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local Tuesday 27 december 2022
Three organizers join forces for a three-day Dande Festival

ORANJESTAD – Dande Fes- Dutch King.
tival, a cultural year-end A group of five or some-
tradition in Aruba, will take times even six people (one
place next week. Commis- singer accompanied by
sion for the Celebration of numerous musicians) usual-
National Days of the De- ly performs the most known
partment of Culture said Aruban end of the year tra-
they are glad to be able dition. These people, usually
to promote the festival this family members accompa-
year. ny a singer and travel door-
to-door to express their best
The Dande is a local oral wishes for the New Year in
tradition where the song repetitive phrases (bless-
“ay nobe” (aña nobo) – ings), with a chorus that
“new year” is performed as includes the phrase “ay
the New Year is approach- nobe” (aña nobo) – “new
ing or has arrived. Dande year” – sung after each
stems from the word Dan- blessing. Currently, the
dalia, which loosely trans- celebratory travel usually
lates into “to party, he who leads to the houses of the
parties, or simply paranda”. singers’ friends and family,
The first sentence of the where the singer collects
Dande song “oh dande money in his hat to give to
nos a jega na bo porta” – the group. To read more, Lyonel Dirks said that af- tival with its different con- the categories of 4-6 years,
Ay Nobe, translated means please visit https://www. ter they sat together with cept while remaining within 7-9 years, 10-12 years and
“Oh the party has arrived arubatoday.com/culture- all three organizers, being the Dande tradition. On 13 to 17 years old. Each
at your door” – New Year. for-christmas. Chico Harms Foundation, the 27th the festival will be category will crown a king
The origin of the Dande is Children and Youth Festival at the Centro di Bario Bra- or queen. This will be the
not known, however there This year, the festival will Commission, and Big Adult zil organized by the Chico fourth winner, and each
are many theories such as; take place on December Festival – which are cel- Harms Foundation. Chico category will have either
1. It started in the district of 27-29. The Commission in- ebrating 50 years of their Harms, who was present at two or three places.
Savaneta, 2. I It started in formed that for the first festival – they reached the the press conference, men- The youth festival will be-
the district of Noord, 3. Its time, UNOCA will be part conclusion to put all these tioned he is very happy gin at 7pm with 7 groups,
popularity strengthened in of this celebration together festivals together, but on that this year UNOCA and and they expect it will finish
the district of St. Cruz, or 4. with the Commission in or- different dates; this to give the Commission for the Cel- around 11pm-12am.
It started after the abolition der to elevate the festival the Aruban community ebration of National Days
of slavery in 1863 by the of Dande. time to celebrate each fes- came together to make Finally on the 29th of De-
these activities as big as cember the festival for
possible. adults will take place, cel-
ebrating 50 years in Club
Regarding their show, Caquetio. This will begin at
Harms said that because 6:30am.
of the Covid-19 pandemic,
this is the 53rd edition of Director of UNOCA, Ray-
the festival. They began anne Hernandez said that
at Colegio Cristo Rey and this year they decided to
after the opening of sede partner with the Commis-
di bario Brazil, they moved sion for the Celebration of
there. This year there will be National Days, Department
17 groups taking part. “We of Culture and Ministry of
have to also do it for chil- Culture so that togeth-
dren in Tanki Leendert and er they can elevate the
we have to see how we’re Dande festivals in Aruba.
going to do it next year. We The idea behind this is for
cannot let this slip at any each of the three festivals
moment, this is ours and we can receive more support
must carry on”, Harms said. than they usually do. “We
The festival at Centro di realized that each year it
Bario Brazil will begin at becomes a challenge for
6:30 seeing as 17 is a large each organization to keep
amount of groups. They on their own standard at
expect to finish around 12- the level expected by the
1am. Aruban community regard-
ing show and presentation,
Aaron Arenas of the Com- but also regarding organi-
mission to Promote Culture zation and logistics. This was
said that on the 28th of De- a very important reason for
cember the festival will take us to support these festivals,
place at the Centro di Bario to maintain the level and to
Tanki Leendert for children continue maintaining our
and youth. There will be a Dande tradition,” Hernan-
total of 20 participants in dez said.q