Lessons from Abya Yala: The Indigenous Peoples of Suriname with Sherlien Sanches

Nihizhi, Our Voices: An Indigenous Solutions Podcast

In this episode, we speak with Sherlien Sanches of the Kaliña Nation of Suriname, a country in Abya Yala (South America). Her peoples were colonized and enslaved by the Netherlands starting in the 1500s. She currently lives in Amsterdam to advocate and educate for her people, where she helped create the Indigenous Knowledge Center. There are currently the bodies of Kalina babies in the basements of Dutch museums in preserved water. Part of her work is to rematriate their bodies to proper places of dignity and respect. She also is working to include Indigenous Peoples in the Netherlands reparations effort and not allowing them to “start” history with transatlantic slavery, but remember that it started with the enslavement of Indigenous People in Suriname. She is working to help the Indigenous Nations of Suriname (such as the Kaliña [Carib], Lokono [Arawak], Trio [Tirio, Tareno] and Wayana) be more visible both in the Netherlands and in the world! We in Turtle Island are deeply connected to Suriname because the only reason we have New York City as a British rather than Dutch colony is because it was "traded" by colonial genocidal maniacs to the British in exchange for Suriname. There are many parallels to her peoples position and that of Indigenous People in what some call the USA. Please listen, learn, enjoy, and act!
To learn more about her rematriation effort feel free to watch the following film: https://vimeo.com/858891304?fbclid=IwAR221GbCJS0RFp3p154ygV8lMHyfUFNm3k-bx2ldo-DovcGv6UrzPky0Iec_aem_AeJSA1GjmR8BokqrmXFy_J5gyZs5ty5uqvzpU1yRDgWVFoaHcrkWTwbGG2cKn2V0WT8