The Suriname Coat of Arms
The picture above this is the arm or the weapon of Suriname...
The words justitia, pietas and fides are Latin and mean: justice, peace and loyalty. The two American Indians are holding a shield. The American Indians are the original (oldest) inhabitants of Suriname.
The sailor ship on the left side of the shield reminds of the history of Suriname. In this context should be thought of the slaves who were transported from Africa to Suriname with ships. The palm tree on the right side of the shield symbolizes the present time as well as justice. The diamond in the middle represents a heart. The star within the diamond has five corners and stands for the five continents where the ancestors of the inhabitants of Suriname originally came from. So this is everywhere in the world. According to some people the world consists of five continents. If North- and South-America are considered as one continent and Europe and Asia as well as one continent this reasoning is correct.
Original version:
Opo kondre man oen opo!
Sranan gron e kari oen.
Wans ope tata komopo
wi moe seti kondre boen.
Stré de f'stré, wi no sa frede.
Gado de wi fesiman.
Eri libi te na dede
wi sa feti gi Sranan.
Dutch Version:
God zij met ons Suriname
Hij verheff' ons heerlijk land
Hoe wij hier ook samenkwamen
Aan zijn grond zijn wij verpand
Werkend houden w'in gedachten
Recht en waarheid maken vrij
Al wat goed is te betrachten
Dat geeft aan ons land waardij
Dutch Translation of Original version:
Landgenoten staat op!
De Surinaamse grond roept u.
Waar de voorouders ook vandaan kwamen
Wij moeten het land opbouwen.
Strijd is er te voeren, wij zullen niet versagen.
God is onze leidsman.
Heel ons leven tot de dood
Zullen wij strijden voor Suriname.
Translation of Original version:
Fellowmen arise!
The Suriname ground is calling you.
Where ever our ancestors came from,
we must build up this country.
Struggles have to be made, but we won't be afraid.
God is our leader.
During our whole lives until death
We will fight for Suriname.
Translation of Dutch version:
God is with our Suriname
He elevates our wonderful country
In what ever way we came here
We are attached to his ground
While we work we keep in mind
Justice and truth set free
To try out whatever is right
That gives dignity to our country
The text of "Mi Kondre Troe", which means "My true country", a song which can be considered a second anthem is also worth reading.
| The first flag next to this text is the flag that was introduced in Suriname in 1954. In 1954 the status of Suriname changed from a colony of the Netherlands to Dutch Overseas Territory. The flag was abolished after independence, on 25 november 1975. It was white with brown, white, red, black, and yellow stars. All of which were connected by a black ring. The colors of the stars represented the many different ethnic groups that make-up the stock of the modern population while the ring symbolized unity. On a white field, a black ellipse bearing five white, black, orange, red and yellow stars. The black star stood for Creoles, the brown for the Asian Indians, the yellow for the Chinese and Javanese, the red for the American Indians, and the white for the white Europeans. All these different kinds of people still live in the present Republic of Suriname. |  |
| The second flag is the present flag of the Republic of Suriname. In this flag the unity of all ethnical groups is represented by one star. The star has five points (angles) representing the five biggest ethnical groups: The Creoles, The Asian Indians, The Chinese and Javanese, The American Indians and the Europeans still living in Suriname. The colour (yellow/gold) of the star stands for a golden future. The red stripe stands for progress and love, the green for hope and fertility, and white for peace and justice. It is a beautiful thing to see and know the symbolism and the special meaning of this flag. |  |
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This page was made by: Peter Troon. Suggestions for all of my pages are welcome on this adress: pajtroon@dds.nl.
This page: Copyright © 1999 - 2002 Peter A. J. Troon |