Dutch colonisation of the Guianas | |
|---|---|
| 1621–1959[a] | |
 Flag | |
 Dutch controlled Guiana at its greatest extent in dark green; claimed but uncontrolled land shown in light green. | |
| Capital | Paramaribo |
| Common languages | Dutch |
| Religion | Dutch Reformed Church |
| Historical era | Colonial period |
• Established | 1621 |
| 1652–1654 | |
| 1665–1667 | |
| 1672–1674 | |
| 1674 | |
| 1780–1785 | |
• United Kingdom gained control of the three coloniesDemerara,Berbice andEssequibo, the colonySuriname remains under Dutch control | 1803 |
• Disestablished | 1959[a] |
| Currency | Dutch guilder,Surinamese guilder |
TheDutch began theircolonisation ofthe Guianas, the coastal region between theOrinoco andAmazon rivers inSouth America, in the late 16th century. The Dutch originally claimed all of Guiana (also calledDe wilde kust, the "Wild Coast") but—following attempts to sell it first to Bavaria and then toHanau and the loss of sections to Portugal, Britain, and France—the section actually settled and controlled by the Netherlands became known asDutch Guiana (Dutch:Nederlands-Guiana).
The colonies ofEssequibo andDemerara were controlled by theDutch West India Company, whileBerbice andSurinam were controlled by theSociety of Berbice and theSociety of Suriname, respectively.Cayenne also came under brief periods of Dutch control. After theNapoleonic Wars in 1814, Britain gained control of the three colonies (Demerara, Berbice, and Essequibo) west of theCourantyne River, which becameBritish Guiana and then modernGuyana. The remaining colony,Suriname (also called "Dutch Guiana"), remained under Dutch control until its independence in 1975.
Although thecolony of Surinam has always been officially known as such or as Suriname, in both Dutch[1] and English,[2] the colony was often unofficially and semi-officially referred to as Dutch Guiana (Dutch:Nederlands Guiana) in the 19th and 20th century, in an analogy toBritish Guiana andFrench Guiana. Historically, Suriname was only one of many Dutch colonies inthe Guianas, others beingBerbice,Essequibo,Demerara, andPomeroon, which after being taken over by the United Kingdom in 1814, were united into British Guiana in 1831. The Dutch also controllednorthern Brazil from 1630 to 1654, including the area that, when governed by Lisbon, was calledPortuguese Guiana. Thus, before 1814, the termDutch Guiana did not describe only Suriname, but rather all colonies under Dutch sovereignty in the region taken together: a set of polities, with distinct governments, whose external borders changed much over time.[3]
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In 1598, a fleet of three Dutch ships visiting the Wild Coast mention passing the river "Surinamo" a year after the English had done the same.[4] The next year saw the first cartographic reference to the region: a 1599 map drawing on the account of this voyage, drawn byFlemishgeographerJodocus Hondius. Beginning in 1581, the colonies were settled by Dutch colonists, most of whom came from the province ofZeeland. Trading posts were established near various rivers, including thePomeroon,Essequibo,Berbice, andSuriname rivers. Many small commercial establishments, mostlybartering posts, were founded byFrench,Dutch, andEnglish colonists. Due to the effects of disease and attacks from natives, these colonies rarely lasted long.
TheDutch West India Company was created in 1621, and given unsupervised control of the colonies in South America. The colony was administered byAbraham van Peere, a Dutch explorer who had founded the settlement ofBerbice. After theThird Anglo-Dutch War, England ceded thecolony of Suriname, in exchange forNew Amsterdam.
Dutch Guiana was not a political entity, but, rather, a geographical indication. The colonies that formed along Dutch Guiana were, initially, controlled by several entities.Essequibo andDemerara were controlled by the Dutch West India Company, while Berbice and Suriname were controlled by theSociety of Berbice and theSociety of Suriname, respectively.Pernambuco and settlements farther west, includingPortuguese Guiana, now theBrazilian state of Amapá, was underDutch control from 1630 to 1654.Cayenne (French Guiana) was also briefly controlled by the Dutch between 1660 and 1664, and again between 1676 and 1677.
Under theBatavian Republic, much of Dutch Guiana was once again occupied by the British. After theNapoleonic Wars in 1814, Britain gained control of the three colonies (Demerara, Berbice, and Essequibo) west of theCourantyne River. These three colonies becameBritish Guiana. After 1815, there were five Guianas, referred to by their dominant languages: Spanish Guayana (Venezuela), British Guiana, Dutch Guiana,French Guiana, and Portuguese Guiana (Brazil).[5]
The colony that remained was part of theKingdom of the Netherlands until 1975, when it became independent as theRepublic of Suriname.
Dutch Guiana covered the majority of theGuiana Shield, with its borders ranging from theOrinoco Delta in the northwest, the eastern banks of theCaroní River in the southwest, to theMarajó island of theAmazon River delta in the southeast.
Dutch Guiana developed a rich, multicultural society due to its history of colonization, slavery, and immigration. The population includesCreoles,East Indians,Maroons (descendants of escaped slaves), Javanese,Amerindians, and others. Languages likeDutch (official),Sranan Tongo (lingua franca), and various ethnic languages are spoken.[6] The culture blends African, Asian, Indigenous, and European influences, evident in cuisine, music (e.g.,kaseko), and festivals.
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