Have you heard about Sana Budaya? It is more than just a building. It is a vibrant hub of Javanese culture in the heart of Paramaribo.
Sana Budaya opened its doors on October 28, 1995. It was a gift to Suriname from Indonesian President Soeharto during his state visit. The center was built with financial support from Indonesia.
Sana Budaya supports Javanese performing arts. Here you will find dance, music, wayang puppet theater, and pencak silat. The 4S-dance company is connected to Sana Budaya. Dwight Warsodikromo leads this group. They perform in Suriname and abroad.
Sana Budaya does more than just promote the arts. It engages with the Javanese community. They organize football matches. They commemorate the arrival of the Javanese people in Suriname together with the Vereniging Herdenking Javaanse Immigratie VHJI.
During the corona crisis, Sana Budaya played an important role. It hosted Suriname’s first drive-through vaccination site. In 2023, President Santokhi opened a documentation center here. It focuses on Surinamese-Javanese cultural heritage. The Soeki Irodikromo Volksacademie is also located on these grounds.
Take a moment to reflect on the monument here. It commemorates 100 years of Javanese immigration. It was unveiled on August 9, 1990, during the centennial celebration. The site is accessible from the Michel Angelostraat. Other monuments were unveiled in Groningen and Nieuw-Nickerie. The monument in Wageningen from 1970 was the first to honor Javanese immigration.
The first Javanese immigrants came from Surakarta in Central Java. They sailed from Semarang via Amsterdam to Paramaribo. They then worked on the Mariënburg sugar plantation in Commewijne.
Five thousand people attended the monument’s unveiling. Ambassador Soekadari Honggow, President Ronald Venetiaan, and Jagernath Lachmon all gave speeches.
Soeki Irodikromo created the stone gunungan monument. John Djojo made the reliefs. They depict professions in construction, agriculture, and Javanese culture. The texts come from the Ramayana epic.
Across from the monument, you will find the Javanese Saoenahmarkt. The Vereniging Herdenking Javaanse Immigratie VHJI founded in 1985, aims to contribute to national awareness. It preserves Surinamese art and culture in general, and Javanese art and culture in particular.
The Volksacademie voor Kunst & Cultuur VAKC and the Sana Budaya Dance Company SBDC are sub-organizations within the VHJI. The VAKC has been providing courses in batik, ceramics, dance and other art forms for 5 years. The Sana Budaya Dance Company has quickly become one of Suriname’s most famous dance companies. It also has international experience.
As you leave Sana Budaya, remember that you carry a piece of Surinamese-Javanese history with you.