(ps. of Stanley Richard Slijngard, 1939) is a literary performer and a poet. Sombra was born in Totness, Coronie, Surinam. He is very much involved in social matters. In 1973, during the great teachers' strike, he went on hungerstrike twice, calling attention to the social misery. In 1975 Sombra also took part in the street theatre Fri Makandra. He is co-initiator of the Writers' group '77, and has been active on the board for 25 years. He published the poetry collection Tarta (1974), Dagwe (1976), Ten-Tijd (1989) and Griot (1992). Alongside this his stories have been included in Hoor die Tori (Listen to the Tori) (1990), Siroto (1993) and De Ware Tijd Literair. Sombra writes his poetry mainly in Sranan.

(Nieuw Nickerie, 1965) in 1999 Brigitte Brown, together with Judy Alexander and Farah-L were the first of a new generation of writers in S' '77. The three ladies, as they are known, were looking for commentary on their work and asked the then chairman Frits Wols for a weekly poetry coaching. This resulted in the poetry collection Vandaag (Today), which was favourably received. Considerations (2003) is Brigitte's second publication. Re-ocurring theme's in her work are female emancipation, self awareness, nation building, love and nature. Brigitte regularly gives readings of her work. She is a member of the board of S'77.

(Paramaribo, 1947) as a young child moved with her parents to the Netherlands. After finishing her study in Groningen as a social worker, she returned with her family to Surinam. Since 1992 she works for Radio Apintie and has been responsible for 500 broadcasts of the chat program Niet zomaar een gesprek (Not just a conversation). Many of these of these programs have a cultural and literary theme. Her interest in literature is due to her father (who was the author of De vicieuze cirkel /The vicious circle, a book about Paramaribo's Waterside). In the 1980's she wrote and directed theatre scripts. Willy Alberga is co-founder of the Politieke Combinatie DA 91 (Political Combination DA 91) and remains active in many social organisations.

(Tsomo, East Cape, South Africa) studied nursing and became a nurse and a nursing tutor in Cape Town. With her debut novel Die Storie van Monica Peters (The story of Monica Peters), she became in 1966 the first coloured woman to have published a novel in Afrikaans. In 1997 her novel Rugdraai en stilbly appeared. Her book ‘n Stringetjie blou krale (A string of blue beads), which appeared in 2000, ensured her real breakthrough. Die Onsigbares (The invisible ones) (2003), is her latest novel and has been enthousiastically received everywhere. Her short stories appeared on Litnet , literary magazine on internet. Alongside this My lewe op ‘n wipplank (My life on a see-saw) was included in Briewe deur die lug: Litnet-skrywersberaad 2000 (Letters in the air: Litnet-writers consultation); ‘n Nuwe ID (A new ID) appeared in Die stukke wat ons sny (The parts that cut us) – Twintig nuwe Afrikaanse verhale (Twenty new Afrikaans stories); Die Prediker (The preacher) in Douspoor, and Baby in Stroomversnelling and in the English translation In the rapids . Dido is not only a writer but also a part time nurse.
KWELA 2003

(Jidt Narainsingh Baldewsingh, Livorno, Surinam, 1948) Born in Suriname, Jit Narain is the grandson of Indian immigrants. In 1969 he went to the Netherlands to study medicine and became a doctor in The Hague. He returned to Suriname in 1991. Since then he has been heading the head of an outpatients clinic in Saramacca. He is a fervent defender of the emancipation of Sarnami, the Hindu-Surinamese language and for his efforts received the Rahman Khan prize. Narain writes poems which can be read and sung. The poems reflect the history and memories of Hindustan immigrants in Suriname. He writes in Sarnami and in Dutch, approaching the same secret history of immigrants from different perspectives. He made his debut in 1977 with the poetry collection in Sarnami Dal Bhat Chatni (Rice, yellow peas and chutney). His debut has been followed by six other collections of poetry.

(Paramaribo, 1930) went to the Netherlands in 1964 and settled in Groningen. Up until 1995 he worked as an analyst for the Chemical Laboratory of the university. In 1990 he began to write poems and gave gave recitals of poems and stories. He has his own theater for this, called De Vertelplantage (Story plantation) in his hometown Haren. The following collections of his poetry have been published: Timba (1990), Op de vluchtheuvel kwam ik je tegen (I met you on the traffic island) (1995) and De termieten van Tilifo (The termites of Tilifo) (1998). He wrote the plays Het Proces (The process) and Kuduntu, both of which were performed during a staged reading at the festival 'Hollandse nieuwe' in the Cosmic Theater in Amsterdam.
WIN 2003

