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Tuesday 4 June 2024 locAl
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            The stories of “Compa Nanzi”


            (Oranjestad)—The      most  they were subjected to.       snoring  so  loud,  that  even
            popular character you may  It wasn’t until the end of the  when the king found him in
            hear  about  in  the  Carib-  nineteenth century that the  his seat, Nanzi did not even
            bean  is  Anansi,  known  lo-  stories of Nanzi were written  notice.
            cally on Aruba as “Compa  down in different languag-      Shon Arei was flabbergast-
            Nanzi”. Local children grew  es. However, not all stories  ed  by  the  sight  of  Nanzi
            up hearing the tales of the  are completely alike in ev-  on  his  throne,  wearing  his
            conniving  spider,  and  his  ery country, as is the risk of  crown.  How  disrespect-
            legacy  forms  part  of  the  oral  story  telling.  However,  ful!  “Soldiers,  get  him!”  he
            oral narrative tradition that  one  thing  will  always  be  commanded.  Nanzi  was
            is common in Aruba.          dominant  in  Compa  Nan-    sound  asleep,  but  when
                                         zi’s stories: his sneaky ways  the soldiers picked him up,
            Although  the  stories  are  to get what he wants!        he  jumped  from  fright.  By
            most popular in the Carib-   How Nanzi fooled the king    then though, the soldier al-
            bean, “Compa Nanzi” is not  One day Nanzi was taking  ready had him in their hold.
            entirely  unknown  globally,  a  stroll  near  the  castle  of  “Put  him  in  a  sack,  stitch
            especially  not  in  the  West  Shon Arei, the king. He had  it up and throw him in the
            African  region.  Brought  to  this sudden urge to walk in.  ocean!”  the  king  said  furi-
            the  “new  world”  by  en-   He  didn’t  think  too  much  ously.  Two  soldiers  imme-
            slaved  Africans  from  Gha-  about it and committed to  diately entered the cham-
            na, the historical thread of  what he had in mind. It was  ber,  took  the  crown  off
            how Nanzi was introduced  a warm afternoon, and the  Nanzi’s  head  and  pushed
            on  Aruba  follows  the  en-  castle personnel were tak-  him in a sack.
            slaved  Africans  in  Cura-  ing  their  afternoon  nap.  Nanzi  was  terrified;  it  looks
            cao  during  the  colonial  Even  the  soldier  guarding  like  this  time  he  won’t  get
            era, which saw the biggest  the  castle  door  was  fast  away  with  his  schemes.
            population of enslaved Af-   asleep, snoring so loud that  To  get  to  the  ocean,  the   er  got  close  to  the  sack.  saw Nanzi walk behind the
            ricans  in  the  Dutch  Carib-  his beard bounced up and  soldier  walked  a  long  dis-  “What is this?”           herd of sheep on the street,
            bean.                        down on his chin. Nanzi just  tance,  and  where  begin-  “Man,  there  is  something  he   was    flabbergasted
            The stories of Compa Nan-    slipped  past  him,  looked  ning  to  feel  very  thirsty.   very  beautiful  in  here  that  again.  “Nanzi!  Aren’t  you
            zi  were  a  sign  of  hope  for  back  for  a  moment  then  Luckily  they  passed  by  a   you  can  see.  It’s  very  rare  suppose  to  be  at  the  bot-
            freedom among the slaves,  walk right on in.              pub, and decided to have     and  strange,  but  indeed,  tom of the ocean floor?”
            who  passed  around  differ-  Nanzi  stumbled  upon  the  a nice cold beer. They set   there is something so beau-  “I was, Your Majesty,” Nanzi
            ent stories involving the fa-  king’s  quarters.  With  all  his  the sack with Nanzi in it out-  tiful  in  here  that  you’ve  replied. But you know what,
            mous  spider  through  word  excitement  he  sat  in  the  side and went to enjoy the   never seen or will ever see,”  there  is  so  many  things  to
            of mouth, due to not being  king’s  throne,  and  put  on  refreshments. Nanzi was still   Nanzi told the herder.   see down there in the sack!
            able to express their native  his crown that was hanging  trembling  with  fear  in  the   The herder, very dumb, be-  Like this herd of sheep. See-
            culture  in  the  new  world.  on the side of the throne. It  sack.                    lieved  Nanzi’s  word.  “Let  ing that they had no herd-
            These stories were a way to  was very hot that day, and  What  is  that  he  hears?  A   me see!” he said.          er, I started walking behind
            not only preserve their cul-  it  wasn’t  long  until  Nanzi  herd of sheep walking by?   “Well  if  you  must  insist,”  them and gained their trust
            ture, but it acted as a me-  too  fell  asleep,  right  there  “Compadre,  listen  here!”   Nanzi  said,  “I’ll  let  you  pretty  quickly.  At  the  bot-
            dium  for  relief  during  the  on  the  king’s  throne.  He  Nanzi screamed as loud as   take a look, but only for a  tom of the ocean there are
            harsh  treatment  to  which  was  so  deep  in  sleep  and  he could. The sheep herd-  quick  second.”  The  herder  so  many  wonderful  things,
                                                                                                   opened the sack, and Nan-    like diamonds, and bags of
                                                                                                   zi immediately jumped out.  gold.  Chests  of  silver  and
                                                                                                   Before  the  herder  could  other   precious   stones,”
                                                                                                   even  take  a  look  into  the  Nanzi told the king.
                                                                                                   sack,  Nanzi  pushed  him  in  “What is that you say?” the
                                                                                                   it, and the herder fell head  king was intrigued. “I want
                                                                                                   first in.                    to see it too!”
                                                                                                   Nanzi  didn’t  waste  any    The  king  immediately  de-
                                                                                                   time,  and  closed  off  the  manded  to  his  soldiers
                                                                                                   sack  real  tight.  He  then  to  be  put  in  a  sack  and
                                                                                                   picked up the herder’s hat  be  placed  in  the  ocean.
                                                                                                   and  starting  walking  be-  Naturally,  Shon  Arei  died
                                                                                                   hind the traveling sheep as  because  of  this.  He  was
                                                                                                   if nothing happened. After  never  found  again.  Nanzi
                                                                                                   a  little  while,  the  soldiers  followed  the  soldier  back
                                                                                                   headed  back  outside  to  to  the  castle,  where  sat
                                                                                                   continue  their  journey.  As  once  again  on  the  late
                                                                                                   they  picked  up  the  sack,  king’s  thrown  and  put  his
                                                                                                   the  poor  herder  started  crown on. He took posses-
                                                                                                   screaming  to  let  him  out,  sion of all of Shon Arei’s be-
                                                                                                   but  the  soldiers  ignored  longings, and lived the rest
                                                                                                   him, thinking it was Nanzi.   of his life as king. q
                                                                                                   Shon  Arei  went  strolling  a
                                                                                                   while  later.  He  thought  to  Story and pictures are from
                                                                                                   himself:  “This  time  Nanzi  “Kon Nanzi a Nek Shon Arei
                                                                                                   could  not  get  away  with  (i  otro  kuentanan  antiano
                                                                                                   his foolishness. He probably  di  e  araña  sabi)”  by  Nilda
                                                                                                   drowned in that sack ages  Pinto.
                                                                                                   ago.” That is why, when he
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