kankantri

Sranan Tongo

Etymology

From English cotton tree, likely influenced by kankan (“sturdy, steadfast”).

Noun

kankantri

1. kapok tree, Ceiba pentandra
   • 1970 March 11, P. Marlee, “Lees: Sranan, moks'alesi”, in Vrije Stem: onafhankelijk weekblad voor Suriname‎^[1], page 1:

     gwe foe Afobaka, go na hé / dan te na sibiboesi krin joe kra / fas joe roetoe tap tafra-bergi lek wan boa / opo wan makti kankantri-sten / gi na njoen Sranan brokodé

     away from Afobaka, go upwards / until a cloudburst cleanses your soul / fasten your roots on the table mount like a boa / raise a mighty kapok tree voice / for the dawn of the new Suriname