The role of the enslaved Africans in the growing of Rice in the Americas and especially in Suriname

Legacy of Slavery and Indentured Labour

Linking the Past with the Future

Conference on Slavery, Indentured Labour, Migration, Diaspora and Identity Formation.

June 18th – 23th, 2018 , Paramaribo, Suriname

Org. by IGSR, Faculty of Humanities, IMWO, in collaboration with Nat. Arch. Sur. , NAKS, Federasi fu Afrikan Srananman CUS, NSHI and VHJI.

Address: IGSR , Phone: 490900; 8749865 E-mail: diasporaconfsuriname2018@gmail.com; mauritshassan@yahoo.com

The role of the enslaved Africans in the growing of rice in the Americas and especially in Suriname

Edgar Loswijk

Contents of ContentsPage

Preface 2Chapter 1 Historical Dates 3Chapter II Historical Glimpse 5Chapter III An encounter with mr. H. Ramadhin 9Chapter IV Other Sources 12Chapter V Oral Traditions 15Conclusion 16Literature List 17

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The role of the enslaved Africans in the growing of Rice in the Americas and especially in Suriname

Preface Nowadays it is seen as very normal to us to have rice, especially white rice as a main dish on our daily menu. We don’t realize ourselves that this was not always the case. There are still many areas on Earth where rice is not the main component of the daily meal. In Africa we see for example that roots like yams and grain types like corn are a major part of the daily meal. I remember the people from Para (district in Suriname) consumed mainly roots (yams, cassava, napi) and plantings (bananas) besides rice. Slowly but surely we saw a shift in their eating patterns, as time goes on. The her'-heri (meal containing mostly roots and plantings) is still loved by the Afro-Americans, but not consumed every day. Rice is the main component of the daily diet of all groups that are part of the diverse population of Suriname, starting from the deep interior to the capital Paramaribo. That is why it is worth some good researching in order to find out when rice was introduced in Suriname and how it got here and who brought it. What has drawn my interest the most, was the assertion of mr. H. Ramadhin (2014, p. 27), "that the rice culture in Suriname was developed by the immigrants from India, but he doesn't know exactly when and how this crop entered Suriname for the first time. In my opinion the immigrants from India have played an important role in the development of the wet rice cultivation in Suriname, but they did not started it. Important companies such as “A.van Dijk (1940)” and “Wageningen (1950)” have mechanized the rice cultivation to upgrade to higher productions. Mr. Ramadhin rightly points out that one of the disadvantages of this large-scale agriculture is, disrupting the ecosystem. This still needs to be researched and proven. Mr. Blom A. writes in 1787 that rice thrives very well in our tropical climate (Blom A. 1787, 244-245); He describes a form of the wet rice cultivation. He states that the small size of the rice production is due to the low prices for this crop. According to him, it was then not interesting as stack product such as sugar, coffee and cocoa.

With this problem I would like to make it clear:1. That rice from Africa along with the enslaved also has found its way to Suriname and that these slaves and their descendants had a substantial share in the cultivation and distribution of this crop in the new world. 2. I want to try to determine whether the claim of mr. H. Ramadhin is true, that the rice cultivation in Suriname was developed for the first time with the arrival of the immigrants from India. 3. A clear indication for the presence and cultivation of rice in Suriname in the 18th century we find in the report by Mr. Stedman; (Stedman, 1974 Chapter XXVIII p. 321). 4. It is not my intention in any case to write a biological – scientific report on the rice cultivation in Suriname, but a small contribution to do justice to the correct display of historical facts.

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The role of the enslaved Africans in the growing of Rice in the Americas and especially in Suriname

My thanks go in particular to the following persons:

Mrs. M. Ost-Ali for typing this piece and the indicated suggestions. Mr. K. Gefferie for his advice and second opinion Miss van Leeuwaarde M. for translating.

Chapter I Historical Dates Dates and originVarious sources and people give different statements about the place and origin of rice. That’s why we should proceed with caution. General rice belongs to the family of the grasses. Some experts claim that rice comes from China and was known since 14,000 BC. Still others refer to South Korea as the oldest place where rice was ever found. The discussion is still going on. Judith Carney claims that the word rice (Carney 2001, p. 36) originated from the Arabic-European word erriz, eruz, arroz, rice.

