Blog Posts

On February 11, 2015, the shaman Korotai Puumona escorted sixth-grade students from the public school in Kwamalasamutu into Suriname’s deep rainforest interior. During the walk, Korotai–an active participant in ACT’s “Shamans and Apprentices” program–introduced the students to a range of medicinal plants. They learned about their forests’ rich ethnobotanical wealth as Korotai pointed out species that are used to disinfect wounds, stem bleeding, treat snake and spider bites, and more.

On March 23, 2015, the Children’s Book Festival launched in Suriname’s capital city of Paramaribo. At 8:30 a.m., ACT’s Katia Delvoye received the first group of students for “A Journey to South Suriname”—an interactive experience in which students learn about the traditional knowledge of the indigenous and tribal communities of their nation’s rainforest interior.

Since the early 1990’s, ACT has worked with indigenous peoples to create ethnographic maps of their traditional lands. These maps not only catalog important locations for indigenous communities, but also serve in the ongoing dialogue over land rights for indigenous and Maroon peoples.

Kwamalasamutu awakens. The first sunrays break through the clouds and light on thatched roofs in the tiny Surinamese rainforest village. A few residents are already on their way to wash themselves in the river. Mist still hangs in the air. Suddenly, we hear a voice over the village loudspeaker. It’s Granman Asongo Alalaparu. Per the daily ritual, he makes the morning announcements. Today—as for the last two weeks—the big project is building the community’s new Tukuispan. And everyone is expected to help.