Page 7 - AHATA
P. 7

A13
                                                                                                                           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
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