The African word (Mandinka) is mano and malo (Wolof). Carney and Rosomoff refer to the mata (mortar) and mata – tiki (pestle) as tools to stamp paddy (2001, p. 153) to get rid of the chaff. According to these two facts the Africans had all the knowledge to grow and process rice, before they ever came to America.

Judith Carney refers to the two variants of rice: 1. The Asian or Oryza Sativa and the2. African Oryza glaberrina

A little comparison between African and Asian rice delivers the following:1. The color of the Glabberina bran can range from purple to different black tones. 2. The African variety can easily adjust to the circumstances and this breed is growing faster

and is more resistant to weeds.3. Under ideal conditions, however, the Asian race gives a greater yield.4. If peeled by machine the African rice has very big loss in contrast to the Asian race.

We now see that the cultivation of rice in the Interior is stimulated very powerful by the department of Agriculture Livestock farming and Fishing (LVV). In doing so they make one use of imported rice varieties that can thrive in the situation of upland rice in the Interior. Due to the problems listed above they don’t use the traditional rice varieties.

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Oryza GlaberrinaOryza Sativa

The role of the enslaved Africans in the growing of Rice in the Americas and especially in Suriname

Paddy is a Malesian word for rice still in the hard casing, namely the chaff. Both these breeds are developed independently says miss Carney. But she does not state that the Asian variant is older. According to her the Europeans do not believe that rice is also an African product (Carney 2001, p. 32). To them things that have value can never originate from Africa.

The Portuguese report rice cultivation in West Africa near the Senegal River at the coast of Upper Guinea in 1446 (that was the wet rice cultivation). In 1455, the Portuguese visited the same area and reported that the Africans grow different food crops on their agricultural fields. They also mention that at the beginning of the 16th century there was active trade in rice, millet, milk and meat under the Gambian Mandinka. The Protugese indicated that the poor who could not afford sweet potato ate rice. Rice was intended for the poor. Rice and millet were known as food for the poor.

We see that since the 15th century and afterwards, especially the Portuguese often traded with West Africans. The area between Senegal and the Gambia River was known as the rice coast or grain coast; (Carney, 2001, p. 13). The English also mention in their journals in the 16th century (Carney 2001, p. 15) that the Africans grew rice near Sierra Leone. Also large amounts of rice were purchased for the trips from West Africa to America. In addition to slaves there were also other products traded like gold, ivory, animal skins, cotton, iron and so on; (Carney 2001, p. 15-16). Carney says that from 1514 rice appears as a product on the lists of cargo ships that departed from the Cape Verde Islands. We also see that from 1530 African rice was transported to Brazil. A report by Valentiem Fernandes mentions the harvest from two rainy seasons in Senegal. This was a form of wet rice cultivation. The African rice Oryza glabberina race has its own history and by investigations from the first half of the 19th century also its own unique findings. In the beginning the European botanists entangled the African rice with the Asian Oryza sativa, because mr. Linnaeus (a botanist of the 18th century) didn't know the African variety. Therefore, it was not mentioned in his classification in the 18th century. Research by the German botanist Ernst Gottlieb Steudle in 1855 led to the conclusion that the African rice is not the same as the Asian oryza sativa, but that the glabberina was a different kind.

Despite of that, one was not convinced of the originality of the African variety. Only in 1914, the French botanist Auguste Chevalier and his staff concluded that the Glabberina is an independent race, and that this breed has its origin in the Delta of the Niger River in the Republic of Mali. Despite all these results and evidence most European researchers were not convinced of the originality of the African variety. Carney says that it was not until 1970 when there were stunning results and proof that one was willing to admit that the breed was an independent Glaberrina in addition to the Sativa.

This is once more not new if one talks about the recognition of African contributions to the world.

Carney and Rosomoff indicate that in 1690 (2009, p. 152) rice that was introduced in Carolina, was an export product in 1720 and in 1750 it was a major revenue source for that State. Despite this

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The role of the enslaved Africans in the growing of Rice in the Americas and especially in Suriname

contribution of the enslaved and their descendants for the U.S. economy, no one has ever recognized this and given them the appreciation they deserve.

