Commemoration 133 years of Javanese-Surinamese History

• Date: 13 August
• label.tijd 13:00 - 18:00
• Location: Koninklijke Schouwburg

Wong Jawa. From the East to the West is the theme of the commemoration of the history of Javanese Surinamese, which began 133 years ago with the arrival in Suriname of the first Javanese contract workers on Aug. 9, 1890.

The program reflects the theme in the keynote that will be delivered by Christa Wongsodikromo, 4th generation independent researcher, activist and visiting professor at University of Michigan. She specializes in Indonesia and Suriname's colonial past, intergenerational trauma and identity.

In her presentation, she establishes a close link between Indonesia and slavery and contract labor in Suriname. Both the first and the last contract workers in Suriname came from Indonesia. During the 133-year commemoration of Javanese-Surinamese history, consideration will be given to the oldest and longest Dutch colonial history of slavery that took place in Indonesia. The Javanese-Surinamese identity is an embodiment of this historical past, addressing the colonial system as a global system.

This will be followed by readings (poems, spoken word) dance and music by young people with Indonesian and Javanese-Surinamese roots.

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