Suriname’s Department of Regional Development has celebrated the contributions of Maroon communities to national society by honoring 20 outstanding individuals of Maroon descent with the inaugural Maroon Legacy-Wi Rutu Award. The recognition ceremony marked the conclusion of a series of events held for Maroon Legacy Month, a new national commemorative initiative launched earlier in October.
The award program spotlights individuals who have demonstrated long-term commitment to advancing Maroon communities and broader Surinamese society across a diverse range of sectors. Honorees work in fields spanning music, visual arts, cultural preservation, mining, fashion and beauty, education, governance, and law. Among the distinguished recipients is former Surinamese vice president and prominent public figure Ronnie Brunswijk, who was unable to attend the award ceremony held on the final day of the accompanying Maroon Trade Fair. Assembly member Ronny Asabina, who received an award for his own contributions to the community, accepted Brunswijk’s honor on his behalf, confirming he will deliver the award personally during a scheduled meeting with Brunswijk the same day.
Leo Atomang, chair of the Stichting 10 oktober 1760 foundation, was the first honoree to receive his award during the public ceremony. Not all 20 recipients were able to attend the event in person. Leading Surinamese visual artist Marcel Pinas, popular musician Prince Koloni, and academic Ine Apapoe were among those absent. Apapoe made history in September 2026 as the first Surinamese scholar appointed to the prestigious Prince Claus Chair in Equality and Development at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, where her research focuses on inclusive governance and tribal community rights.
The commemorative Maroon Legacy Month was officially launched by the Department of Regional Development on a Friday earlier in October at the Congress Hall in Paramaribo. Following the launch, a two-day Maroon Trade Fair was organized at Roelie’s Event Venue in Wanica District, giving Maroon entrepreneurs and artisans a platform to showcase, promote, and sell their handcrafted goods, local products, and professional services to attendees. Event organizers reported strong sales throughout the fair, marking the event as a commercial and cultural success for participating community members.
The Maroon people of Suriname are descendants of enslaved West Africans who escaped colonial plantations starting in the 17th century, establishing independent communities in the country’s interior. The creation of Maroon Legacy Month and the Maroon Legacy-Wi Rutu Award marks a growing formal recognition of the Maroon community’s unique cultural heritage and decades of contributions to national social, economic, and political development in Suriname.