Many Surinamese sources, also mr. H. Ramadhin, refer to Louisiana as a source for our rice, because they also sold rice to Suriname. Stedman (1770, Chapter XXVIII, p. 321), tells us that in their pursuit of the Maroons, they have encountered rice fields. He outlines a situation at the village Casaay by the Cassipora Creek in Cottica. He mentions the variety that he encountered in the Interior by the name Orizza. That could only mean that he derived this from the classification by Linnaeus in the 18th century. He indicated that his men have consumed the rice they encountered to still their hunger. Of course, Stedman could not know that this was no Asian rice, but African. That’s why it is safe to state that the arguments that were generally used by different kinds of people, which state data and information that might tell you about the origin of the rice cultivation in Suriname is not valid. Once again, we stress that the debate on the dating and the originality is still ongoing.

Chapter II Historical GlimpseWhen is the cultivation and consumption of rice mentioned for the first time in Suriname?

We have the journals of the ships examined, especially those from Zeeland, which travelled from the Netherlands to Suriname. They took products from Europe to West Africa in order to exchange them for slaves. They made the crossing from West Africa to America and in our case to Suriname. Unfortunately we were not able to look through all the sites of the Middelburg Commerce company (MCC) in search for the product rice. The slaves amongst other things were given rice to eat, because they were familiar with it. They did this to reduce the death rate, because the slaves were getting sick and dying because they were not used to the food given. And every slave who died was a loss for the company. We were only able to get access to the Surgeons-journals from February 1788 online of the slave ship “the Zeemercuur”. There was an entry in there about the Surgeon feeding cooked rice to a slave who had recently given birth to her baby.

In The journal of the Eenigheid from 1761 (source archives of Zealand in Middleburg) we found a clear example of sales of rice on the West Coast. This is an example of the amount of rice that was shipped in for the crossing.

Schip “Eenigheid”

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The role of the enslaved Africans in the growing of Rice in the Americas and especially in Suriname

Traded rice for consumption on the ships

Date 1761

09 december 120 lb Rice Kleen Caap Monte Expressed in kilograms 54,4310kg 1lb is 0.453kgSource: https://www.kg-to-lbs.com/lbs-to-kg.php)18 ps. Kleene clay cans á f 0:227/32 f2:11:5 Expressed in kilograms 21,96kg 1 can is 1,22 literSource: MCC 1244 Consumption book14 do 188 lb Caap Mesurado f1:3:12 Expressed in kilograms 85,164 kg5 big clay cans á f0:4 ¾ f0:17:1 Expressed in kilograms 6,1 kg6 do Kleene do á f0:2 27/32 f 2:10:010 lb. blackened tabaco à f0:5 f4:10:1326 do 12.00lb Kleen Basa Expressed in kilograms 543,60 kg½ ps. Bonties à 6:10:0 f3:5:034 ps. Big cans à f0:4 ¾ f8:1:8 Expressed in kilograms 41,48kg10do Kleene do à f0:2 27/32 f1:8:78ps. Tin bowls à f0:93/4 f3:18:09lb. copper nepten à f0:11 15/16 f10:0:040 lb. blackened tabaco à f0:5 f32:0:629 do 700 lb. under seijl Kleen Basa Expressed in kilograms 317,10kg10 big clay cans à f0:4 ¾ f2:7:8 Expressed in kilograms 12,20kg9ps Tin bowls à f0:9 ¾ f4:7:89 lb cupper nepten à f 0:11 15/16 f2:10:010 lb. blackened tabaco à f0:5 f14:12:15

Total in 1761 Rice bought 1082.035 kg + 41.48 +

Date 176203 januari 300 lb à f93/4 f3:8:4 Expressed in kilograms 135,90 kg

8 ps. Big clay cans à f0:4 ¾ f1:18:0 Expressed in kilograms 9.76kg6 do 120lb. between Big & Small Corro f1:3:12 15 big clay cans à f0:4 ¾ f0:4 ¾ f1:5:06 ps. Tin bowls à f0:9 ¾ f2:8:12 5lb. blackened tabacco à f0:5 f2:10:07 do 340lb. f3:11:4 Expressed in kilograms 154.20 kg5 ps. Tin bowls à f0:9 ¾ f2:8:125lb. blackened tobacco à f0:5 f1:5:02.968 lb. bought rice for f68:15:7 Expressed in kilograms 1344,504 kg

Total Rice bought in 1762 was 1740,275 kg

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The role of the enslaved Africans in the growing of Rice in the Americas and especially in Suriname

