on Surinamese society and culture
Suriname's folk art has had a great influence on society and culture. It promotes communication and solidarity among people. Folk art is a participatory activity that brings people together to share their skills, experiences and cultural backgrounds.
This promotes the cultural diversity of society and creates new forms of group participation in society. Folk art can convey important messages and values, and music, dance and literature can transmit people's values, including religious, social and cultural ideas, through traditional oral forms.
This traditional approach allows these values to be preserved and passed down over time.
Folk art encourages and motivates people to develop and explore new skills and fields. Folk art forms are informal and non-traditional, which gives people the freedom to experiment with new techniques and methods, and to explore their artistic potential through a variety of learning and communication methods.
▶ Fourth, the inheritance and protection challenges of contemporary folk art
With the development of the times and cultural changes, the preservation and inheritance of Suriname's folk art is also facing great challenges. Here are some of the main issues:
The impact of professionalization and commoditization:
Due to commercial and market demand, the originally pure form of folk art was gradually commoditized.
This means that commercial and market factors gradually influence the creative process and cultural background of folk artists. This can adversely affect the purity and tradition of folk art forms.
Reducing the flow of traditional skills and knowledge:
Due to the effects of modernization, Suriname's traditional skills and knowledge are increasingly disappearing.
More and more people are moving to cities for reasons of modernization, acquiring new occupations and skills, while ignoring their own traditional skills and knowledge. As a result, Suriname's folk art has lost more opportunities for inheritance and protection.
Environmental and pollution issues:
Pollution and environmental problems in Suriname also have a negative impact on the folk art heritage.
Suriname's land and natural resources are facing more destruction and destruction due to reasons such as land development and mining. This also had an impact on the life and creation of folk artists and reduced the folk art heritage of Suriname.
These are the main challenges for the inheritance and preservation of folk art, and in order to protect and pass on the folk art of Suriname, we need to take the following measures:
Promotion of education and training in folk art:
We should preserve and pass on Surinamese folk art through more training and education. We should let the younger generation understand the importance of folk art and urge them to participate in the creation and performance of folk art.
Take protective measures:
We should take measures to protect Suriname's natural resources and environment to ensure a good living and working environment for folk artists.
Appropriate business environment:
We should gradually establish a tolerant and persistent business environment to promote Surinamese folk art, while preserving the purity and tradition of creativity and art.
▶ The author thinks
This paper introduces the typology and historical evolution of Surinamese folk art, analyzes its impact on Surinamese society and culture, and explores the challenges of inheritance and conservation of contemporary folk art.
Surinamese folk art is rich and diverse, including music, dance, architecture, crafts, painting and more. It emphasizes indigenous culture and traditional values and embodies the aesthetic value of Surinamese folk art.
The inheritance and preservation of folk art in Suriname faces many challenges, including the culture shock of globalization and the lack of government funding. In order to promote the development of traditional culture, it is necessary to explore the cultural, social and economic aspects of Suriname in depth and explore innovative ways of inheritance and protection.
Inheritance and preservation of Surinamese folk art faces various risks and restrictions, but Suriname's folk art has been preserved through the efforts and transmission of many generations, showing a bold, vibrant and colorful world.
Surinamese folk art not only presents a unique and diverse culture, but also provides opportunities for other cultures to become part of contemporary global cultural diversity.
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