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A
Multi-Cultural Society
Curaçao
is a true melting pot of a surprising ethnic and religious diversity. The
historic architecture echoes the Dutch
colonial influence, whilst the native
language of Papiamentu and many musical and
folkloric traditions are a direct
inheritance from the African slaves brought
to the islands by these same Dutch merchants
centuries ago.
For
much of its history, Curaçao was home to just three major groups: the black majority,
which was largely Catholic; the small Dutch
Protestant aristocracy; and a small Sephardic
Jewish elite. With the opening of the Royal
Dutch Shell oil refinery (nowadays Isla) immigrants from all over the
world were attracted to Curaçao. They each
brought their own customs, foods and
religious practices with them and have
adapted these to the local reality. The
ensuing well integrated society Curaçao has
today offers a welcome home to groups as
diverse as Arabs, Chinese, Indian and
Portuguese immigrants.
Language
Most
natives on the island can express
themselves pretty well in Dutch, English,
and Spanish, with Papiamentu - the
island's native tongue - the most common
in use. Papiamentu
is a
unique, multifaceted Creole language, based on
Portuguese, Spanish, Dutch, and several
African dialects. It's spoken most often in
the ABC (Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao)
Islands, and has been in use for 300 years.
Papiamentu
has a simple grammatical structure and is
not too difficult to learn, but behold -
the pronunciation can be crucial in
changing the meaning of a word. But do try
these easy, fool-proof phrases:
Kon
ta bai? - How are you?
Bon
dia - Good morning/ good day
Bon
nochi - Good afternoon
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Willemstad
the capital of Curaçao consists of two
parts; Punda and Otrobanda. The St. Anna
Bay, a natural entrance to the Schottegat,
separates the two halves, which are
connected by means of the famous pontoon
bridge intimately dubbed 'The Swinging Old
Lady'. Punda,
originally ‘de punt’ (the point)
in Dutch, was established in 1634, when the
Dutch captured the island from Spain. Otrobanda means the other side; the name
originated in 1707 when the first buildings
were constructed on the western side of St.
Anna Bay and Willemstad's inhabitants needed
to distinguish the new part of town from the
older Punda.
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Otrobanda is
a historical
melting pot with its fusion of many races,
nationalities, cultures and languages, which
formed a basis for Curaçao's culture. In
December 1997 Historic Willemstad was placed
on the
World Heritage List
of the
UNESCO.
The World Heritage List compiles the most
important vestiges from the past, in
addition to natural sources and regions that
are becoming increasingly scarcer. This
organization covers about seventy cities,
including Willemstad. The internationally
recognized value of Willemstad consists of
its historic cityscape, built by people with
different cultural backgrounds during a
number of centuries. The city tells the
story of the world powers from the 16th and
the 17th century and their roles in the
Caribbean region. Willemstad still narrates
the real authentic history.
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The
Handelskade
or Trading Quay,
commonly known as Awa sá, lies on
the Punda side. Up to the end of the 19th
century, this was the main mooring place for
ships. The most important buildings; offices
and warehouses of Willemstad were situated
along the quays. The unique architecture and
red tiled roofs call Amsterdam to mind. The
tiles came from Europe as ships' ballast.
After the ships were discharged, they were
loaded with salt from the saltpans for the
curing of herring.
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The
Dutch built several fortresses
to ensure the harbor and the island. Fort
Amsterdam built in 1634, used to
be the most important of Curaçao's eight
forts. It was named after the Chamber of Amsterdam, a department of the Netherlands
West India Company, which was in charge of
the administration of Curaçao. Today it
houses the United Protestant Church (The
Fort Church), the Governor's residence, the
Ministry and several government offices. The
Fort Church includes a museum. Fort
Amsterdam is also on the list of World
Heritage Sites of UNESCO.
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Next to Fort Amsterdam lies Waterfort,
which was part of the outer defense of Punda.
During World War II, the fort accommodated
numerous troops and anti-aircraft artillery
was mounted on the walls. The arches, once
used as brigs, now house a variety of cozy
restaurants and terraces overlooking the
sea. Riffort
built
in 1828, on the Otrobanda side, complimented
the Waterfort and defended the outer section
of Otrobanda. During World War II a steel
net was stretched across the bay between
Waterfort and Riffort to prevent enemy
ships, especially submarines from entering
the harbor. Nowadays, it houses a French
restaurant and its terrace overlooks the
harbor. Other well-preserved fortresses on
the island include Fort Nassau, Fort
Waakzaamheid and Fort Beekenburg.
