Page 13 - Aruba Today

LOCAL A13
Thursday 31 December 2015

Dande: A Beloved Part of Aruba’s New Year’s Tradition

CAROLINA BULOS “tambor”. To complete the
www.bondia24.com group, 1 singer accompa-
Special to Aruba Today nies the instruments that
ORANJESTAD – The tradi- are played. A machete
tion of Dande is a beloved has been used in the
part of Aruba’s New Year’s past to give the Dande its
ritual – but what is Dande, rhythm, which was also the
and where and how did it way of the “wiri”.
come about? The Aruba After celebrating the
Today shares some notes opening of the New Year,
on the history of Dande: the Dande groups would
head out to sing and play
HISTORY OF DANDE: until the 3 Kings’ Day. This
The history of Dande has meant that for almost a
been told many times, week they would never ar-
but the question is where rive home, but would be
did Dande come from. out performing. This was
Dande is folklore of Aruba because in the past, the
that initiated in 1890. The houses used to be further
instruments that are used away from one another
are known as “wiri” and and the group had to walk

a lot. They would also trav- come more modern, the the words have also been
el via donkey to reach their lyrics have also changed. changed. Some of the
destinations faster. As soon The rhythm of Dande is a newly introduced instru-
as they arrive, the door is smooth one, and not fast ments are guitar, maracas,
closed they start singing like other songs in other mandolin, accordion or
and wait for the owner of festivals. The lyrics are all marimba, but no electron-
the house to invite them
in. Before the song finishes,
the group goes outside,
where the owner of the
house usually gives them
something for their perfor-
mance.

LYRICS OF DANDE: about humility and have ic instruments. The current
The singer sings the lead of no politics whatsoever in- generation is taking the
the house, it used to only volved in them. folklore of Aruba, which is
be men but now it can Dande, but they need to
also be a woman, then A MODERNIZED DANDE: try to maintain the original-
the wives/husbands and Slowly but surely, Dande ity of this.
kids. The lyrics of Dande has become more mod-
are sacred. It is a message ern, whereas more instru- GIVING OF MONEY:
of God to the house and ments are being used, but In the past, the Dande
family. They used to be groups would finish playing
lyrics that request a bless- and would be invited in-
ing of humility, harvesting side the home, where the
and a lot more. But nowa- homeowner would offer
days, since Dande has be- them some local snacks.
They would also receive
some ginger. But this slowly
changed, and now the
singer will sing to the person
individually, giving them
blessings and the family will
put some money in a hat to
show their appreciation.q