Meeting of the Minds: Traditional Herbal Medicine in Multiethnic Suriname

Abstract

The Republic of Suriname (South America) is located on the Guiana Shield, one of the regions with the highest biodiversity and the largest expanse of undisturbed tropical rain forest in the world. The population of almost 570,000 consists of a unique blend of ethnic groups and cultures from all continents. These include Indigenous Amerindians, the original inhabitants; Maroons, the descendants of runaway slaves who had been shipped from Africa between the seventeenth and the nineteenth century; Creoles, a generic term referring to mixed blacks and whites; the descendants from indentured workers from China, India, and Java (Indonesia) who arrived between the second half of the nineteenth and the irst half of the twentieth century; as well as immigrants from various Middle Eastern, European, Caribbean, and South American countries. All these groups have made their own speciic contribution to Suriname's traditional medicine, which has resulted in a myriad of remedies against many disorders, mainly employing a variety of plants. This chapter presents a brief history of Suriname, addresses the ethnopharmacological practices of Maroons and Creoles as well as Hindustanis and Javanese, and concludes with a few remarks on the previsions provided by the country's rich plant-based traditional medicine.

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“…The various ethnic groups in Suriname have largely preserved their culture and identity, still practicing their original religion and speaking their original language in addition to Dutch (the official language) and Surinamese or Sranan Tongo. 5,8 The same holds true for their specific perceptions of health and disease, ethnopharmacological traditions, and traditional medical concepts. 8 This was probably partially due to the divide-and-conquer policy of the colonial government which kept the several groups isolated, and partially to the desire of each ethnic group to adhere to its particular customs as a means of strengthening the own identity in the new and unfamiliar environment of Suriname.…”

“…5,8 The same holds true for their specific perceptions of health and disease, ethnopharmacological traditions, and traditional medical concepts. 8 This was probably partially due to the divide-and-conquer policy of the colonial government which kept the several groups isolated, and partially to the desire of each ethnic group to adhere to its particular customs as a means of strengthening the own identity in the new and unfamiliar environment of Suriname. 8 Important factors which helped preserve the various traditional medical systems were the extensive botanical knowledge of the newcomers and their previous acquaintance with useful plants.…”

“…8 This was probably partially due to the divide-and-conquer policy of the colonial government which kept the several groups isolated, and partially to the desire of each ethnic group to adhere to its particular customs as a means of strengthening the own identity in the new and unfamiliar environment of Suriname. 8 Important factors which helped preserve the various traditional medical systems were the extensive botanical knowledge of the newcomers and their previous acquaintance with useful plants. Indeed, the newcomers readily recognized many edible and medicinal plants in Suriname because these plants, along with numerous commodities, people, animals, and diseases had been transferred from the Old World (Europe, Asia, and Africa) to the New World (the Americas) and vice versa during the Columbian Exchange in the 15 th and 16 th centuries.…”

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“…Nevertheless, it is renowned for its ethnic diversity comprising indigenous Amerindians; descendants from enslaved Africans brought in between the sixteenth and the nineteenth century called Creoles and Maroons; descendants from indentured laborers from China, India, and Indonesia who arrived between the second half of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century; descendants from various European countries; and more recently, immigrants from Latin American and Caribbean counties such as Brazil, Guyana, French Guiana, and Haiti [28]. All these ethnic groups have largely preserved their own specific identity including their ethnopharmacological practices [29]. This may result in an unique blend of traditional medicinal systems and an entirely novel form of complementary and alternative medicine [29].…”

“…All these ethnic groups have largely preserved their own specific identity including their ethnopharmacological practices [29]. This may result in an unique blend of traditional medicinal systems and an entirely novel form of complementary and alternative medicine [29].…”