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Punda
and Otrobanda are connected by a pontoon
bridge; the Queen Emma
Bridge, also
known as the Swinging Old Lady. The
bridge was built in 1888 by Leonard
Burlington Smith and named after Queen Emma
who reigned in Holland from 1890 to 1898.
The bridge consists of boats supported by 16
floating pontoons. When the bridge is open
to let ships from the harbor pass,
pedestrians are transported free of charge
by the ponchi, a small ferry. Another
important bridge is the Queen Juliana
Bridge; 185 feet above the sea level of
St. Anna Bay, is among the highest in the
world. Cross this bridge by car and you are
guaranteed a breathtaking view of Punda,
Otrobanda and the Schottegat.
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The
harbor’s unforgettable Caribbean
atmosphere is also due to the several markets
in Punda. The Floating Market is
definitely worth a visit! These colorful
boats from Venezuela which are located in
the St. Anna Bay, is a unique place to buy
fruits, vegetables and fish. The Public Market
combines the
conveniences of a grocery store with the
charm of an old Caribbean market place:
meat, fish, locally grown fruits and
vegetables are sold every morning. The pleasant
Old Market or Marshe is open on
weekdays for an authentic local lunch. Visit
the Marshe and share a picnic table while
you enjoy a delicious grilled, BBQ style,
meal of fresh fish or meat grilled on the
spot. Don’t miss this great
opportunity!
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Museums
While
in Punda, pass by the beautiful Mikvé
Israel Emmanuel Synagogue, it is the
oldest synagogue in continuous operation in
the Western Hemisphere. Its museum displays
an impressive collection of religious
artifacts from the Sephardic congregation's
history, such as Torah scrolls and Hanukkah
lamps, as well as antique household items.
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Another museum worth visiting is The
Curacao Museum. It is located in a
historic building dating back to 1853 on the
Otrobanda side. This museum is Curacao’s
largest and it showcases works by
traditional as well as contemporary local
and foreign artists. It also displays a
permanent collection of antique furniture,
including some exquisite mahogany pieces
from the 18th and 19th centuries. Antique
maps of Curacao, Caribbean and Indian art
are also on display.
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Curaçao's newest
museum, the Maritime
Museum, is
located in a mansion built in 1729 on the
Waaigat inlet. Video presentations and
multimedia displays are used throughout the
museum to bring Curaçao's maritime history
to life. Exhibits include antique
miniatures, 17th Century ship models, and
maps --some dating from the 1500's. Other
highlights include representations of
Spanish rule, the conquest of Curaçao by
the Dutch and formation of the Dutch West
India Company and the evolution of
Willemstad as a naval base and maritime
trading center.
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The museum
Kura
Hulanda,
situated at the city-center harbor of
Willemstad, impressively exhibits the
Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade in its totality,
from slave capture in Africa through the
Middle Passage and relocation in the New
World. Other notable museums are the Postal
Museum, the
Numismatic
Museum and
the Telemuseum.
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Cuisine
Curaçao’s blend of ethnicities provides
the island with a unique cuisine.
Local
food is generally heavy and hearty. Main dishes such
as fried
fish,
stewed goat
(kabritu),
chicken and beef are served with beans and
rice (aros moro), potatoes or funchi,
a boiled cornmeal paste that resembles
polenta. Mixed with beans and sugar, funchi
becomes tutu.
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Vegetables usually play
a secondary role in traditional Curaçao
cuisine. However, green
papaya, local
cucumbers (kònkòmber) and cabbage
are stewed with different kinds of beef. Okra (yambo)
and cactus (kadushi) are made into
slimy soups, definitely an acquired taste.
Fried plantains are a popular side
dish.
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Snacks
& bites
For
late night takeout, local style, visit the
roadside snack trucks (truk'i pan).
If you just want a snack, grab a pastechi
(fried meat pastry), lumpia (fried
egg roll) or empaná (fried
cornmeal pastry filled with meat).
