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LOCAL Friday 25 august 2023
Aruba’s cultural and literary development: Then and now

(Oranjestad)—The Aruban duction of the Lago Refin-
culture has seen many sub- ery in San Nicolas in 1928,
stantial developments over that the island saw a small
the course of a century. boom in cultural manifes-
With the introduction of the tations and entertainment,
Lago Refinery at the turn of as farmers left the ‘cunucu’
the 20th century, followed (country) life to work in the
by the breakout of the Sec- refinery, which resulted in
ond World War and the Aruba acquiring a different
general incentive for politi- economic pilar. Before this,
cal independence during entertainment and cultural
the mid-century, a cultural manifestations were mostly
identity on the island be- experienced by local par-
gan to take form and have ishes and the island’s elite,
since developed through who often partook in cul-
international and local in- tural and entertaining ac-
fluences. tivities around the island,
like going to the movie the-
In the pre-industrial era of ater or coming together to
the 19th century, much share poetry on Sundays
could not be said about a after church.
cultural identity on the is- The 1950 brought with it a cast station Tele-Aruba in are exclusive to the Aruban
land. Still being a part of a Literary life boom of literary produc- 1963, and with time and culture, often manifesting
Dutch colonial territory at Throughout the 19th cen- tion on the island, like those possibilities, local programs during traditional celebra-
the time, as well as not hav- tury and up until the 1940s, of V.S. Piternella, as well such as “Nos Tera”’ (“Our tions, like Dia di San Juan/
ing political or economic there were also not much as migrant authors José Land”) started to pay more Dera Gai (St. John’s Day),
autonomy (Curacao was trace of a cultural climate Ramón Vicioso y Rings Wil- attention to the Aruban Dia di Himno y Bandera
the center of commerce, for the cultural-literary sec- liam Rufus, who have also culture and worked to form (National Hymn and Flag
cultural life, and politi- tor on the island. Primary contributed to the literary a cultural consciousness Day), Camping during Eas-
cal management of the education was introduced development on the island. within the community. The ter and much more. With
Netherland Antilles at the on the island in the mid- The literary movement was 1960s also saw the rise of lo- the surge of social media
time), the small population 19th century, followed by further promoted by local cal authors and artists, who in the last decade, artistic
of Aruba consisted mostly secondary and higher edu- broadcasters Voz di Aruba were more comfortable in voices, especially those of
of farmers and fishermen, cation around the late 30’s and Radio Kelkboom, with producing works in our na- the younger generation,
tending to their crops and and 40’s. It wasn’t until the their regular broadcast of tive tongue, Papiamento, has become even more
their cattle, or going out 1950s, with the introduction literary works. but who also produced prevalent and easily ac-
to fish to provide for their of the E.R.N.A agreement works in Spanish, English cessible to the community
family. As Quito Nicolaas in 1951 and the signing of The 50s and 60s also saw and Dutch. This new phe- of Aruba through online
states in his article Historia the Statute in 1954, which the influence of interna- nomenon was in response platforms such as Face-
di Literatura Arubiano: E allowed more space for tional cultures, especially to the interaction between book, Instagram and TikTok.
Bida Cultural (Literary His- and control over the eco- that of the United States. economic growth, individ-
tory of Aruba: Cultural Life), nomic and cultural devel- During this time, because ual prosperity, cultural life Source: Historia di Literatura
“during the pre-industrial opment of Aruba, that the of international influences and literary expression. Arubiano: E Bida Cultural
period, there were no sig- literary life on the island be- as well as the continued by J.R. “Quito” Nicolaas
nificant economic activity gan to grow substantially prosperity of the oil refinery, The 21st century
that could have created compared to decades be- cultural traditions in Aruba Nowadays, international in-
a cultural ambience, with fore. This was in response began to really take form fluence on our culture is still
only one way to generate to local institutions estab- and become widespread, prevalent, especially those
profit at the time for the sub lished in the 1940s for cul- as different worldly and lo- from Latin America, the
existence of Aruban fami- tural and literary growth cal concepts were intro- United States and The Neth-
lies.” on the island, but that did duced in the Aruban soci- erlands. Nevertheless, there
not yet capture the atten- ety. With the establishment also exists a strong cultural
It wasn’t until the intro- tion of the general public. of local television broad- identity and traditions that