An evening dedicated to Keti Koti at De Regentes
On Thursday, 25 June, De Regentes, in collaboration with Movies that Matter, presents a full evening of recent films and a book filled with stories by and about Indigenous Surinamese people. An event for everyone who wants to learn more about the pride and dilemmas of the Indigenous peoples of Suriname throughout the years. Through these stories, and under the guidance of Ferdy Karto, we will engage in conversation and already wish everyone a “Wan Switi Maspasi Dey.”
Programme
- 7:15 – 7:35 PM | film: Inheemse Surinamers in Rotterdam
- 7:35 – 8:00 PM | book discussion: Het vervlechten van hoop
- 8:00 – 8:15 PM | intermission
- 8:15 – 10:00 PM | film: Monikondee
- 10:00 – 10:30 PM | post-screening discussion in the theatre café
Please note: this event is in Dutch.
Film: Inheemse Surinamers in Rotterdam (2026)
This film by Demis Rolador follows Indigenous Surinamese communities in Rotterdam as they step into the public eye through their participation in the city’s Summer Carnival. The film explores visibility, pride, and cultural identity, showing how an Indigenous culture remains alive and continues to adapt far from its ancestral homeland.
Book: Het vervlechten van hoop | Perspectieven op Inheemse identiteit
It is rare for a book to allow Indigenous Surinamese people to tell their own stories. Interweaving Hope changes that. In this publication, Indigenous authors from Suriname and the diaspora speak in their own voices, sharing their perspectives on identity, history, culture, nature, and the future. What happens when Indigenous voices tell their own stories about their culture and history? The result is a rich and layered narrative that demonstrates how traditions, knowledge, and visions for the future are interconnected. The strong relationship with nature and the power of oral traditions also emerge clearly. As such, this book is not merely a collection of texts, but a reflection of a living and resilient culture. The publication is an initiative of the National Library of the Netherlands (KB), which, recognising the potential one-sidedness of its collections, sought ways to include the Indigenous Surinamese story as well. Please note: the book will be available for purchase during the evening.
Film: Monikondee (2025)
The Marowijne River forms the border between Suriname and French Guiana and is home to Indigenous peoples and Maroons, descendants of Africans who freed themselves from Dutch slaveholders. Climate change and gold mining are rapidly damaging their vital resources: the land, the forest, and the river.
Through stories and songs, Monikondee evokes both the struggles and the resilience of these communities. We meet them through Boogie, a Fiiman (“free man”) who delivers goods to riverside villages in a motorised canoe. As the communities become increasingly dependent on his supplies, his fuel deliveries to the gold mines also make him complicit in the very forces threatening their livelihoods. Several women he encounters during his journey confront him with this uncomfortable truth.
When Boogie is summoned by the leaders of his community to attend a hearing concerning his young nephew, he embarks on a journey upriver. Along the way, he reflects on both old and new ways of life.
Ferdy Karto
Ferdy Karto is a theatre maker and writer. His work seeks to reflect on the dynamics of society, with a strong focus on the concept of the “playing human.” He previously created the performances liever.zwijgen, het beest op het einde, and zo vertelde de siksi juru, exploring the diaspora of Surinamese communities. He also produced short films such as Na de Zonde and Play, and has written and directed numerous other projects. His literary work has appeared in publications including Tirade, De Groene Amsterdammer, and Liter. His debut poetry collection, Het Firmament Tussendoor, was nominated for the C. Buddingh’ Prize. As guest curator for the National Library of the Netherlands (KB), he organised Unfaded Voices (2023/24), focusing on forgotten historical periods, and Indigenous Literacy (2025/26), dedicated to the Indigenous Surinamese diaspora. He teaches drama and publishes monthly on various literary platforms.
This evening has been made possible in part by Fonds 1818.
