Event as part of Theatre for Keti Koti, with free Heri Heri
To mark the close of the Slavery Remembrance Year in the Netherlands, Dutch National Opera and RIGHTABOUTNOW INC. have teamed up again in 2024 to commemorate Keti Koti with a celebration of music and theatre. We will remember and look back on Dutch colonial history, strengthening our ties with the partners we know and love, and seeking out new connections.
Diverse programme
During this diverse programme, we will hear stories of injustice and suffering, as well as tales of pride and defiance – harnessing the transformative power of song, dance, music and spoken word.
Actor Kimberley Agyarko will kick off the programme by delivering Tula’s traditional opening monologue. Other performers who will be at the event are multidisciplinary storyteller Xillan Macrooy, dancer Lorenzo Saro and multi-instrumentalist Benjamin ‘Bnnyhunna’ Ankomah, who is currently working on youth hip-hop opera Lennox. Caribbean brass band Ritmo Entertainment and ZA-EL Gospel Choir will also be there to bring their soulful sounds to the stage.
Similar to last year, Surinamese stand-up comedian Jeffrey Spalburg will be hosting the event. After the programme, patrons are invited to enjoy a complimentary drink of Surinamese ginger beer and a free meal. In collaboration with Cusin’s Catering, we will be serving heri heri, a dish made with a variety of root vegetables, plantain, dried and salted cod, and a boiled egg. Heri heri is a traditional Afro-Caribbean dish that dates back to the time of slavery in Suriname. It is a dish of celebration and remembrance.
RIGHTABOUTNOW INC.
RIGHTABOUTNOW INC. (RAN INC.) is an interdisciplinary hip-hop and urban production house. Founded by Marjorie Boston and Maarten van Hinte, RAN INC. casts the spotlight on a new generation of creatives and artists by hosting events, organising exhibitions and developing social initiatives, both in and outside the Netherlands.
Nation-wide celebration: Theatre for Keti Koti
Since then, Theatre for Keti Koti, which sets the stage for commemorating this shared national past, has slowly but surely developed into a recurring nation-wide programme. Initiatives are underway to turn this into a joint theatre tradition that will eventually become just as established, well-rooted and ingrained in the Dutch cultural landscape as the annual Theater Na de Dam programme.
Dutch National Opera is committed to giving a platform to diverse voices in Dutch society. By taking part in Theatre for Keti Koti, we are showing that we are steadfastly invested in presenting diverse perspectives and telling stories that will help us forge a meaningful connection between the past and the present. We are proud to be working with Theatre for Keti Koti to create a nation-wide tradition of celebration and commemoration.
KETI KOTI | CLUB RIGHTABOUTNOW, July 1, Nationale Opera & Ballet, Amstel 3