Makandra: RootsMakandra: Roots

Three stories about family, heritage and identity, from grandmothers reflecting on Surinamese independence to Shellen Arga's Javanese roots and the history of Sranantongo.

Makandra: Roots brings together three stories about family, heritage and identity. In Fayalobi, two grandmothers talk about their lives in the period around Surinamese independence, while their granddaughters examine the legacy of strength, struggle and hope they carry. In Het bloed dat door mij stroomt, filmmaker Shellen Arga examines her Javanese roots and how her mother and grandmother shaped her identity. A Strey fu a Sranantongo covers the history of Sranantongo and shows how the language, once suppressed, became a symbol of connection, identity and self-determination. The film is directed by Chinasa Moeridjan, Shellen Arga and Samuel Blankendal.

Story written by Evenitto from the film catalogue