Indigenous People's Day
🇸🇷 Suriname
- Public Holiday
- Countrywide
- Fixed date
Overview
Indigenous People's Day is a public holiday in Suriname that honors the nation's indigenous peoples as its original inhabitants. Observed nationwide each August 9, it is one of several Surinamese holidays that recognize the distinct ethnic and cultural communities that make up one of South America's most diverse countries.
What It Is
As a public holiday, Indigenous People's Day falls on the same date every year, August 9, and applies nationwide across Suriname. Government offices, schools, and many businesses typically close for the occasion. Indigenous communities and cultural organizations, both in Suriname's interior and in the capital, Paramaribo, often mark the day with public gatherings, traditional dance and music performances, and craft displays that showcase indigenous heritage.
Why It Matters
Suriname's population includes a small but historically significant indigenous community, including the Kalina, Lokono, Trio, and Wayana peoples, who lived along the country's rivers and forests long before Dutch colonization. Indigenous People's Day formally recognizes them as Suriname's original inhabitants. The chosen date, August 9, aligns with the United Nations' International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples, established in 1994 to mark the anniversary of the first meeting of the UN Working Group on Indigenous Populations in 1982. Linking the national holiday to this global observance situates Suriname's indigenous communities within a wider international movement for indigenous recognition and rights.
Countries Celebrating
1 country
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