Social Movements & Civil Rights

Abolition of Slavery in Surinam

Ketikoti, now celebrated in Suriname, marks the day slavery was abolished in the Dutch colony of Surinam. On July 1, 1863, the legal status of enslaved people changed after years of Dutch colonial rule. This pivotal moment began the transition towards freedom for approximately 34,000 individuals enslaved in the colony, allowing them to live as free citizens and gave rise to the cultural observance of Ketikoti, which means 'the chains are broken' in Sranan Tongo, reflecting a crucial turning point in the region's history.

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