At the Westgaarde Cemetery in Osdorp, the very first urn was buried today on the indigenous field. It is the first place in the Netherlands where the original inhabitants of Suriname can say goodbye to their loved ones according to their own traditions and customs.
It is a special and emotional day for genevieve notes. The urn with her father’s ashes is buried today on the first of the native field. “It feels like coming home. As a warm blanket of love. I am very happy and proud that we can use the indigenous field today, but of course it is also a sad day. A day with a smile and a tear.”
The resting place offers space for six graves. Three years ago this place was already initially. The fact that there is only a first ceremony three years later is, according to notes, the slight fame of the place. “I don’t think enough people know about this. And then you don’t know that you can be buried in this way. I hope that more people will use this.”
Buried in Suriname
The ceremony is accompanied with many drums, dance and singing. Saskia Seinpaal is part of Wayamu Wueyan, who provides the music. “Indigenous Surinamese were always buried in Suriname. This is a unique opportunity, so they don’t have to fly all the way to Suriname with the whole family. And they are also close to visit the place,” she says.