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Tuesday 22 May 2018

Papiamento: Our official language since 15 years

ORANJESTAD — Three lus- Out of this is created a new September 13th, 1976, the
trums long Papiamento language and when this committee presented their
is already an official lan- new language becomes outcome to the govern-
guage. May 21, 2003, the the mother language, we ment and October 30st,
Government of Aruba call it ‘crioyo’. 1976, the by the committee
made the language official Papiamento is not only advised orthography was
aside the ruling official lan- spoken here, but also on unanimously approved.
guage Dutch. Papiamento Bonaire and Curacao. The The etymologic orthogra-
is the mother language and language exists already for phy is a form of writing that
together with the National more than 300 years and is based on the origin of the
anthem, flag and emblem in the first one and a half word. The phonetic orthog-
it forms the identity of the century there was no de- raphy writes every letter or
Aruban community. fined orthography. People combination of letters that
just wrote it as they liked, has an equal sound in the
The Papiamento language not bothered by any rules. same way. The phonetic
is called a ‘crioyo’ lan- May 5th, 1976, the Govern- orthography is used in Bo-
guage, meaning that its ment of Aruba installed a naire and Curacao.
origin comes from two or committee to formulate a
more groups of people that recommendation how to At the schools Papiamento
speak different dialects. write the Papiamento. On is used in the elementary

school system and special events will take place in
education. Since 2005 Pa- the light of our 15 years cel-
piamento is taught in the ebration.
secondary education as
a subject which is consid- Past weekend there was
ered a great achievement already a big celebra-
within our educational sys- tion in Oranjestad at Plaza
tem. The book and method Padu, just behind the gov-
that is used is called Cristal. ernments building. Folkloric
Since 2008 the process of dances, the National an-
introducing Papiamento them, local artists, poetry
as subject in the Elemen- and of course local food
tary Schools has started. It is and drinks were presented.
seen as a solid structure for Fort Zoutman organized
the children. a book fair with books in
This year is declared the Papiamento and students
Year of Papiamento by the together with writers took
government by a decree part in a workshop to write
and many activities and stories in Papiamento.q