Note:For a two to three months trip at sea, these numbers could not have been enough for a few hundred men, consisting of the enslaved and crew members. This is why rice was used, in addition to other products such as yams, gort, grain types, peas and so on. The trip to America without these food crops would not be possible; (see Carney and 2009 rosomoff, p. 65-69). However, this is not clearly stated in the various ship's journals. According to Carney and Rosomoff, it is said that the captains that were interested in this African products, had little knowledge of them. There is also indicated that about 12 million enslaved (forced) did the crossing from Africa to America. This is shown by research conducted from at least 35,000 trips of slave ships from Africa to America. They say that in the 18th century more than 17,000 travels were made. This indicates how important and necessary the purchase of African food crops was for the crew, but especially for the enslaved. The preparation of food on board was done by African women. The rice was processed an cooked just how the Africans do it. The rice was being processed in the mortar (mata) with the pestle (mata tiki). There are therefore different lectures on how African women platted the paddy in their hair on the journey to America and later when they fled from the plantations to the interior, the rice found its way to the Interior of Suriname and Brazil; (see oral tradition Mother Pansa of the Saramacca tribe; Carnet & Rosomoff 2009, pages. 76-77). A quote from the dissertation of mr. Beeldsnijder (1994, p. 196), copied from A. Blom showed that the slaves planted the following crops: yams, cassava, beans, corn, ocher, napi, sweet potatos, sjoeroe, peppers, peanuts, pineapple, watermelon and tobacco. Rice is not on the list, most likely because the available terrain was too small for planting rice. Maybe the Directors of the plantations got their rice from elsewhere, probably plantations devoted to grow rice, called fields. The rice Stedman always referred to was definitely the outcome of dry rice cultivation. These are grown on high ground, especially in our interior.

Wet rice cultivation: The area in which the paddy rice should grow is being plowed. The paddy is put in water to germinate. The plants are then spread out on the wet field. The field is flooded and the rice plants grow upwards throughout the water.

Dry rice cultivation: Paddy is not covered by water, but on a piece of land that is prepared for that.

Alex van Stipriaan (1993, p. 350) says that it is not simple to get a clear picture of the food supply of the enslaved, let alone into changes concerning it. The food supply of the enslaved was a constant concern of the Government. The main reason is obvious: to prevent revolt with all its consequences.

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The role of the enslaved Africans in the growing of Rice in the Americas and especially in Suriname

Ojo Olatunji and Nadine Hunt quote J. Carney and R. Rosomoff when they indicate that the African food crops were stored on the slave ships to serve as food for the enslaved (2012, p. 157), during their journey from West Africa to America. Products such as rice, ocher, hibiscus, watermelon, Guinea milles, Guinea squash, Guinea Corn and Guinea pepper and more. These products are now known as American crops. These are all indications of many African products in America. Rice was traditionally grown in the basins of the rivers Niger, Senegal, the Gambia and this happened long before the arrival of the Europeans in West Africa. We have already pointed out that rice did not found it’s way to Suriname through Louisiana, but through the slave ships. The enslaved have also taken their eating habits to Suriname.

A known product is the kuku alesi. In Suriname the newly harvested (fresh) paddy rice is put in a pot with a little water in it and then covered with a banana leaf. This is being boiled on low heat. The paddy rice is dried in the Sun and than stamped in the mortar(mata) with the pestle (mata tiki). The bran remains stuck to the rice grains. This rice is prepared as moksi alesie with smoked fish, meat, vegetable, coconut oil or coconut milk. In former times Afro-American women went out with a wooden box on their head with this rice in it to sell their wares. The rice was sold per can (can was about half a liter/about a pound).

Another popular African dish among the locals is the peanut-rice (pinda-alesi). The peanut is first fried and mashed in a mortar (mata). Then it is mixed with rice and cooked. This is a popular dish in the Interior.

The cultivation forms were brought from Africa by the peopleThey knew the three (3) forms:

The highland farming; what we know from our Interior and in our districts.

The swamp rice cultivation; is also practiced in the Interior. Tide agriculture; close to the river banks, not really known in

Suriname.This knowledge was brought to the Americas by the enslaved. Therefore, it is not true what mr. H. Ramadhin and many other writers say that the rice here was gained by rice imports from America (1780), because the enslaved in Suriname had/practiced this knowledge since 1651.

Unlike many historians who present the enslaved as people without history and culture, F. Budike shows another reality. He mentions some facts (F. Budike 2004, p. 69):

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The role of the enslaved Africans in the growing of Rice in the Americas and especially in Suriname

They had agrarian knowledge they had acquired in Africa, hence their suitability to work on the plantations.

