The rich history of Diitabiki Museum Fositen Gudu

Our history

Picture: Magda Augusteijn

On the way to a new museum

Bezoek Nederlandse Rijksdienst Cultureel Erfgoed

Diitabiki Museum Fositen Gudu is an initiative of Bono Velantie, granman (chief) of the Ndyuka. In 2016 he asked the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed (RCE) in the Netherlands for advice and support on how to preserve, manage and make visible the cultural heritage of Diitabiki and its surroundings. After explorations in Suriname and the Netherlands, the RCE, in close cooperation with cultural anthropologist Thomas Polimé, issued the advice to realize a museum in Diitabiki in 2017.

In 2019, the granman established the Diitabiki Museum Foundation, which is managing the project locally. The granman and his cabinet are the initiators and oversee the quality. In the Netherlands, the Wooko Makandie Foundation supports the project. It keeps in touch with the Diitabiki Museum Foundation, the granman and his cabinet and organizations in the Netherlands. In 2018, a support group was established in the Netherlands, which contributes to the project in various ways.

<< Visit of the Dutch National Office for Cultural Heritage to Diitabiki, 2016

Diitabiki Museum Fositen Gudu Steungroep

The support group and a delegation of the Aukan community view photos in the National Archives’ repository, 2019

An important event took place in 2019: the furnishing of the meeting room of granman Bono Velantie and his cabinet. This is located in the Kentie, a renovated building of the former granman Oseyse. Children from the sixth grade of elementary school Akontoe Velantie were invited to the festive opening on January 11. They learned a lot about their own history.

Diitabiki Museum Fositen Gudu Bono Velantie en kinderen

Granman Bono Velantie and children of elementary school Akontoe Velantie, January 2019

An important event took place in 2019: the furnishing of the meeting room of granman Bono Velantie and his cabinet. This is located in the Kentie, a renovated building of the former granman Oseyse. Children from the sixth grade of elementary school Akontoe Velantie were invited to the festive opening on January 11. They learned a lot about their own history.

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Granman Bono Velantie and children of elementary school Akontoe Velantie, January 2019

"This is a great starting point for the museum that I would like to see realized in my village and residence. A museum for the entire Maroon community and in particular the Ndyuka community."

– Granman Bono Velantie

Our history

On the way to a new museum

"This is a great starting point for the museum that I would like to see realized in my village and residence. A museum for the entire Maroon community and in particular the Ndyuka community."

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