Javanese

          




Problems around the British Indian immigration, such as:suspension of the arrivals, and riots among the immigrants, caused the government of Suriname and the planters to look for other possibilities to supply workers for the plantations. The eyes then fell on the overpopulated Java, which had the adventage of also being a Dutch Colony. Because of this, there was no risk for international complications. In 1890 a test was made with immigrants form Java by the Nederlandse Handel Maatschappij, N.H.M. (a Dutch Trade Company), which had great interests in Netherlands East India, and whisch was the owner of the largest agricultural business in Suriname, the sugarplantation Marienburg. In that year the N.H.M. brought 94 immigrants tos Suriname, viz:61 men, 31 wmen and 2 children. They traveled from East India via Holland, from where they traveled in smaller groups further to Suriname. The first immigrant from Java arrrived in Suriname on August 9, 1890, with the ss. Willem II, 44 in number followed by more later in the year. They were employed at the sugar concern Marienburg, where as laborers they worked to the satisfaction. It was decided to recruit more immigrants from Java and as of 1894 they were brought in on a regular basis, but now through the immigration-fund established in 1878 on account of the government. In the first years the N.H.M. took care of the recruitment on Java. This task was later taken over, at first by "Soesman's Emigration Office", and after that by the "General Deli Emigration Office, ADEK". The conditions under which the immigrants came from Java to Suriname were the same as those of the British Indian immigrants. They also signed contracts for five years, in which, among others, were included: the obligation to perform work, the wages, the right to a free return passage, free medical treatment and free lodging. And the penal sanction also applied to this immigrants. In general , the directors of the plantations were satisfied with these Javanese immigrants.

In 1901 Van Cappelle gave the following summery of their judgement: "the Javanese feed themselves better...they better exercise personal cleanness...are much less liable to illnesses...they work, although not so fast, neater and deliver sounder work...they have heart for their work and regularly do as they like. One can rely on the Javanese...he is gentle, satisfied and willing...he is accustomed to discipline."

The first Javanese immigrants of 1890 had made their trip from Java to Suriname via Holland. Four years later, in 1894, the next group arrived, much larger than that of 1890. This group would not make their journey via Holland, but sail directly from Java to Suriname via the Cape of Good Hope. The immigrants departed on April 1894 and arrived 50 days later, on Juni 16, in Paramaribo, after a journey full of hardships, particularly due to the cold for which they had no suitable clothes, Also the food on board was bad and there was not enough potable water. 32 immigeants died en route and immidiately upon arrival another 95 had to be transported to the hospital. After arrival of the others in the Coolie-depot another 2 died and 185 had to be brought to the hospital, where yet 27 died. Luckily, such calamities did not happen again at the next transports. The Javanese immigrants worked hard, but were less thrifty. They unduly readily spent their hard-earned money on parties and on gambling. On virtue of the decree of 1895, the Javanese immigrants could also get public land. However, more than the British Indian immigrants they entered into new contracts on the plantations. 11.235 immigrants were brought here up to the year 1914. When an end was brought to the immigration of British Indians in 1916, the immigration from Java strongly increased. 20.276 immigrants came between 1917 and 1930. Than there came an important change. The penal sanction, that is, the penalty in the contract to guarantee the observance of it, was removed from the contract. In future, only free immigrants would come. Another 977 immigrants came in 1930 and 1931 under the new arrangement, after which, for the time being, the immigration came to an end. For in 1929 the great economic world crises started, which also influenced the developments in Suriname. Surinamese agricultural products became unmarketable, the plantations got into great trouble and had no need for new or more laborers.

In 1939 the immigration was resumed, however, now on another basis and with other intentions. For, the governor Kielstra had conceived a plan to yearly, during ten years, sent for 10.000 immigrants from Java. They would settle as free colonists. The execution started in 1939 on a small scale. At Leiding 19, across the Saramacca canal, opposite Leiding 8, plots of land were put in readiness te receive the expected stream of free immigrants. On December 13, also in this same year, a group of 990 Javanese persons arrived in Suriname with the SS.Kota Gede. The were placed on the plots prepared for them at Koewarasan. However, what was meant as the first group of thousands of free immigrants became the last group of Javanese immigrants in Suriname. Because in 1939 the second world war broke out and that meant the end of the immigration plans of Kielstra. The plots of land at Leiding 19, as far as the were not given to the group of 1939, were given to other Surinamers. And that is why we observe so many population groups living in that surroundings. With regard to the Javanese immigration indeed Kielstra has more merit. To make the immigrants feel faster and better at home in this to them new land, he wanted to house them in seperate residential communities, village communities, where they could develop themselves and find expression according to their own nature. Tamanredjo became the first village community in Commewijne (1937). The leadership in a village community was in the hands of a "Loerah" and the land was communal property just like in Indonesia. There was much criticism of these measure of Kielstra, but still it was not before 1984 that the village communities were abolished. Kielstra sent to Ease India for civil servants, because those could better associate with those people, according to what he said. This measure also met with much criticism, because the Surinamers felt they were placed second. To reduce the number of unlawful marriages, Kielstra proclaimed the Asiatic marriage legislation, making it possible for the professors of the Islam (the majority of the Javanese) to contract a lawful marriage before their own religious ministers.
In Suriname many Javanese embraced Christianity. Meliapur of the Roman Catholic community at Copieweg was an important Center for mission-work. For the E.B.G. this was, and still is, Leliendaal, where a juvenile home was opened in 1918. The Javanese mission now constitutes a seperate synodal board within the E.B.G. and already some ministers have come from this group. As far as the Javanese sill profess the Islam -a somewhat different form than that of the British Indian Muslims with old Hindu customs yet- they are united in some communities and there is a coordinating body, the S.I.S. The I.R.I.S. -Interreligieuze Raad In Suriname (Interreligious Council in Siurinmae)- is a cooperating federation of Javanese and British Indian Islamic communities with Hindu organizations and some Christian communities, among whom the R.C.

Most of the Javanese still live in Commewijne, where they also constitute the majority of the population.









This page hosted by   Get your own Free Home Page