Owru Yari or old & new

Is a national holiday and is celebrated on New Year’s Eve.

Early in the afternoon the party starts and thousands of firecrackers are lit. The people dance wonderfully in the sun on the street. Throughout the city center there are various stages with Surinamese kaseko bands where you can swing to, Kaseko is a corruption of the French casser les corps (break the body; shake the body).

Another important element during Owru Yari is the delicious Surinamese cuisine. Throughout the city there are eateries in various places with various dishes from an international kitchen. The Surinamese culture consists of different population groups, including Indian, African, Indonesian, Javanese, Jewish, Portuguese and indigenous. The unique Surinamese cuisine has emerged from this mixing of cultures with Surinamese.

Later in the evening, most people go home to ring in the New Year with their families. When the clock strikes 00.00 everyone wish each other Wan Bun Njun Jari. The party is far from over, you can still party until early in the morning in various places in the city.