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Thursday 23 May 2024 locAl
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The Aruban Cunukero
From past to present
(Oranjestad)—Aruba’s cul-
ture consists of rich histori-
cal traditions that make up
the Aruban identity and
lifestyle. However, the life
of the cunukero (farmer) is
perhaps the most impor-
tant aspect of our culture,
in a sense representing to 2. Then you have “Early indigenous and were char- owned bigger land were could not really produce
locals the true essence of
the Aruban.
Historically, cunucus (farms)
played a huge role in the
early social and economic
development of Aruba,
and its relevance dates 3. Proto-Peasants
back to the early days of
the colonization era. Upon
being discovered by Span-
ish conquistadors in the late
15th century, Aruba was
used primarily as a ranch,
housing horses and cattle
brought from Europe. Dur- 4. Lastly you have the
ing the Dutch colonization
era where the West Indian
Company (WIC) dominat-
ed the economic sphere
on the island, using the land
to set up cattle farms and
ranches remained popular.
Anthropologist Sidney Mintz
divided Caribbean farmers
back in four categories: However, the Aruban cu-
1. The “squatters”, who nukeros back then are time.
were mostly comprised hard to place, and their his-
stock, and the obligations
once placed on them were
officially discarded.
Because of the dry climate
in Aruba, growing food for
commercial purposes was
not popular. The focus was
mainly on cattle herding
and taking care of live-
stock. However, livestock
need food to survive, and
when Aruba experienced
its duper dry climate, many
farmers would see a big
loss in their livestock, and
hence profit.
Although the WIC at one
point did try to come up
with an initiative to get
more people to have
land on the island, the cli-
mate never really allowed
real profit from farming.
Because of the climate,
Aruban farmers in gen-
eral could not keep large
quantities of livestock. At
a certain point toward the
end of the 18th century,
the climate got so bad that
of illegal and poor col- tory may explain why. The WIC placed a lot of many farmers decided to
onists, runaway slaves restrictions on these indig- leave the island for a while.
and deserters who From 1636 (beginning of enous farmers—a method
took advantage of the Dutch colonization era) to to safeguard their cattle For this reason, the farm-
Spanish’s weak super- before the oil industry in deposit on the island. The ing economy on the island
vision on Caribbean is- 1924, Aruba’s population indigenous farmers were remained small. As the
lands like Cuba and the consisted of mostly farmers. mostly granted less than 7 years went by and people
DR; These farmers were mostly acres of land. Those who noticed that these farms
Yeomen”, who were le- acterized as peasants. They either once affiliated with any sustainable profit, farm-
gal farmers who came weren’t allowed to partici- the WIC or were colonists ers kept their small piece of
to the west under con- pate in trading, but instead who settled on the island land just to live off of. This is
tract. Once their con- were granted a piece of to try their luck at farming. why the Aruban cunukeros
tract expired, they were land to live off of. However, In 1767, there were about only played a very tiny role
given a plot of land for in exchange for this grant, 120 houses/cunucus on the into the plantation econo-
independent use; these indigenous farmers island. my.
were were obligated to work for
plantation slaves who the WIC, doing daily tasks These Aruban farmers were In modern Aruba, cunucus
were allowed to have such as taking care of or also limited to the amount and cunukeros still exist on
a small piece of land to hunting cattle—large ma- of cattle they could keep. the island, fortunately with
grow food for their own jority of which were des- Most kept goats as cattle, more freedom and more
consumption. This was tined for Curacao, clean as only those who were af- opportunity to tap into the
to curb the cost of living water tanks and chop filiated with the WIC could agricultural market. These
on the plantations; wood, among other things. keep (more) sheep. Of the farmers usually sell their pro-
76 goat herders on the is- duce on a smaller scale,
“Runaway Peasant- As much as these farmers land, about 45 of them had like during farmers’ market
ries”, usually comprised were given to opportunity less than 30 goats, and only events and other types of
of runaway slaves who to live “free” with a plot of 7 of them had more than (holiday) events.
acquired farming tools land, their exclusion from 60 goats.
and cattle through the trading and business Source: “Arubaans Ak-
stealing or through se- world, as well as being de- It wasn’t until the WIC was koord: Opstellen over Aru-
cret exchanges with prived the chance to be- defunct in late 18th cen- ba van voor de komst van
other slaves from differ- come real property and tury that these farmers de olieindustrie (Aruban
ent plantations. cattle owners, made them were able to obtain more Accord: Essays on Aruba
a unique group among freedom as cunukeros. Af- Before the Arrival of the Oil
Caribbean farmers at the ter 1824, the government Industry)” by Alofs, Luc; Rut-
gave these farmers official gers, Wim; Coomans, Hen-
permission to keep live- ny E. red.q