Page 10 - HOH

a7
local Thursday 10 april 2025
The stories of “Compa Nanzi”

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