They were resistant to malaria and yellow fever in contrast to the Europeans and the Indians. Hence, many Africans suffer from Sickle cells. That is because they came from a tropical area, that’s why they were fit to work in areas where malaria prevailed.

Chapter III An encounter with Mr. H. Ramadhin

I am very grateful to Mr. Hardeo Ramadhin for writing his book: "Historical developments of rice cultivation, the past, the present and the future."

However, from a critical point of view, I do not entirely agree with his approach on the subject. I'm not a geographer, so I don’t want to get on thin ice regarding this. However, I am entitled to my opinion that he should be more careful with providing data on the origin of rice and giving credit to citizens who have fulfilled very deserving roles for the district Nickerie over the years past. I absolutely do not agree with mr. H. Ramadhin in his assertion regarding the historical development of the rice cultivation in Suriname. According to his book, he says: "In Suriname the basis of the rice building was laid in 1895 by the immigrants from British India (now India, Pakistan and Bangladesh) who came to Suriname." (2014 Hardeo R. Ramadhin p. 23).

Furthermore, he says that they have ensured, that the needs were satisfied by their efforts. This is not entirely true. In the war years (WO II) when there were no ships coming in from the United States to Suriname with rice and flour there was a shortage of the products mentioned. The deficit was partly covered by the consumption of fried cassava from Para what we know today as cassava bread. This is before the period of the mechanization.

In the fifties of the last century many African - American farmers/workers of Nickerie ended up especially in the large-scale farm set up factory Wageningen. An informant mr. G. Brewster, from Nickerie, has pointed out to me that because of many circumstances the descendants of the immigrants would not easily leave their home and family to go and stay in the forest for months as the African descendants did. Another example is that the Nickerie farmers (mostly descendants of the British immigrants) are not so benevolent to work together in (agriculture) cooperative relationship with each other. This is one of the reasons why the development of agriculture is having so much problems in this district. An engineer told me that he didn’t succeed to get a cooperative collaboration off the ground in Nickerie. Everyone wants to have his own farm machinery, that’s why the costs are so high. He has worked for some years in West Africa among the peasants where the cooperative form is well

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The role of the enslaved Africans in the growing of Rice in the Americas and especially in Suriname

managed. That’s why we need to be careful to bring up things like ethnicity, while local conditions may determine the behavior of people. Nowadays we have to retrieve seed from Guyana for the planting of our rice fields. While in the seventies and eighties of the last century it was the Guyanese who came here to learn from us how to grow rice. There are a lot of factors due to this, mainly politics, but we will not go into this, because it will bring us off the subject.

At the moment we see that the rice industry/rice building is stationary, while Guyana makes great progress. This all has to do with policy and discipline and unfortunately all too often this is missing with us. A certain caution is provided.

Carney and Rosomoff referred to the rice cultivation in the United States as an example of a contribution from the enslaved to the development of that country. I started with my research of the slave ships that took rice from West Africa to Suriname and these facts speak for themselves. The table on page 27 of the book of Mr. Ramadhin indicates that from 1903 there is a steady growth in rice yields.

This is an indication that the population consuming mainly roots such as: cassava, tayer, sweet potatos, napi etc. nowadays is favoring other kinds of food.

Afro-American families such as the Griffith's, Dalgety's and others could purchase 2nd hand agricultural machinery with the support of Wageningen to process the fields of the farmers in the 50’s and 60’s of the 20th century. This revival was not for long, because the farmers bought their own machines later on. This information comes mainly from mr. G. Brewster, a Afro-American man that stil grows rice on a wide scale. I also want to refer Mr. Ramadhin to the street in Nickerie named after the Afro-American farmer named Arnold Julen who was one of the best farmers in heart and soul. Finally, I should mention that the market of Nickerie was set up at the beginning of the 20th century by small Afro-American farmers, who lived along the Nickerie River. The market operated first once a week and afterwards several times a week. We should appreciate our own ethnic group when it comes to their contributions to the country and its people, however, we must not forget that others also have made their contribution. What would Nickerie have been without Mr. L.A. Wix, Mr. F.O. Lashley, dr. van Ommeren, Mr. G.G. Maynard, agricultural expert W. Hewitt etc. In this context we can take mr. Heckers as an example. He was not from Nickerie, but he worked as a teacher and Minister for the Reformed Church and has done a lot for the total Nickerie community. Heckers refers to the dedication of several individuals for the district Nickerie. And what we can take as an example is that the farmers who were descandants from the enslaved and the British immigrants

