Pemba Balls Paranam

Suriname – SR001A
Composition: Clay
Colour: White
Shape: Shaped

Creamy, earthy, lightly smoked, fine grit, natural edible shaped clay with a hint of sour.

Pimba (pemba or penba) is white kaolin clay from Suriname. It became a part of the Museum of Edible Earth in 2017, when a genuine interest in the topic led masharu and Ielyj Ivgi to Suriname. This sample comes from the area of Paranam and is sold in the market in Paramaribo.

In Suriname, pimba is often eaten as a snack and is especially valued by (pregnant) women. But this special kind of edible clay is not merely a deep-rooted element of everyday life. On a spiritual level, it is an essential component of Winti religion.

Ielyj Ivgi and masharu exchanged with the community in Suriname by swapping pimba with various clays from the collection of the Museum of Edible Earth. Ielyj and masharu have learned that the connection with the earth represents a life-giving deity, which is crucial as earth gives power and helps reconnect with one’s own self.

Eating pimba is discouraged as it can contain elements hazardous for health. As shown in a study by the Dutch Food Authority in 2013, which describes how edible clays, including pimba, were sampled on the Dutch market from 2004 until 2012 and examined. The study focuses on 63 clays sold as edible products, about half of them are pimba samples.

Sources:
● ‘Local news, STVS Suriname’, by Xaviera Arnhem, 07/09/2017, Suriname (English), accessed on 13/05/2022 www.youtube.com
● ‘Levels of lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium in clays for oral use on the Dutch market and estimation of associated risks’, by N. Reeuwijk and others, Food Additives & Contaminants, pages 1535-1545, 2013 (English)

Photo by Ielyj Ivgi