Free Heri Heri

Keti Koti / Kadena Kibrá
A day to gather in honor of freedom.

We warmly invite everyone on Tuesday 1 July to Dansateliers to celebrate freedom with Free Heri Heri and an inspiring side program. Enjoy spoken word in our beautiful garden with a drink in hand, and take part in a free Movement Class by Shaquille George, dedicated to the theme of Keti Koti.

In collaboration with the initiative Free Heri Heri for All by KIP Republic Foundation, we will be serving 100 meals in total — available vegetarian or with fish, with a vegan option as well. Entry, meal, and participation are all completely free of charge.

As we have a limited number of meals available and would like to serve everyone as best as we can, we ask that you reserve your free ticket online. Trouble booking? Just walk in — we’ll be happy to help.

PROGRAM
17:00 | doors open
18:00 | Heri Heri served (first come, first served)
18:30 | spoken word in the garden
20:00 – 21:00 | free Movement Class with Shaquille George

A bar will be open throughout the evening where drinks can be purchased.

Abolition of Slavery

Slavery was officially abolished on 1 July 1863. However, most enslaved people in Suriname were forced to continue working under state supervision for ten more years. As such, true freedom was only realized in 1873.

The commemoration of Keti Koti — which means “broken chains” — marks not only the official abolition of slavery but also the lived moment when freedom could truly be felt. In the Netherlands, Keti Koti has become a day of reflection and recognition, honoring the legacy of slavery throughout the Kingdom: in Suriname, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St. Eustatius, and Sint Maarten.

Heri Heri

Heri Heri is a dish made with ingredients that were once given to enslaved people — nutritious, filling, and locally grown. What was once a necessity has now become a cherished delicacy: a combination of root vegetables, salted fish, sometimes an egg, and most of all — rich with meaning.

Movement Class

Shaquille George, a resident artist at Dansateliers, is a storyteller in motion. In this special Movement Class, they invite you into a physical and emotional journey based on their work Nos Bida. Expect movement, shared philosophy, and guided reflection centered on the theme of Keti Koti.