OsoToriOso is a mobile heritage and storytelling project focused on the traditional wooden houses of Suriname, known as osos. These houses were built during and after slavery by African-descendant carpenters who had gained their freedom. Within a system of oppression and exploitation, they created places of pride, community, and hope. To this day, the osos carry stories of resistance, collective resilience, and transmitted knowledge, forming the foundation of OsoToriOso.
The project was developed in close collaboration with current and former residents, builders, and artists in Suriname and the Netherlands, as well as with schools and cultural organisations in Suriname. Research into the construction of these houses, including a small-scale replica, highlights the craftsmanship of the artisans who built them. In Paramaribo, Amsterdam, and now Rotterdam, people share personal memories of life in these houses through building, conversation, and exploration, creating a living archive where colonial history and contemporary questions of identity meet.
OsoToriOso invites visitors to reflect on the shared history of Suriname and the Netherlands, and on how this history continues to resonate today—in houses, memories, and people.
Team in Rotterdam
In no particular order: Robbert van der Horst / Monique van Hinte / Nellie Bakboord / Wilgo Holwijn
Stichting Under the Blue Surface | Exposition | Artist in Residence | Suriname x Netherlands