Suriname Laundry Beater
Ndjuka, Maroons, Suriname
Wood, brass tacks
Length: 47 cm,
19th century
Collection number 1605 on the back.
Original Ndjuka (Aukan) Maroon laundry beater from Suriname, dating to the 19th century. Carved from wood and decorated with brass tacks. This piece shows the traditional craftsmanship of the Maroon people, descendants of escaped Africans who formed independent communities in the Surinamese rainforest.
Laundry beaters were everyday household tools used for washing clothes. Yet they were often carefully carved and decorated, turning functional objects into meaningful personal items. This example features clean lines, balanced proportions, and attractive wood carving.
It comes from a Dutch collection, and is a fine example of early Surinamese Maroon material culture.
€ 850
