The big story, the token article for Suriname was supposed to be the much anticipated Carifesta XI taking place for 10 days in Paramaribo during August 2013. I would have never known of the existence of the Maroon people and their villages if not for picking up travel tips and advice from every traveler we meet - which has been a rare occasion since arriving in Guyana. In fact, I came to the Maroon village of Santigron, hardly a drive from the capital city of Paramaribo, without much knowledge still of what or whom I was coming to see. Mr. Gilles and the most helpful Ms. Bianca at Access Suriname made every neccesary arrangement to bring us to the village despite our unscheduled, last-minute request. This would only be the beginning of many delightful surprises and exceeded expectations.
Before we even arrived in the village we began to understand what this 'tour' was all about. A man, who fell in love with this community, and has spent years of his own sweat, tears, money and provided a voice for people here. He opened up a channel so that tourism could come here - profits going to the people and proliferate the traditions of a dying culture. The children are once again learning the dances of their elders so they may perform them for visitors with an invigorating energy. Mr. Gilles has founded the 'eco park' within the village but every single person associated with it is a local Maroon. The park itself is a tiny and exemplary...
Read the whole story and view the images on my new travel blog @ http://karinasextraordinarylife.com/2015/01/21/santigron-suriname/
Read the whole story and view the images on my new travel blog @ http://karinasextraordinarylife.com/2015/01/21/santigron-suriname/
No comments:
Post a Comment