Woodcarving

Woodcarving in Suriname from the Maroons has its origins in Africa. It is the most antique woodcarving in the whole Caribbean. The Maroons are the descendants from the runaway-slaves in Suriname in the 18th and 19th century.

Because of their great isolation nearly 3 centuries, the Maroons still have their original African roots, which they keep up in daily living. And so is their woodcarving. It is a way of abstract art and symbolizes the connection between man and his nature: plants, animals, teeth or the scales of a fish.

Woodcarving from the Maroons is being transfered from generation to generation through the men.

The created symbols always have a name and a meaning to the creator. The creator mostly expresses his own feelings or situation. The carved products are mostly one of a kind, since the creator expresses his situation of that particular moment.

The perfectness of the Maroon art is when the creation is totally symmetric.

Generally cedar is used to produce these wooden peaces of art.
Before the wood is being sawed, it has to dry for a certain period before carving, so it cannot grow square when it arrives in another climate. Wood, that are used for decoration, are sumaruba and purperhart.

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