SURINAME SYMBOLS OF NATIONHOOD

 

SILVERTORCH THE SURINAME FLAG

ITS MEANING


 

 

 

 The flag has five horizontal bands of green, white, red, white, and green. A large, yellow, five-pointed star, symbolizing the unity of all ethnical groups is centered in the red band.  The color (yellow/gold) of the star signifies a golden future. The red stripe stands for progress and love, the green for hope and fertility, and white for peace and justice.
   SURINAME'S COAT OF ARMS

ITS MEANING
 

The coat of arms of Suriname depicts two Indians holding a shield. At the base of the shield is the motto `Justitia Pietas Fides' which means `Justice Faith Loyalty'. The sailing boat at the left of the shield symbolizes the transportation of  slaves from Africa to Suriname.  The palm at the right stands for the present and also for justice. The diamond in the middle symbolises a hart. The five-point star within the diamond stands for the five continents from which the inhabitants of Suriname came.
 
 

SURINAME'S NATIONAL ANTHEM

NOTES
  
IN SURINAMESE (SRANAN) 

Opo kondreman oen opo
Sranan gron e kari oen.
Wans ope tata komopo,
Wi moes seti kondre boen.
Stre de f'stre wi no sa frede
Gado de wi fesiman.
Heri libi te na dede,
Wi sa feti gi Sranan.


IN DUTCH
 
God zij met ons Suriname 
Hij verheffe ons heerlijk land 
Hoe wij hier ook samen kwamen 
Aan zijn land zijn wij verpand 
Werkend houden we in gedachten 
recht en waarheid maken vrij 
Al wat goed is te betrachten 
Dat geeft aan ons land waardij. 


IN ENGLISH
 
Rise country men, rise
The soil of Suriname is calling you.
Where ever our ancestors came from
We should take care of our country.
We are not afraid to fight
God is our leader
Our whole life until our death,
We will fight for Suriname.

 

Words (Dutch)by: Cornelis Atses Hoekstra - written in 1893

Words (Sranan) by Henry de Ziel

Music composed in 1876 by: Johannes Corstianus de Puy

Adopted: 1959

Note:
The native language of the people of Suriname is called Surinamese or Sranan