Cultural heritage management and archaeology in Suriname

This thesis is written as an orientation on heritage management and archaeology in Suriname. To be able to draw conclusions on this subject, the discussion first is on theoretical insights about heritage management. The theoretical discussion emphasizes the western scholar perspective in heritage management as well as archaeology. This western progressivist evolutionary perspective also has its consequences for policymaking in Suriname. Decisions from the past are of influence in the present. As a result UNESCO World Heritage enlisting of the Paramaribo city centre has led to many initiatives on the level of cultural perception but also is basic to a quite heavy financial and organizational responsibility for Surinamese society. Further heritage policy making must take notion of the existing commitments but also needs orientation on what fits the market economy of the country. Both building a sense of national consciousness and responsibility for the countries vulnerable Indigenous...Show moreThis thesis is written as an orientation on heritage management and archaeology in Suriname. To be able to draw conclusions on this subject, the discussion first is on theoretical insights about heritage management. The theoretical discussion emphasizes the western scholar perspective in heritage management as well as archaeology. This western progressivist evolutionary perspective also has its consequences for policymaking in Suriname. Decisions from the past are of influence in the present. As a result UNESCO World Heritage enlisting of the Paramaribo city centre has led to many initiatives on the level of cultural perception but also is basic to a quite heavy financial and organizational responsibility for Surinamese society. Further heritage policy making must take notion of the existing commitments but also needs orientation on what fits the market economy of the country. Both building a sense of national consciousness and responsibility for the countries vulnerable Indigenous inhabitants and their culture should be taken care of within future policy making. From the before mentioned point of view archaeology and heritage management opens new possibilities. Revitalization of archaeology within Suriname could lead to an awareness of the processes that created present day society and give greater time depth to human presence in Suriname. It has the ability to set Surinamese history stronger within the regions communal past and to create mutual understanding. To emphasize the possibilities of the discipline there should be looked at better implementation of archaeology within existing management frameworks. Also should be undertaken a better societal advertisement of archaeological work. This can only be reached by making archaeology more public within the country. In this manner valuable archaeological information will be spared and cultural perception will increase.Show less

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Cultural heritage management and archaeology in Suriname