1820: Surinam

Surinam

Surinam was still a Spanish possession 400 years ago. The first Dutch merchants settled there in 1613, attracted by fantastic stories of gold and diamonds in abundance. The English were quick to follow and created an agricultural colony there. After the Second English War (1665-1667), Surinam became a Dutch possession until the English re-conquered it in 1799. In 1814, Surinam became a Dutch colony once again and would remain so until 1975.

Surinaamsche Almanak

This almanac was meant not only for the inhabitants of Surinam, but also for Dutch people who were interested in doing business there or who served in an administrative function. At that time Surinam fell under the Ministry of Public Education, National Industry and the Colonies, and leadership was provided by a governor-general. Not only does the calendar note the saints' days and the occurrence of important historic events, but it also mentions high tide at the Braamspunt, the place where the Surinam River empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The almanac also contains two maps of the eastern and western parts of Surinam.

Plantations

One striking feature is mention of 'previously unknown lands'. The interior areas of Surinam were almost inaccessible because of the jungle and were inhabited by Indians and escaped black slaves, who had armed themselves and staged regular attacks on the plantations, trying to incite the slaves to revolt. So the interests of the Dutch were concentrated on the plantations, which were usually not far from the coast. A list of the approximately 1,000 plantations mentions the size, the products, the names of the owners and the often revealing names of the plantations themselves, such as Zeldenrust (Rarely Peaceful), Nooit volmaakt (Never Perfect), Nijd en Spijt (Jealously and Regret) and Zorg en Vrij (Care and Free). The number of slaves that worked on any single plantation is not revealed in this almanac. We do learn that in 1818, 275 free persons died. The slaves were literally silenced to death.

Slavery abolished

Although the slave trade in Surinam had already come to a halt in 1818, slavery would not be abolished until 1863. Not only did the famous book Uncle Tom's Cabin, written in 1852 by the American writer Harriet Beecher Stowe, play an important role, but so did an American almanac. From 1836 until 1847, the American Anti-Slavery Almanac was published in Boston, with poignant illustrations of mistreated slaves aimed at influencing public opinion. After the abolition of slavery, the economy of Surinam fell into an accelerating downward spiral. The Surinaamsche almanak did continue to exist until 1912 and after that was continued until 1955 with the title De vraagbaak: almanak voor Suriname [The Handbook: Almanac for Surinam].