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The role of the enslaved Africans in the growing of Rice in the Americas and especially in Suriname

could labor peacefully next to each other. The push and management from the Government is what we often miss nowadays. In the 80’s of the last century I worked in Nickerie as a Minister of the Moravian Church in Suriname, so I was aware of what was going on socially. There were a lot of Afro-Americans in the small-and medium-sized agricultural business where mainly rice was grown. Because of a lot of problems that had to do with the price on the worldmarket and poor control of the Government, have made many of them as well as others turn their back on agriculture. That’s why we should approach complex problems with caution. Heckers indicates that the balata, gold and bauxite industry made the Afro-American people leave the agriculture industry, but it had nothing to do with disliking agriculture. The writer Beck (p. 18-19) contradicts the claim that the Afro-American wanted nothing to do with Agriculture. He refers to the district Coronie where the Afro-American people grew different crops which thrived well and they could even live from it. The different products that they grew were: different fruits, such as coconuts, that they themselves brought to the city with their sailing ships (Cutters). That way they got a better price for their goods. This is a clear example of how things can be done. He assumes that for practicing agriculture you have to be aware of someone’s race, background or ethnicity to plan your approach. When we consider Suriname, we see that after the emancipation of the slaves, a lot of them were very active in agriculture. I want to specifically point out that the factors that have made the Afro-American people pursue other sectors vary from one person to another.

Nickerie originated on the initiative of the then Governor Frederici at the end of the 18th, early 19th century. Heckers indicates that they laid out cotton plantations close to the sea and more inward other products were produced. He also mentions names of people who had an outstanding reputation in the growth of the district namely: mr. W. Hewitt, van Petten, Boonakker, L.A. Wix (balata-industrial) and so on. There was good cooperation between the farmers and the Government in addressing the problems in the district. The grounds of Nickerie are perfect for the wet rice cultivation. Engineer E. Ubels wrote in the journal of the Agricultural Research Station Suriname (1961, p. 1) important information about the rice culture in Nickerie. He says that the acreage of Nickerie is the best part of the rice acreage of the entire country. This is in the first instance, because it partly is the best part that is suitable for rice in the coastal landscape of Nickerie. Coronie also features such ground structures. Making the rice building there also very productive. This landscape consists entirely of flat lying young and therefore fertile heavy clay. He goes on to say that for the first time in recent years (1959 and 1960) in the small agriculture a hopeful beginning was made with the application of modern culture methods and new varieties. The development of the rice cultivation in Coronie is not always warmly supported by politics. In the ' 70’s of the last century

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The role of the enslaved Africans in the growing of Rice in the Americas and especially in Suriname

there was talk of setting up a company annex dryer in Coronie. Politics stopped this intentionally. The argument was that Coronie can use the facilities available in Nickerie. Striking is that politics didn't include Coronie in their plans to help develop this area. The Dutch West Indies guide Encyclopedia states the following concerning the rice cultivation and yield (1981, p. 610): "First with the arrival of the immigrants, the rice culture developed. In the last times this means of existence got more popular amongst the black people and the yield increased to more than 2 million kilograms. Despite this increase, the imports of rice remains about 5 million per year; That means that the local yield for rice could not meet the demand of the local market. We can also refer to the annual report of LVV from 1968 and the mechanical agriculture that was introduced by A. van Dijk (1940) and Wageningen (1950) causing the rice cultivation and production to increase very rapidly. Through the introduction of the mechanical rice cultivation the import of rice was no longer necessary. Mr. van Dijk and Mastenbroek developed a new kind of rice that is named after them, called the Dima (van Dijk and Mastenbroek).

Chapter IV Other Sources

Regions, industries and enterprises and number of plantations by 01 January 1854. West Indian Almanac 1856 quote from Zunder (2010, p. 443)

Area of Production Sugar Coffee Cacao Cotton Rice

Upper-Suriname, Thor

8.256.226 5.480 - - -

Para 3.575.537 65.570 14.670 - 32.07

Upper-Commewijne

4.222.741 - - - 32

Upper-Cotica, Perica

3.423.262 135.594 - 135.453 -

Lower-Commewijne

2.733.004 75.415 - - -

Lower-Cottica 3.981.240 91.586 2.080 210.267 -

Matapicca 1.148.756 32.045 - 121.306 -

Saramacca 2.129.566 107.041 211.890 - -

District Nickerie 3.762.000 50.780 5.440 6.460 -

District Coronie 666.000 - - 417.992 -

Total 33.898.332 563.511 234.080 891.478 -

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The role of the enslaved Africans in the growing of Rice in the Americas and especially in Suriname

