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local Friday 29 November 2024
Aruba’s cultural and literary development: Then and now

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