(pseudonym: Loraine Gallant, Moengo, Surinam, 1969), is a well known writer and poet in Surinam. She works for Radio SRS as a director's secretary, sport journalist and program maker. She is also a member of the board of the Writers group '77. Her children's story Hoe Tariq de straat verliet (How Tariq left the street), was included in a collection entitled Bertus Boefoe en andere verhalen (Bertus Boefoe and other stories). In 2002 together with Judy Alexander and Brigitte Brown she published the poetry collection VANDAAG (Today). In 2003 she coordinated the English publication Considerations, including works from herself and seven other writers.

has trodden the boards since elementary school. She acts, recites and sings. She was a member of the actors group Thalia and played in the children's musical De tovenaar van Oz (The wizzard of Oz). She had a role as a slave in the documentary De Slavernij (Slavery), which was released in 2003 and produced by F. van Zichem. This was in remembrance of 140 years of slavery. Alongside her job as an administrative assistant Verginia is also a free lance performer. She regularly recites the work of the poet Farah-L. Important highlights for her in 2003 were performing in the Green Festival and A tori fu a uma nanga a man in the Thalia theatre.

(Curaçao, 1950) is a poet and a literary performer. He studied philosophy and theology in Colombia and The Netherlands. In Utrecht he finished his studies at the Academy of Expression, and became a tutor of dramatic expression. He lives on Curaçao, where he is very active in street theatre, especially with the group Grupo di Teatro Foro of which he was the artistic leader during the seventies and eighties. He produced and presented cultural television programs and trained and became an expert in the field of oral literature and written rhythmic poetry. Bacilio writes about the colonial past, the Indians, the slaves and the dominant and confusing position of the Dutch. But there is also tenderness and eroticism in his work. His poems have been published in various collections and magazines. In 2000 his collection of poems Kueru Marká was published.

(Suriname, 1936) made her writer's debut with Hoe duur was de suiker? (How Costly Was the Sugar?, 1987), the novel that made her the most famous Surinamese writer overnight and was adapted for film in 2013. She was the first to describe the history, the slaving past and the colonization of her country from a Surinamese perspective. As an expert in the field, she lectures about the history of slavery at US and Canadian universities and organizes educational field and city trips. She has written historic novels, including De Vrije Negerin Elisabeth, gevangene van kleur (The Free Negress Elizabeth, Prisoner of Colour, 1992), as well as studies, children's books and children's musicals. Her No kwik in het bos (No Mercury in the Forest, 2017) is a YA novel about a ten-year-old girl and the dangers of mercury in the gold-mining process. McLeod is a daughter of Johan Ferrier, the first president of Suriname.

(1956) in 1993 the first author to receive the State prize for Juvenile literature for her book entitled Nieuwe streken van koniman Anansi (New mischief by koniman Anansi). Initially Ismene Krishnadath is an educationalist. Her literary career began in 1989 with a collection of children's stories, entitled De flaporen van Amar (The big ears of Amar). Afterwards came Lees Mee (Read together), a reading series for beginners, and a juvenile novel Lijnen van Liefde (Lines of love). In 1995 her novel Satyem was published, the story of a Javanese immigrant, a woman with courage, ingenuity and magical talents.
Veren voor de piai (Feathers for the piai) (1992) and De opdracht van Fodewroko (Fodewroko's task ) (2001) are juvenile novels, from which young people can learn quite a lot about the history and cultures of Surinam. As well as an author Ismene Krishnadath is also a publisher of her own work and chairman of the Writers group '77.

(Dordrecht, NL 1965) is a novelist and columnist. His debut Ik ook van jou (Me You Too, 1992), was awarded the Gouden Ezelsoor and adapted for the screen. His second novel Giph (1993) was a big success too. In 2004 he was recipient of the Utrecht C.C.S. Crone Award for his entire oeuvre. Giphart studied Dutch and worked as a hospital nightporter before starting to write. His novels Phileine zegt sorry (Phileine Says Sorry, 1996) and Ik omhels je met duizend armen (I Embrace you with a Thousand Arms, 2000) were adapted for the screen as well. In 2003 he wrote the Dutch book week gift, the novella Gala. In November 2012 De wake (Vigil) appeared, three interwoven tales. Giphart toured the theatres with Dutch writers Bart Chabot and Martin Bril (2005-2006) and Nico Dijkshoorn (2012). He wrote for the Dutch Railways magazine Rails for years, a magazine whose editor-in-chief he was briefly. He writes columns for the Dutch newspaper Volkskrant and the children's science magazine KijK.