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The role of the enslaved Africans in the growing of Rice in the Americas and especially in Suriname

Colonial Report 1903

Districts CoffeeKilograms

RiceKilograms

1901 1902 1903 1901 1902 1903

Nickerie 6800 3842 7422 44100 25200 15550

Coronie 487 200 348 225 25200 15550

Lower -Saramacca

8178 4638 5040 119290 95434 94430

Upper -Saramacca

15 4638 16 15550 9410 8840

Lower – Suriname

213105 173226 175608 6350 21135 36606

Lower -Para 313 610 1145 133915 173125 214370

Upper -Para 9530 6798 4468 25100 24675 20822

Upper -Suriname

4327 1758 3820 27220 13200 11749

Lower -Commewijne

51978 45548 67056 1500 4280 6100

Upper-Commewijne

2280 1114 1045 1250 2880 2030

Cottica 6885 2147 3232 900 425 1500

Marowijne 5 2147 3232 900 425 1500

303.953 240.191 260.218 308.460 373.685 412.107

The production of rice shows a growth between 1958-1968 (R. Ramadhin, 2014, page 28)

Year Rice (ton) Year Rice (ton) Year Rice (ton) Year Rice (ton)

1958 85.049 1961 71.814 1964 87.963 1967 119.529

1959 78.693 1962 79.161 1965 89.825 1968 115.626

1960 80.710 1963 74.844 1966 98.825

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The role of the enslaved Africans in the growing of Rice in the Americas and especially in Suriname

Based on these figures we can see that there was a steady growth in rice cultivation in Suriname. The three columns give a rough picture of the production of rice from 1853. This is an indication of change of eating habits by the population. The people were accustomed to eat more roots such as: cassava, napi, tayer etc., but now we see a favor for rice. With regard to the rice culture in Para we can also quote from the annual report of the Reverend Neslo from 1935: "As time passes on the tales told about the Para not being suited for rice culture, because the soil from the Savannas are soured are being contradicted. In La Prosperite, Onverwacht, Overtoom and Onoribo and also Hannover, Berlijn and many other areas rice had been grown on a regular bases by rice farmers for their own use. This quote shows that rice has been grown for many years in the Para.

Chapter V Oral TraditionsThe oral traditions are an important support to get to know the history of rice. After a long time of preparation I had a meeting with members of the family Pansa. Mr R. Libretto referred me to Bisshop R. Pansa who was to act as a mediator. The encounter took place at the Archives of the EBGS Burenstraat 17. A delegation from upper-Suriname led by Captain Renee Richenel Pansa brought me a visit. They told me the following: the mother of Ma Pansa, Lukesi Mena was born in Africa. In Suriname she had a daughter by a Jew called Castillion. This child was a mulattin and had long hair. When she fled to the interior she platted paddy rice grains in her hair, so she could not loose them on her journey. These paddy grains, were spread out in the Interior and thus an African variety rooted in Suriname. Annually the family Pansa celebrates this occasion with a feast. This feast is accompanied by many traditional ceremonies. It would therefore be good that a researcher elaborates this story with all its different facets. The time that was set aside for the meeting was too short to get into the story very deeper. This story is not an isolated one, there are more of such traditions under the different tribes of the descendants of the marroons, and also in Brazil with variations of these oral traditions among the descendants of the enslaved.

Therese Bernadette Pinas was born in 1925 on Plantation Vierkinderen in Para. She told how they did grow rice in the Para and brought it to the city to sell. Because of the very low prices they got for their crops it was not very attractive to the descendants of the enslaved to further pursue the agricultural sector. This story connects with the writings of mr. Neslo. This was one of the reasons why they turned their back on agriculture.

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The role of the enslaved Africans in the growing of Rice in the Americas and especially in Suriname

Marius Ferdinand Lamsberg from Totness, Coronie, born in 1942 told us how he traveled in his sailing boat (Bato) to Paramaribo to sell his products such as rice, coconut oil, sapotilles etc.There was a lot of wet rice cultivation going on in Coronie until this day. Up till the 60’s of the last century there was a certain level of prosperity in Coronie. The people from Coronie could live by their labor because they brought their products to sell straight to the customers in other districts and Paramaribo, without interaction of a middleman. Strange as it might sound, but education and easy access through better infrastructure, have also contributed to the depopulation of Coronie. This information shows that the enslaved and their descendants have practiced the cultivation of rice for many years, but due to circumstances, many have turned their backs on agriculture.

