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Thursday 16 November 2023 locAl
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Aruba’s cultural and literary development: Then and now

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

Source: Historia di Literatura
Arubiano: E Bida Cultural by
J.R. “Quito” Nicolaas