Nationale viering Dag van de Marrons 2026 – Wi Mato i.s.m. Fiamba en Miela Mofu
A performance at the Koninklijke Schouwburg in The Hague. During the National Celebration of the Day of the Maroons, Miela Mofu and Fiamba present PEE, a fully a cappella music theatre spectacle that connects age-old traditions of the African diaspora with the present day.
The Day of the Maroons is observed worldwide as a moment of both commemoration and celebration. Maroon communities from Suriname and French Guiana honour the struggle of their ancestors, who fought for freedom and resisted oppression. In the Netherlands and Belgium, the Koninklijke Schouwburg has become the established venue for this annual national celebration. A particularly significant element of this edition is the gathering of leaders from all Maroon tribes for the Kuutu, the traditional people's assembly at the heart of Maroon culture.
PEE: music theatre from Suriname's Maroon villages
At the centre of the evening is PEE, a powerful music theatre spectacle performed by the legendary singers of Miela Mofu, joined by the young dancers of Fiamba. Everything is performed a cappella: no instruments, only voice, movement and choral singing. PEE is a Maroon word found in all Maroon languages, meaning 'to play', 'to imitate' and 'to make music'. The performance shows how age-old traditions remain alive, propelled into the present by a new generation of performers.
Freedom, identity and connection
PEE raises questions that go beyond history. How do you celebrate your identity when the world is changing at breakneck speed? How do generations stay connected as technology brings so much that is new? The performance underlines that freedom cannot be taken for granted and calls for vigilance. Surinamese languages, the richness of Maroon culture and the power of working together are central to an evening that is both festive and reflective.
National celebration in The Hague
The Koninklijke Schouwburg provides the setting for a celebration that is both culturally and historically rooted. Maroons are descendants of enslaved people who escaped from plantations and founded free communities in the rainforest. Their story, their languages and their art are shared with everyone who joins this evening.
