Smiling faces. Colorful costumes. Dancing people. Singing and music. Travel miles. Some ingredients of the traditional Avondvierdaagse that is being held these days in the city center. It is the sixty-first edition this year. Sun or rain, the participants will not be held back. Some people also see the walking march as the Surinamese version of carnival, but I personally think it is more than that. It is an expression of ours that many people look forward to every year: to participate, to beat, to watch and experience. It brings neighborhoods closer together and strengthens the feeling of solidarity among young and old. It is also a moment when generations come together and memories are made that will be cherished for a long time.
Early in the morning you will see people setting up stands along the road to sell food, snacks and drinks. Other people place stones or barriers in front of their entrances, so that they can sometimes enjoy the walkers passing by with snacks and an ice box with drinks later in the afternoon. Groups participating in the walking march have prepared clothing and drawn up a plan weeks, sometimes even months before the evening four-day event. The elections took place last year, so this year fewer political groups are participating. But that shouldn’t spoil the fun; There are plenty of other groups participating that will ensure a dazzling walking march.
There are people who complain that traffic will be busy again. They have had plenty of time to properly plan their route for these days. Leave a little earlier or take a different route so that you can avoid the traffic caused by the march. I participated once and walked for one day and thought it was a very fun activity to participate in as a participant. You see people sitting along the road happily and proudly motivating you to keep walking. Sometimes you also see acquaintances waving at you with a smile.
At the beginning of the week I participated in a panel discussion about intangible heritage in Suriname. The evening four-day event was mentioned as a beautiful part of our rich cultural heritage. This cultural activity has grown from a simple walking march to a major cultural event in Suriname. The evening four-day event has become an indispensable part of our cultural calendar; it is an integral part of our cultural experience in Suriname. It seems interesting to investigate the walking march closely, into the different phases it has gone through: from a simple walking activity to an event in which groups fully dressed in costume and sometimes even with a brass band color the days.
In the panel discussion this week it was also said that we need to better appreciate the cultures of Suriname. This is also because some things are still unknown. When we start to appreciate these different expressions, we see how important they are for the identity of Suriname. So although I don’t like the traffic, I will still stand on the side of the road to encourage the runners.-.
