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Friday 13 June 2025 locAl
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Aruba’s cultural and literary development: Then and now

finery, 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
possibilities, local programs such as
“Nos Tera”’ (“Our Land”) started
Literary life to pay more attention to the Aru-
Throughout the 19th century and ban culture and worked to form a
up until the 1940s, there were also cultural consciousness within the
not much trace of a cultural cli- community. The 1960s also saw
mate for the cultural-literary sec- the rise of local authors and art-
tor on the island. Primary educa- ists, who were more comfortable
tion was introduced on the island in producing works in our native
in the mid-19th century, followed tongue, Papiamento, but who also
(Oranjestad)—The Aruban culture Nicolaas states in his article Historia by secondary and higher educa- produced works in Spanish, English
has seen many substantial devel- di Literatura Arubiano: E Bida Cul- tion around the late 30’s and 40’s. and Dutch. This new phenomenon
opments over the course of a cen- tural (Literary History of Aruba: Cul- It wasn’t until the 1950s, with the was in response to the interaction
tury. With the introduction of the tural Life), “during the pre-industrial introduction of the E.R.N.A agree- between economic growth, indi-
Lago Refinery at the turn of the 20th period, there were no significant ment in 1951 and the signing of vidual prosperity, cultural life and
century, followed by the breakout economic activity that could have the Statute in 1954, which allowed literary expression.
of the Second World War and the created a cultural ambience, with more space for and control over
general incentive for political inde- only one way to generate profit at the economic and cultural devel- The 21st century
pendence during the mid-century, the time for the sub existence of opment of Aruba, that the literary Nowadays, international influence
a cultural identity on the island be- Aruban families.” life on the island began to grow on our culture is still prevalent, es-
gan to take form and have since substantially compared to de- pecially those from Latin America,
developed through international It wasn’t until the introduction of cades before. This was in response the United States and The Nether-
and local influences. the Lago Refinery in San Nicolas to local institutions established lands. Nevertheless, there also ex-
in 1928, that the island saw a small in the 1940s for cultural and liter- ists a strong cultural identity and
In the pre-industrial era of the 19th boom in cultural manifestations ary growth on the island, but that traditions that are exclusive to the
century, much could not be said and entertainment, as farmers left did not yet capture the attention Aruban culture, often manifest-
about a cultural identity on the is- the ‘cunucu’ (country) life to work of the general public. The 1950 ing during traditional celebrations,
land. Still being a part of a Dutch in the refinery, which resulted in brought with it a boom of literary like Dia di San Juan/Dera Gai (St.
colonial territory at the time, as well Aruba acquiring a different eco- production on the island, like those John’s Day), Dia di Himno y Ban-
as not having political or econom- nomic pilar. Before this, entertain- of V.S. Piternella, as well as migrant dera (National Hymn and Flag
ic autonomy (Curacao was the ment and cultural manifestations authors José Ramón Vicioso y Day), Camping during Easter and
center of commerce, cultural life, were mostly experienced by local Rings William Rufus, who have also much more. With the surge of so-
and political management of the parishes and the island’s elite, who contributed to the literary devel- cial media in the last decade, ar-
Netherland Antilles at the time), often partook in cultural and enter- opment on the island. The literary tistic voices, especially those of the
the small population of Aruba con- taining activities around the island, movement was further promoted younger generation, has become
sisted mostly of farmers and fisher- like going to the movie theater or by local broadcasters Voz di Aru- even more prevalent and eas-
men, tending to their crops and coming together to share poetry ba and Radio Kelkboom, with their ily accessible to the community
their cattle, or going out to fish to on Sundays after church. regular broadcast of literary works. of Aruba through online platforms
provide for their family. As Quito The 50s and 60s also saw the influ- such as Facebook, Instagram and
ence of international cultures, es- TikTok.q
pecially that of the United States.
During this time, because of inter- Source: Historia di Literatura Arubiano:
national influences as well as the E Bida Cultural by J.R. “Quito” Nico-
continued prosperity of the oil re- laas