Art making, aesthetic considerations and the formation of social and cultural homogeneity with the changing Bush Negro society of Suriname

Abstract

This paper is based on research done in Suriname and the Netherlands from 1999 to 2003. The focus of this research was on art making practices and aesthetic considerations and how these can lead and contribute to cultural cohesion within the changing society of the Bush Negro of Suriname. Strong indications show that external and internal impacts disrupted the traditional Bush Negro social order and changed attitudes toward their indigenous arts and culture, ultimately leading to their adaptation of artistic expressions. Many artistic activities of the Bush Negroes are today played out and continued in urban settings. The shift from an indigenous existence and adaptations to the norms and standards of living in urban communities have drastic implications for the status quo of indigenous Bush Negro life and their traditional artistic expressions.