Cynthia Mc Leod

Cynthia Henri Mc Leod (b. 4 October 1936 in Paramaribo) is a Surinamese novelist.

Mc Leod was born in Paramaribo as "Cynthia Ferrier"; she is the daughter of Johan Ferrier, the first President of Suriname.

She completed her secondary school education in Suriname and continued her education in the Netherlands, where she followed she studied to become a teacher in Child Care and Education. She married Drs. Donald Mc Leod whom she met in the Netherlands. In 1962 they went to Suriname, where Mc Leod studied for a teaching degree in Dutch Language and Literature. From 1969 to 1978 she taught Dutch Language and Literature in pre-university education in Paramaribo. Her husband, Donald Mc Leod, was appointed in 1978 as Suriname’s Ambassador to Venezuela. Then he became Suriname’s Ambassador to Belgium and the United States of America. Abroad Mc Leod started writing and especially during her stay in Belgium she had the opportunity to do research in the archives of The Hague, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Emmerich, and Köln.

In 1986 the Mc Leods returned to Suriname and in 1987 her debut novel was published "The High Price of Sugar?" by her publisher Vaco in Paramaribo. The first print was sold out within a few weeks and Cynthia Mc Leod became overnight the most famous Surinamese novelist. This historical novel about the sugar cane industry in the 18th century was published under license later by her Dutch publisher Conserve. Soon other historical novels from her hand appeared.

Elisabeth Samson

Mc Leod studied the life of Elisabeth Samson for over five years, a free Negress whose name occurs prominently in historical works on Suriname, because she wanted to marry a white men, which was forbidden in the colony Suriname during the first half of the 18th century. The results of this research were first published as a study by the Faculty of Cultural Anthropology of the University of Utrecht. Subsequently Mc Leod also studied for eight years the social structure and life of that period, which allowed her to position Elisabeth as rich free black person in this society dominated by prejudices and white supremacy. She then wrote the highly captivating novel: "The Free Negress Elisabeth, Prisoner of Color".

Other activities

As a result of her long research Mc Leod has gained a wealth of knowledge about Surinamese history; knowledge she gladly shares with others. She organizes for the Surinamese school youth FREE educational trips with her motor vessel the "Sweet Merodia". During these tours over the Surinamese Rivers, past former plantations she captivates her audience with stories about its interesting past. She further engages in historic city tours through historic Paramaribo, in the centre which is now a UNESCO world heritage site since 2002. After all, like no other she knows exactly who lived in which house two hundred years ago and knows all exciting rumors of the time.

Bibliography

Historical novels
* "Hoe duur was de suiker"(1987), ISBN 90-5429-056-0
* "Vaarwel Merodia" (1993), ISBN 99914-0-047-8
* "Ma Rochelle Passée Welkom El Dorado"(1996), ISBN 90-5429-053-6
* "Tweemaal Mariënburg"(1997), ISBN 90-5429-087-0
* "Herinneringen aan Mariënburg (1998), ISBN 99914-0-055-9
* "De vrije negerin Elisabeth"(2000), ISBN 90-5429-078-1
* "The Free Negress Elisabeth" (2005), ISBN 99914-712-0-0
* "... die revolutie niet begrepen!..."(2005), ISBN 90-5429-201-6

Studies
* "Elisabeth Samson; een vrije zwarte vrouw in het achttiende-eeuwse Suriname"(1993/1996), ISBN 90-5429-0544
* "Slavernij en de Memorie" (2002), ISBN 90-5429-159-1
* "Kriskras door Frimangron" (2003), ISBN 90-6832-537-X

Children’s Books and Musicals
* "Lafu" (1992),ISBN
* "Toen het vakantie was" (1999), ISBN 99914-8702-6
* "De kinderen van de Burenstraat" (1997)
* "Het Grote Regenwoud" (2003)