Miss Johanna Albitrouw from Nieuw Koffie Kamp, indicates that they have different rice varieties common in the Interior. These include:

Blaka Alesie, is used for cultural purposes Coolie Alesie, a rice variety with long grains Redi Alesie, this rice species has its name from the reddish-brown color of the chaff. Aloeloe, this rice type falls easy from the halm Pakira Alesi, the color of this race looks like the color of the Pakira (wild pig). Koendwai, this rice does not grow high.

An informant who provided me with a bundle Rexora paddy, told me that this rice does not come from Africa, but from elsewhere and that this breed thrives very well in the Interior of Suriname.

Conclusion1. Research has shown that the enslaved and their descendants have been growing rice from Africa in the districts and the interior of Suriname for ages. 2. This knowledge they have taken to the new world and applied in the America's and even progressed and stimulated it on a large scale in areas such as Louisiana and Carolina in the United States of America. 3. This rice mentioned was even transported and sold to Suriname in 1780.4. In the report of Stedman (1770) he tells us about the cultivation of rice (African) in the Interior of Suriname.5. However, only by mechanization of the rice cultivation they could fulfill the need of the population.6. The African rice varieties have survived hundreds of years in the Interior of Suriname. Now there are plans of the government to grow rice on a large scale in the Interior with varieties that lend themselves to the processing on a large scale. Despite the fact that the African rice varieties are not fit to process on a wide scale, they have shown to adapt to conditions other than the original; as a result,

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The role of the enslaved Africans in the growing of Rice in the Americas and especially in Suriname

the experts can derive a great deal of knowledge to apply to other rice varieties. In this way they have proved their worth in the modernisation of the rice. 7. So we can say that Africa both in the past and today contributes to the development of the rice cultivation in Suriname.

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The role of the enslaved Africans in the growing of Rice in the Americas and especially in Suriname

Literature List

Oral traditions (stories) on rice construction of:

Family Pansa of Upper Suriname Miss J. Albitrouw of New Coffee Camp Mr. Lamsberg from Coronie G. Brewster, farmer from Nickerie Miss Th. Pinas of Plantation Vierkinderen

Blom A. (1787) – Verhandeling van de Landbouw in de colonie Suriname. Amsterdam, uitgever J.W. Smit, 1787

Beeldsnijder R.O. (1994). Om werk van jullie te hebben. Plantage slaven in Suriname (1730-1750). Proefschrift, Utrecht 1994

Carney, J.A. and Rosomoff, R.N. (2009). In the shadow of slavery, Africa’s botanical legacy in the Atlantic World. University of California, Press, LTD, London, England.

Carney, J.A. (2001). The African Origins of Rice Cultivation in the Americas. USA. Chirurgijnsjournaal, Schip Zeemercuur 1788. Zeeuws museum. Encyclopedie van Nederlands West-Indië onder redactie van Benjamin en Joh. F. Selleman uit

S. Emmering Amsterdam 1981 blz. 610 Neslo (1934) Jaarverslag. In Utrechts Archief (Z.Z.G.) Heckers A.A. (1979). Het district Nickerie. Stoomdrukkerij H. van Ommeren, Paramaribo.

Opnieuw uitgegeven door het bestuur van het Cultureel Centrum Nickerie in verband met eeuwfeest Nieuw-Nickerie, 1979.

Koloniaal verslag van 1853, 1903 Olatunji Ojo and Nadine Hunt (2012). Slavery in Africa and the Caribbean. London/New York.

I.B. Thauris & Co ltd. Ramadhin H.R. (2014). De historische ontwikkeling van de rijstbouw. Het verleden, het

heden en de toekomst. Stedman John Gabriel (1974). Reizen naar Suriname en door de binnenste gedeelten van

Guyana, dl. I-IV. S. Emmering, Amsterdam. Ubels E. Is, Mededeling no:26 Oct. 1961 / Uitg. Landbouwproefstation Suriname Zunder, Armand (2010). Herstelbetalingen. Den Haag, Amrit.

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