Nieuws:
`Peperpot`; leisteenplaten & vrijmetselarij

Geplaatst op: dinsdag 29 april 2008

Op grond van de persoonlijke belangstelling van Cor Denneman voor Surinaamse historie & cultuur alsmede qua vrijmetselarij was hij in het bijzonder geïnteresseerd in een bezoek aan de voormalige plantage Peperpot aan de Suriname Rivier. Drs. Marije van Zomeren had al in eerdere stadia diverse onbezoldigde adviezen gegeven inzake Peperpot.

Met dank aan twee bestuurders van de Stichting Peperpot, Alan Thijsseling (Dok 204) en de bekende restauratie-architekt ir. Philip Dikland werd Peperpot bezocht, tesamen met Marije, twee goede kennissen uit Nederland, Caroline Tasseron en haar man Johan van Toll alsmede met een broeder-vrijmetselaar van Cor, te weten drs. Henk Essed.

Een bijzondere ervaring die tevens resulteerde in een gift aan het logegebouw van de drie vrijmetselaarsloges in Paramaribo na overleg met Provinciaal Grootmeester ir. Hans Hanenberg.

Publication in English:
Based on the profound interest in Surinam history & culture and in freemasonry as well Cor Denneman was very eager to visit the former plantation `Peperpot `at the `Suriname Rivier`. Together with his associate Marije van Zomeren, Cor was invited by two members of the `Peperpot Foundation`, Alan Thijsseling of the successful Restaurant Dok 204 and the wellknown architect ir. Philip Dikland. With our travel companions Caroline Tasseron & her husband Johan van Toll (Forest Returns Consul and cineast of our Forest Returns movie `Switi Sranan`) and Cor`s brother-freemason drs. Henk Essed Marije and Cor made this special trip.

They were impressed by the special atmosphere of the total environment, of `Peperpot`, so close to Paramaribo including:

• the still surviving Java community (of paramount importance to Marije and Cor)
  
• these ancient buildings
• some remaining aspects of the former cacao (!) and coffee plantations
• elements of former industrial railroads as I passionately like trains...
  

... and all that so close to Paramaribo.

Our respect for architect Philip Dikland and his mate Alan Thijsseling (as the `guardian angles` of this heritage) was still growing as they both -as private persons- had invested so many hours and so many surinam dollars with the defense of the former `koffieloods Peperpot` against destruction en by starting the reconstruction step-by-step.

Marije already had invested herself a lot of time and consultancy hours for free before to help (her business friend from the very past) Alan Thijsseling with some attractive proposals to gain extra funds from dutch and international authorities for the restauration and the exploration of the `Voormalige Koffieloods Peperpot`.

Marije and Cor showed their personal and business interest in re-investing in real assets (if they are real real...) and in exploring the total former plantation Peperpot acccording to the same vision as we showed with the lands of the surinam families Chung, Abdoelrahman and Persad in the case of the former plantations Mariënbosch (147 + 365 hectares) & Guadeloupe (311 hectares), in total 823 hectares with strong allodial and undoubtable ownership.

But unfortunately the land rights of former plantation `Peperpot` seem to be very disputable. Probably the surinam and/or dutch government and/or curators of former dutch companies such as Nederlandsche Handelmaatschappij and successors (ABN AMRO Bank ?)  still can claim land rights nowadays.

As we were told by different experts like:

• notary mr. Diepak Chitoe
• lawyer mr. Albert D. Soedamah
• real estate taxation expert Robert Elmond...

...it will be very hard in near future to become the official owner of the real assets.

Inspite of their positive personal contacts with President Ronald Venetiaan and other surinam authorities Marije and Cor had the strong growing intuitive feeling NOT to invest at this moment as long as the legal rights are still questionable and disputable.

Anyway, back to basics; with the permission of Philip Dikland Cor could buy on the location itself for a reasonable price some ancient slates (and former tiles) of `Peperpot` to be used during a special ceremony to be organised by `Provinciaal Grootmeester of all surinam masonic lodges ir. Hans Hanenberg and Cor on 28-04-2008 (yesterday night !). You can download downstairs the Epigram `Tastbare tekens, tokens & totems` Cor wrote last night spontaneously as a tribute to `Peperpot` either.

If interested you can sail to "Photography" to see some pictures of different events:

• Cor`s first visit to former plantation `Peperpot`
• discussion in the office of archiect ir. Philip Dikland about `Peperpot`
  
• contact with President Ronald Venetiaan
• ceremony together with ir. Hans Hanenberg for 3 surinam masonry lodges
• designs for the restauration of `voormalige koffieloods Peperpot`

Besides: lateron Marije and Cor were invited by Alan Thijseling and Philip Dikland to have a brainstorm session with the subject `Back to a fertile future with Peperpot` on the cosy terrace of Restaurant Dok 204. 

In the meanwhile Cor had introduced ir. Philip Dikland to an other architect who is very familiar with surinam monumental buildings: ir. Aimée de Back (together with her partner ir. Christian Smith founder of Atlantic Architects) who Cor had met shortly before on a socalled fish party in Paramaribo.

Alan, Philip, Marije, Aimée and Cor had an interesting brainstom session about `Peperpot` on that special moon light dinner at Dok 204...

To be continued ??