Dyarang Kepang

Dyarang Kepang is a cultural dance from

Indonesia still beeing performed in Suriname.

The dancers are wearing animal masks ,like

monkeys,tigers sitting on paper horses with

gamelang music in the background,played live.

In the climax of the dance they get into a trance

and start acting like the animals they portray

while eating grass(the horse)

or chaising dogs or chicken(the tiger)

These dancers when in trance are

triggered by folks wearing red clothes

and also chase these individuals.

Suriname land of many Cultures and Festivities

Suriname the original Amar Indian Country was taken over by Dutch in 1667. Even though the land was briefly held by the English, it was the Dutch that controlled and influenced Suriname for almost 300 years. The Dutch enslaved thousand of Westafricans for centuries,but had to look for alternatives of their free workers who were exploited and treated like animals,after they were forced to follow the rest of Europeans to end slavery. It wasn't until 1863 their king Willem III had to sign the papers to stop their BARBARIC acts.Their alternatives were contracters from India,Indonesia,China, who were paid pennies on the dollar to take over the hard work of the former slaves. Over time, the Dutch colonial plantations began to decline, as the distant Dutch government was supplying less financial support to its colony. In the early 20th century - a turn around - when the American firm ALCOA invested in the indigenous bauxite deposits, and Suriname's economy surged, and it became the world's leading supplier of same. The country has about 500.000 inhabitants and is enriched by many cultures. Jewish,Muslims,Christians all live peacefully together in this blessed country.