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local Tuesday 24 OcTOber 2023

Aruba’s cultural and literary development: Then and now

The 50s and 60s also saw the
influence of international cultures,
especially that of the United
States. During this time, because of
international influences as well as
the continued prosperity of the oil
refinery, cultural traditions in Aruba
began to really take form and
become widespread, as different
worldly and local concepts were
introduced in the Aruban society.
With the establishment of local
television broadcast station Tele-
Aruba in 1963, and with time and
(Oranjestad)—The Aruban culture Aruba: Cultural Life), “during the sector on the island. Primary possibilities, local programs such as
has seen many substantial pre-industrial period, there were education was introduced on “Nos Tera”’ (“Our Land”) started to
developments over the course of no significant economic activity the island in the mid-19th century, pay more attention to the Aruban
a century. With the introduction that could have created a cultural followed by secondary and culture and worked to form a
of the Lago Refinery at the turn ambience, with only one way to higher education around the late cultural consciousness within the
of the 20th century, followed by generate profit at the time for the 30’s and 40’s. It wasn’t until the community. The 1960s also saw
the breakout of the Second World sub existence of Aruban families.” 1950s, with the introduction of the the rise of local authors and artists,
War and the general incentive for E.R.N.A agreement in 1951 and who were more comfortable in
political independence during the It wasn’t until the introduction of the signing of the Statute in 1954, producing works in our native
mid-century, a cultural identity on the Lago Refinery in San Nicolas which allowed more space for tongue, Papiamento, but who also
the island began to take form and in 1928, that the island saw a small and control over the economic produced works in Spanish, English
have since developed through boom in cultural manifestations and cultural development of and Dutch. This new phenomenon
international and local influences. and entertainment, as farmers left Aruba, that the literary life on the was in response to the interaction
the ‘cunucu’ (country) life to work in island began to grow substantially between economic growth,
In the pre-industrial era of the 19th the refinery, which resulted in Aruba compared to decades before. This individual prosperity, cultural life
century, much could not be said acquiring a different economic was in response to local institutions and literary expression.
about a cultural identity on the pilar. Before this, entertainment established in the 1940s for cultural
island. Still being a part of a Dutch and cultural manifestations were and literary growth on the island, The 21st century
colonial territory at the time, as well mostly experienced by local but that did not yet capture the Nowadays, international influence
as not having political or economic parishes and the island’s elite, attention of the general public. on our culture is still prevalent,
autonomy (Curacao was the who often partook in cultural and The 1950 brought with it a boom especially those from Latin
center of commerce, cultural life, entertaining activities around the of literary production on the island, America, the United States and
and political management of the island, like going to the movie like those of V.S. Piternella, as well The Netherlands. Nevertheless,
Netherland Antilles at the time), theater or coming together to as migrant authors José Ramón there also exists a strong cultural
the small population of Aruba share poetry on Sundays after Vicioso y Rings William Rufus, who identity and traditions that are
consisted mostly of farmers and church. have also contributed to the exclusive to the Aruban culture,
fishermen, tending to their crops literary development on the island. often manifesting during traditional
and their cattle, or going out to Literary life The literary movement was further celebrations, like Dia di San Juan/
fish to provide for their family. As Throughout the 19th century and promoted by local broadcasters Dera Gai (St. John’s Day), Dia di
Quito Nicolaas states in his article up until the 1940s, there were Voz di Aruba and Radio Kelkboom, Himno y Bandera (National Hymn
Historia di Literatura Arubiano: E also not much trace of a cultural with their regular broadcast of and Flag Day), Camping during
Bida Cultural (Literary History of climate for the cultural-literary literary works. Easter 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 accessible to the
community of Aruba through
online platforms such as Facebook,
Instagram and TikTok.q

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