A smooth cohabitation
Paramaribo is a city of extraordinary religious architecture, and is one of the few places in the world where places of worship coexist with such respect. Catholic churches rub shoulders with Protestant ones, Hindu temples abound, and the country's great mosque and only synagogue are right next door.
Suriname is the South American country with the highest percentage of Muslims, and has been a member of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation since 1996. As early as 1929, the city's Muslim religious community organized itself to build a place of worship, and it was in Keizerstraat that the first mosque was inaugurated in the summer of 1932, not far from Christian churches and right next to Suriname's only synagogue! Some Surinamese Muslims are descendants of West African slaves, while others are descendants of immigrants from Indonesia and South Asia. Islam in Suriname is heavily influenced by that practiced in Indonesia and Pakistan.
As for Judaism in Suriname, its history begins with the founding of an autonomous village up a river called Jodensavanne (Dutch for "Savannah of the Jews") in 1639. The Sephardic congregation Beracha ve Shalom (Blessing and Peace) was then founded and erected its first wooden synagogue in 1665. This inland settlement went into decline in the 18th century, and many of its inhabitants opted for the capital, the only real trading post in the area. It was the Ashkenazi community that acquired a plot of land bordering today's Keizerstraat, and erected a place of prayer there in 1723. More than a century later, the building was replaced by the current Neveh Shalom synagogue, inaugurated in 1842.
The winti
Another religious tradition present in Suriname is winti. This is an Afro-Surinamese religious cult originating in Africa, the result of the fusion of different traditions brought by slaves from different tribes and ethnic groups, which developed under the Dutch Empire. The practice of this religion was severely repressed by the Catholic Church, which associated it with black magic and demonic spirits. Ten years after the abolition of slavery (1863), the Dutch state prohibited freed slaves from practicing Winti and speaking Srnanan for almost a century. Today, this tradition can be found among Black-Browns, Creoles and Aboriginals alike, the latter finding similarities with their own beliefs. Traditional dances and rituals are still practiced today by some Black-Brown and Creole families: winti (similar to Brazilian candomblé, Cuban santería and Haitian voodoo) is used to calm village conflicts, heal the sick and exorcise evil spirits.
Hinduism
Hinduism also forms a strong religious basis in Suriname. The underlying principles of Hinduism are not easily described: there is no single philosophy that forms the basis of faith for the majority of the Indian population. Hinduism is perhaps the only religious tradition that can be called a "museum of religions," so diverse is it in its theoretical principles and practical expressions. This religion cannot be attributed to a specific founder, nor does it have a "holy book" as a basic scriptural guide. The Rig Veda, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad-Gītā can all be described as sacred texts of Hindus. Hinduism is also a syncretistic religion, which does not shy away from incorporating deities from other religions into its pantheon.
