People of the world.

Reading that more than 30% of the Surinamese population is of mixed race i wonder why this group isn't prominent exposing themselves here in Suriname. Maybe because there is no need to expose the most natural thing. While we are talking about the javanese groups and the creole, the hindustani and the maroon it seems we totally forget about this large mixed (growing!) group, the blend of all colors in one. I call them people of the world. And we, people of the world, we don't ask for a national holiday, nor claiming any political party, land use or what so ever. We are far beyond that. While all these racial groups seem to live in the past, forgetting how time flies and how the 'people of the world" are the most natural group of nature's force. I assume one day all these 'trying to define groups" will just look into the crowd and realize that something happened while they were bizzy with their limited visions, looking at roots and identities of one group. Our strength lies in our 'mix' , with the background of our colorful roots instead of the other way around. The only thing we , people of the world, claim is "the future'.

Identity, the suitcases.

Identity is hot. Research your heritage and find your identity! It is like suitcases coming in big amounts, full of content you yourselve didn't pack. I feel like I was totally blank, that without all this research where I come from I will be with no identity at all. And if I already had a identity I am now totally confused because suddenly I am a lot of things I didn't know of. Does it really matter? Does it say anything of what I am today because I know?

Here I am, sitting in this room talking about heritage and suddenly people are talking about how this will give me my identity, knowing who I am. Research is doen about where we all come from. Research about the hindustani, the javanese, the chinese, negros's. Research about our heritage of slavery, and I can mention more! I was not a slave, yes my great great great great grand mother and father were. I was not a contract labaror, my great great and so on.. was. Where is the 'now'? The things we do today, that make us what and who we are. Do we take responsibilities for the actions we do today, now?
Yes ofcourse i want to know about my history, there wouldn't be a me without it . But. I think sometime by myselve it is a great cover not to go with the progressive flow of all the things happening today, so bizzy constantly looking back instead of ahead. It is like legal stopping yourselve from going forward, while the whole world is moving and dynamic changes are made.
As for me , today , I suddenly got a lot of suitcases whith labels saying ' this is you'. Strange huh.. I am shaking hands with someone I don't know, the 'me' of the research.

I want to pack my own suitcases, label them with my own peace of paper as from my own work, from what I've learned when I grew up, from my own experience. Let this be my identity and leave history to identify the great great great grand mothers and fathers of all of us. Give them a place. Let my place be the one in the now, not through the window of what was, but what is. Let people look at me now, without trying to label 'Me' with history. Let me be the one I feel to be. It is what I choose from what the world offers me. It is where I feel comfortable and what makes me comfortable. It is the language in which I like to express myselve and the spirit I feel that carrieed me through history. It is the friendship I choose and the people that surround me. These, yes these things, I put in my suitcase of identity.