A map is drawn by Jopie to give a sense of direction. Our trip to the Tapanahoney river is done by Korjaal. Left is Albina, in the middle is Stoelmanseiland and the stone is where we are at today, at a place halfway to Apetina.

Going to south in Suriname is called to go UP. Travelling the river we understand the name. We go upstream and all the time climb the river higher and higher!

Stoelmanseiland, a place of Transfer.

Before the civilwar from 1986 Stoelmanseiland had an ingenious system of baggage overload with rail transportation. For traveling from the Marrowijne river to the Tapanahoney river you need to transfer over land. Today the rusted remains are present.

A towel is the dresscode.

The river to wash the dishes, for bathing, for fishing but most important a social space.

In the Village of Moitaki we discover the craft of shipbuilding. Here we met Messias who is making a 6 meter long Korjaal from Kopi-wood in only two weeks time!

The art of shipbuiling with FIRE.
In the village of Moitaki we see more trees in the process of being transformed into a boat. The black one is about 15 meters tall. With fire the hull is shaped. It is complicated work. Under the boat a fire is made. In the hull of the ship there is water. Sticks are put to widen the shape by force. The fire has to be carefully watched and controlled so it doesn't burn through the hull. When it is coolded down again, the wood stays in the fixed position. And you have a great vessel, provided by mother nature.

In Moitaki we found this artpiece, work of Kersten Camaran, Miss Barnsteen, Lady of Trash alias Kirsten

Buddeberg. An artist from Schiermonnikoog.

Pricelist of Powertools for shipbuilding or construction work.

Where the village ends and the private space begins.

The village as a yard. All space in traditional Marroon village is open space. It doesn't mean it is accessible for everyone. Certain zones are for specific and private customs, so a visitor is not welcome here. Somehow it feels like one shared space. How does the village adapt to modernity? Is the traditional set up only possible for a traditional lifestyle? Everyone is linked to one another, it feels like a big family. The villages are very densely built, a house is very close to its neighbors. Everything is to be shared.... There is an issue with privacy that you notice when you visit the village as guest. You feel like an invader... in someone else's private space.

Over the years many people have left the village for education, a career and a life elsewhere. Sometimes they return when they retire. It brings new life and creates new possibilities. Good for the village one could think. But along with the modern lifestyle the introduction of privacy and property is a new phenomena in the fragile urban structure. Look at the photo. At the edge of this village new houses are being built. The new is in conflict with the old, the traditional urban plan of the wide open shared space. The new buildings are of a modern style and cannot relate to the original Marroon style and traditional communal lifestyle. The people who return bring back a different set of values. A big fence is erected to separate themselves from the village. A true clash... How to make a bridge?

Big floating processors on the Marrowijne river. Goldrush in Suriname.

Also small scale entrepreneurs working hard to get the gold.

For ever changing the landscape with no plan other then extract the gold. What is left? A mess of course...

All machines and engines to get the gold use up tons of energy, gasoline and electricity. Big Korjalen (boats made from the log of a tree) can transport up to 40 barrels of Gasoline. One barrel has 250 liters of Petrol. One big logistic and ecological nightmare, if you ask me. There is no system of control on the use of mercury and nobody payes any tax. "Paying tax is for losers", one guy told us. "I am here for me!"