Purpose

        To provide students the opportunity to understand the relationship that exists between Saramaka Maroon foodways traditions and their functional aesthetics.

Introduction

        The visual aesthetic of display in Saramaka communities carries over into food preparation. Saramaka Maroon women in Suriname make cakes from cassava (manioc) and decorate the entire surface with beautiful designs drawn with their fingers. Then they sift a thin layer of flour over the top and bake the cakes on a large round griddle over barely smoldering fire to be eaten in pieces or with broth. These are designs Saramaka women bake into cassava cakes. They have specific names as indicated.