In mid-1973, it was announced that Suriname would become independent by the end of 1975. What did that independence entail? And how was it to be implemented?

Poets took the lead in this situation, and poetry collections followed one after another in rapid succession. Poets were everywhere people gathered, conveying their messages. At times, it seemed like a cacophony in which poets tried to outdo one another in a sort of “battle” format. The audience enjoyed it. In hindsight, we can say that poets guided and shaped the process of gaining independence. To celebrate Suriname’s independence, a group of residents from the Zaan region decided to bring all of this to the stage in a theatrical production. Over the course of an hour, recitation artists and musicians take the audience on a thrilling journey in which music and poetry alternate.

At the Zaans Cultuurhuis, we aim to provide a platform for stories, art forms, and cultural traditions that are still underrepresented on Dutch stages. That is why we are giving the Barpuru theater group the space and support to further develop and perform their unique form of spoken-word art.