Not only was Sophie Redmond very committed to her task as a medical doctor and an advocate for women, she also emphasized the need for appreciating our own Surinamese culture. She appeared to be very progressive for that time and applied a holistic approach in her profession. She provided medical treatment to her patients and also gave advice and assisted in finding solutions when they approached her with marital and financial problems. This advice was first limited to her consultations at her clinic, but was later expanded to AVROS[1] radio talks in Sranan[2] entitled “Datra, mi wan aksi joe wan sani”. [3] Known as “Datra foe potisma”[4], she provided free medical treatment to many sick and poor people. She developed an interest in traditional healing and herbal medicine and emphasized the need for further research in this area. Proud as she was of her roots and culture, she experimented with preserving local fruits and got very creative during war time in finding local alternatives for import food products. She organized koto shows[5] to rekindle the public’s appreciation for this traditional dress.
Through her theater plays, Sophie Redmond entertained as well
as educated her audience, an approach we now call with a fancy word
‘edutainment’. In the publication “Sophie Redmond – Toneel”, Thea Doelwijt introduced
four of Sophie Redmond’s plays. Through “Grontapoe na asi tere”[6]
Sophie Redmond raised awareness on the newly established Blood Transfusion
Service in Suriname. “Misi Jana e go na stembus” (Miss Jana casts her vote) was
inspired by the universal suffrage, right for both men and women to vote, when
this was introduced in 1948 in Suriname. Very light and humouristic is the play
“A sowtoe”[7]
which tells what happens when people get fed up with sluggards and good-for-nothing
characters. Her play “Jezus na watra foe libi”[8]
highlights the life and death of Jesus and reflects her Moravian faith. Sophie
Redmond’s theater plays were written and presented in Dutch and Sranan.
Sophie Redmond, a true Surinamese woman, very committed to
contributing to the well-being of her people and country, also entered the
political arena. Going against traditional views and structures she soon
encountered the wrath of political giants and as a result got so disgusted by
all that was politics. Sophie Redmond’s life was cut too short, unfortunately. She
was 48 years when she passed away in 1955.
More information about Sophie Redmond can be found in “De
inspiratie van Sophie Redmond”[1]
written by Thea Doelwijt and Marijke van
Geest at http://www.dbnl.org/tekst/doel004insp01_01/doel004insp01_01_0001.php
When Sharda’s ‘timid’ request came in by e-mail last week, my
response was that I would make an effort. It is “March of Women” and it is
Sharda! Little did I know how far back in time I had to go and how many miles I
had to travel for this assignment. No regret at all though, since I did enjoy
every second and mile. My copy of “Sophie Redmond – Toneel” was not in my
library in Georgetown as I initially thought. I traveled over the weekend to Suriname
and had to dive into a dusty storage room filled with old furniture, garden
tools and suitcases to find my desired ‘wear and tear’ but still readable item
amidst numerous old story and study books. I decided to write this contribution
in English, not because it takes me a bit more time now to write in Dutch, but
to be able to share this story about our own Sophie Redmond with the English
speaking Caribbean. Sophie Redmond her works might not yet be accessible for a
non-Dutch and non-Surinamese speaking audience, but I do hope that at some
point in time we can overcome this barrier, either through English translations
or persons in the English speaking Caribbean having benefitted from a course in
Dutch and Sranan, who knows?
[1] Algemene Vereniging Radio Omroep Suriname.
In English: General Association of Radio Broadcasting Suriname
[2]
Lingua franca (contact language) from Suriname
[3]
English: Doctor, can I ask you something?
[4]
English: Doctor for the poor
[5]
Koto is Sranan for dress. The koto is a traditional dress from Suriname
developed during slavery. A kotomisie is a
woman dressed
in a Surinamese koto.
[6]
English: The world is like the tail of a horse. One time it swings up, then it
goes down. Attitudes can change.
[7]
English: It’s salty!
[8]
English: Jesus is the living water
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