Jan 11 - In the Freeman's cemetery, Jodensavanne, Surinam
Re the symbolic shape of this grave marker: "Most slaves were shipped to Suriname from West Africa via Curacao. Jewish planters brought some here [to Jodensavanne] from Barbados, Cayenne, and elsewhere in the New World. The majority of African people in Suriname, like their offspring, believed in a supreme being, a spiritual world on earth, and a realm of ancestors. They held the belief that after passing away they would be reincarnated in their country of origin. Death meant liberation in a certain sense. The symbolism of the wooden grave markers - the heart (in Suriname often placed upside-down) at the end of the stake - can be explained through the African symbol sankofa. Sankofa means "go back to fetch it." The deeper meaning behind this is that there is wisdom in learning from the past so as to build for the future. And also: to understand why and how we came to be who we are today. The heart shape can also be an akoma: a symbol of love, patience, tolerance, good will, loyalty, and perserverance." (a plaque at the site)
Jan 11 - In the Freeman's cemetery, Jodensavanne, Surinam
Re the symbolic shape of this grave marker: "Most slaves were shipped to Suriname from West Africa via Curacao. Jewish planters brought some here [to Jodensavanne] from Barbados, Cayenne, and elsewhere in the New World. The majority of African people in Suriname, like their offspring, believed in a supreme being, a spiritual world on earth, and a realm of ancestors. They held the belief that after passing away they would be reincarnated in their country of origin. Death meant liberation in a certain sense. The symbolism of the wooden grave markers - the heart (in Suriname often placed upside-down) at the end of the stake - can be explained through the African symbol sankofa. Sankofa means "go back to fetch it." The deeper meaning behind this is that there is wisdom in learning from the past so as to build for the future. And also: to understand why and how we came to be who we are today. The heart shape can also be an akoma: a symbol of love, patience, tolerance, good will, loyalty, and perserverance." (a plaque at the site)