Eugène Drenthe

Eugène Constantijn Donders Drenthe (12 December 1925 in Laarwijk, Surinam – 30 March 2009 in Rotterdam, Netherlands) was a prominent Surinamese poet and playwright.[1]

Eugène Drenthe
Eugène Drenthe
Born	Eugène Constantijn Donders Drenthe 12 December 1925 Laarwijk, Surinam
Died	30 March 2009(2009-03-30) (aged 83) Rotterdam, Netherlands
Nationality	Dutch
Occupation	Playwright and poet

Drenthe was born in Laarwijk, Surinam,[1] as an illegitimate child of Louise Drenthe and the local police officer who was also the parish clerk. Drenthe used to talk about it as if it was normal.[2] This down-to-earth attitude also characterized his plays which showed the normal life of the Creoles in Suriname.[3] The plays were successful, Geheim in het gezin was performed 57 times in Suriname.[3] Drenthe produced 25 plays in all, which include Rudy (1959), Kedjaman (1969) and Djomp abra (1977).[4] From 1968 onwards, the plays of Drenthe were being performed outside of Suriname. First to Curaçao, Aruba, and Puerto Rico, and later to the Netherlands.[3]

Drenthe was one of the founding members and first president of NAKS. NAKS was founded in 1948 as a social and cultural organization which promotes Afro-Surinamese culture and expression.[5] In 1982 Drenthe started to publish poetry in Dutch and Sranan Tongo. His first publication was Skuma/Schuim (1982).[4]

Drenthe moved to the Netherlands in 1977[3] and died on 30 March 2009 in Rotterdam, at the age of 83.[1]