Henri Frans de Ziel

Henri Frans de Ziel (15 January 1916 – 3 February 1975), working under the pen name of Trefossa, was a neoromantic writer in Dutch and Sranan Tongo from Suriname. He is best known for the Sranan Tongo stanzas of Suriname's National Anthem.

Biography He was an educator and lived in the Netherlands from 1953 to 1956. Upon his return to Suriname he was part of the editorial staff of the magazines Tongoni (1958–1959) and Soela (1962–1964). He also served briefly as the director-librarian of Suriname's Cultural Centre (Cultureel Centrum Suriname (CCS)). His anthem was unanimously approved by the Government of Suriname on 7 December 1959. A documentary film, Trefossa: I Am Not I (Trefossa: Mi a no mi), by filmmaker Ida Does, was produced in 2008.

Poem The poem by Trefossa, referenced in the external link about the mural at the bottom, is translated from Sranan into English below: Gronmama Earthmother Mi a no mi solanga mi brudu fu yu a n'e trubu na ini den dusun titei fu mi I am not myself until my blood is infused with you in all of my veins Mi a no mi solang mi lutu n'e saka, n'e sutu mi gronmama I am not myself until my roots sink down, shoot into you, my earthmother Mi a no mi solang m'no krari fu kibri, fu tyari yu gersi na ini mi dyodyo. I am not myself until I manage to keep, to carry your image in my soul Mi a no mi solanga y' n'e bari f' prisir' ofu pen na ini mi sten. I am not myself until you cry out with pleasure, or pain in my voice