“Janey Tetary brought different cultures closer”

Indentured Servant Janey Tetary who rose up against oppression and exploitation during the colonial period was honored with a statue that was erected at the Palmentuin located along the Grote Combéweg. Anil Manurat, chairman of the Cultural Union Suriname (CUS) pointed out that Janey Tetary is certainly worthy of this recognition. Especially given the fact that she as a woman was not afraid to rise up and put an end to the injustice that was being done to her and the people around her.

Manurat pointed out that little over a year nobody had ever heard of Janey Tetary who had been put to work at the Zorg en Hoop Plantation that was located along the right bank of the Commewijne River. After a lot of digging in the historic archives it was discovered what this young woman from India had done. Her courage and demand for a dignified existence inspired the CUS to immortalize this young resistance fighter. “She was not only a fighter but she was also a person who was always ready to listen to the problems of her fellow sufferers. Tetary brought various cultures closer. She treated everybody the same regardless of race, creed or culture.”

Vice President Ashwin Adhin pointed out that the unveiling of the statue of Janey Tetary has started the decolonization process. “We must come to realize that we must not honor the oppressors but the resistance fighters. That is why it was decided to remove the bust of George Henry Barnet Lyon who played a central role in the oppression of indentured servants. It was also Barnet Lyon who had given the order to liquidate Tetary at the 1884 uprising at Zorg en Hoop Plantation,” said VP Adhin who added that Tetary is not only a rolemodel for Hindus but for all the Surinamese people. “She is the example of courage, selfsacrifice and selfrespect. She is a rolemodel for all women. Historians focused very little on female heroes but that has changed with the unveiling of the statue of Tetary,” said the VP.