Belgium's Hidden Caribbean Colony: The Story of Suriname

The History of Belgium: A Small Country with a Giant Colonial Legacy — Fexingo History · Sep 5, 2026 · 6m · transcript

While most histories focus on the brutal exploitation of the Congo, Belgium’s colonial footprint extended far to the south and east. This episode explores the history of Suriname, a former Dutch colony that became a Belgian protectorate during World War II. We trace the lives of enslaved Africans brought to its sugar plantations, the emergence of the Maroon communities who fought for their freedom in the rainforest, and the complex legacy of indentured laborers from Asia. Through the stories of figures like Johannes van den Bosch and the Maroon leader Kofi, we examine how this small South…