Justapositions

Suriname is full of juxtapositions - things sitting side by side that just don't seem like they belong that way. Some examples are brilliant, and a source of pride for Surinamese, such as the mosque and synagogue side by side (that you may remember from our Guided Paramaribo Tour post):


(mosque)


(synagogue)


(Juxtaposed! well, maybe just a really rare sight, not truly a juxtaposition, but close enough...)

Another perfectly Saramaccan example of juxtaposition comes from the culture of carrying song birds, especially common in Paramaribo.  The best examples are the biggest, toughest, dreaded-out, muscle-bound guys holding a cage with a tiny hummingbird in it.  One of these days we will ask to get a picture of a good example, but for now, I am sorry that you are stuck with a placeholder.


(Mike finds the contrast between huge, tough looking dudes and their tiny, singing birds hysterical, but has so far been too chicken to get a picture)

Other juxtapositions are found in passing.

(granted, these 2 products are both mechanical, so kinda fit together...kinda)

But so far, the blue ribbon goes to:

(huh?)