At Naturalis, they stand still: the king vulture on a branch, the boa constrictor on alcohol, the snakeweed in the herbarium. Collected to understand and ultimately protect life. But how do we humans relate to nature? In the Netherlands, economic interests prevail. In Suriname, indigenous peoples and Maroons have a special connection to their environment. For them, nature is animated, filled with spirit and meaning. Suriname, Animated Nature is a plea for a different way of seeing, feeling, and living. It invites reflection: if we want to preserve nature, we must not only protect it—we must also change ourselves, for we are fellow beings in a living whole.
Suriname – Animated Nature is an ode to connectedness. A plea for a different way of seeing, feeling, and living. Because true protection begins with recognition: nature lives – and we live with it.
With contributions by Tinde van Andel, Inez de Ruiter, Janneke Juffermans, Reinier Artist, Albert Aboikoni, Jozef Amoida, and Amolini Oemati.
Authors
Tolin Alexander is a film and theatre maker. He co-directed the films Stones Have Laws (2018) and Monikondee (Land of Money, 2025), among others. From 2014, he was artistic director of the Moengo Festival of Theater & Dance for several years.
Marijke Besselink is a Scientific Content Developer at Naturalis, with a long track record in exhibition creation. She translates science into stories that connect museum collections with the public.
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