Jurman Majokko and Henk Dinge who both built the lodge and main house, invited me to visit their hometown Deboo, near Kajana. An opportunity to test my idea of offering my guests an unique, culinary workshop within a small, remote Marron community. To actually take part in harvesting, preparing and cooking local dishes with local people.
Together with my 2 critical guests and Jurman as our host, we set out for a 5 day trip to Deboo. That's high up the Gran Rio, the river that feeds the Suriname river together with Pikin Rio. Deboo is one of the last Marron villages to be found that far south. After a spectacular boat trip up the Suriname river, we were welcomed in Deboo.
Decently dressed in pangis for women en kamiza for men we were introduced to practically all the inhabitants, starting of course with the Basya, the village representative.
After these formalities and a relaxed dip in the river, it was time to start the workshop under supervision of the marvelous sister of Henk.
Off to the vegetable garden, 30 minutes by boat, where we found and dug up by hand various tubers, like cassava. We also harvested some bananas (heavy!) and sugar canes. The men joining us went into the woods with axes and guns to clear space for future vegetable gardens and to hunt.
With machetes and a wooden cook fire we prepared the meals in the centrally located, open kitchen for everyone in Deboo. All the while the kids ran around or made their homework for school and women attended their embroideries.
Another part in preparing food is the grinding of seed like maripo (pics below), to extract the oil for cooking, or to extract the rice from the padi. I'll never eat rice again without thinking of the blisters on my hands.
For meat we brought along chicken from the city of Paramaribo, but we also had some delicious fish, freshly caught. And one evening we prepared a 'boskip' (forest chicken (?)), hunted by one of the men and presented by Jurman.
Doing the dishes and dragging water from the river to the kitchen is unfortunately also part of the workshop. Luckily that work is combined with swimming and playing with the kids in the river. That's also the place to start the day fresh and to cool down from a hard days work.
In all, the idea of a cooking workshop with Marrons deep within the jungle, turned out to be a delicious, educational and physical experience. What's more, the warmth we received from the villagers of Deboo from the start, especially the women, was a complete surprise. The presents we gave were answered with special gifts made for us. Thank you Deboo!
Now it's time to manage and translate this workshop in Deboo into a unique tour for the guests of Boxel Boes Belanda they will never forget.