Immigrant groups have brought their own
culinary traditions. The Chinese influence with nasi goreng (bean
sprouts sautéed with chunks of meat and
chicken), and Indonesian bami (long noodles with
vegetables and meat) and saté (skewered
meat with peanut sauce) is everywhere. Also,
be on the lookout for roadside BBQ-shacks
offering succulent dishes in a rustic
ambiance.
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Seasonal
specialties
Natives
take major holidays such as Christmas
seriously, with a big emphasis on family and
food. Traditional events include a true
cornucopia of culinary delights. Christmas
isn’t complete without ayaka, a
savoury meat tamale wrapped in banana
leaves, originally from Venezuela.
Another favorite is keshi
yená, a
stuffed cheese that is Curaçao's most
famous dish. Major extravaganzas, such as
weddings, are not complete without bolo
pretu, quite possibly the
world's best fruitcake. The dense, fragrant
cake is cut into small individual squares
and wrapped in foil for a take home
remembrance.
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For
your sweet tooth
Locals love their
sweets
(kos dushi). Sugar, coconut and
peanuts predominate in traditional sweets,
which can be purchased on street corners in
Punda, at bakeries and at tokos. Sunchi
are meringue "kisses", made of
sugar and egg whites. Panseiku is a
kind of praline, toasted peanuts and almond
essence. The djente kachó
("dog's tooth") has thick,
irregularly shaped chunks of coconut cooked
in sugar syrup. Other favorites include
colorful coconut sweet, kokada,
milk-based ko'i lechi, tentalaria
made of ground
peanuts or cashews in a sugar cream, or zjozjolí,
chewy sesame seed bars.
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Music
A typical Curaçao party isn’t complete without
its great blend of rhythm.
Curaçao’s
music can be subdivided into three categories;
European, African and Modern.
The
popular ‘Curaçao waltz’ has been
influenced by the Austrian waltz, the
Spanish dansa (Puerto Rico), the Bohemian
polka, de Polish mazurka, the French
quadrille, the chamber orchestras and the Kaha
di orgel (box-shaped street organ) that
traveled from Berlin through Italy, Spain
and Venezuela. These rhythms were introduced
mainly by Jewish immigrants and caught on
with people of all walks of life.
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Negroes
initiated the music of African origin on
their primitive instruments: benta,
the flute, the large drum (tambú) and the
triangle. This music is called zumbi
music in Curaçao, zumbi has a double
meaning of ‘erring spirit’, but also
‘slave’. Zumbi music is very rhythmical,
though not very melodious. The tambú,
also known as the Curaçao blues, was first
used by slaves to express their sorrow,
their hardship and their frustration by
means of songs and is accompanied by
women’s clapping. The distinctive African
dance style of the tambú combines
isolation of body parts with elaborate hip
gyrations. The Curacao Museum and
Landhuis Brievengat have several of these
instruments on display.
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The
seú was a festive
march through the fields in past days, as
laborers took the crops of the harvest to
the warehouses. Women carried baskets loaded
with produce on their heads, while the men
played drums and the chapi and blew
on hollowed out cow's horns (kachú) to
announce the celebrations. These traditional
rhythms of the harvest festival lives on in
the annual folklore parade held in
Willemstad on Easter Monday.
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Carnival!
One of the most
important forms of Curaçao music is the tumba.
This music is originally African, but the
word tumba comes from a Spanish dance
from the 17th century. Tumba is best known
for its part in the official Carnival
Road March; the tumba precedes
Carnival and was played as early as the 19th
century (whereas Carnival of Curaçao is a
20th century phenomenon). Today’s tumba
in Carnival has taken on its own rhythm,
with influences of the merengue and other
Afro-Caribbean rhythms.
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Rich
as Curaçao's musical heritage is, local
music continues to develop. Composers draw
on the many influences of local culture to
create their own syntheses. Twentieth
century immigrants brought merengue,
calypso, reggae, salsa, cha-cha-cha and
other Afro-Caribbean rhythms from Cuba,
Panama, Santo Domingo, Surinam and other
islands. Today, as throughout its history,
local music draws heavily on other
traditions, incorporating Papiamentu words
and rhythms of African origin into a new
synthesis. The local people are great fans
of salsa and merengue, as well as the
melodic guitars of Caribbean trios and the
sentimental Mexican mariachi.
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