Chinese New Year

Suriname was among the first countries in the Americas to make Chinese New Year an official national holiday, honouring a community whose roots here go back to 1853.

Lion dances, drumming and strings of firecrackers mark the day at the Chinese associations of Paramaribo, including the venerable Kong Ngie Tong Sang, and at Chinese-owned shops across the country. Expect red and gold everywhere, food stalls, and a citywide soundtrack of firecrackers from early morning.

Photo: Communicatie Dienst Suriname, CC BY 3.0