Category Archives: History
579. Curaçao: A Shtetl in the Caribbean
The documentary A SHTETL IN THE CARIBBEAN premiered on the silver screen of the EYE filmmuseum in Amsterdam today. The first group of Ashkenazi Jews from Eastern Europe settled in Curaçao in 1926 to escape pogroms and poverty. They created their own Shtetl
579. Curaçao: A Shtetl in the Caribbean
The documentary A SHTETL IN THE CARIBBEAN premiered on the silver screen of the EYE filmmuseum in Amsterdam today. The first group of Ashkenazi Jews from Eastern Europe settled in Curaçao in 1926 to escape pogroms and poverty. They created their own Shtetl
603. Curaçao’s ‘Forbidden’ New Year’s Tradition
Prolific Dutch writer Jan Brokken once described this forbidden new year’s tradition in all its culturally sensitive glory: “though man and woman don’t touch each other during tambú dance, they move more provocatively than a Dutch couple making love.” This form of recreation and
603. Curaçao’s ‘Forbidden’ New Year’s Tradition
Prolific Dutch writer Jan Brokken once described this forbidden new year’s tradition in all its culturally sensitive glory: “though man and woman don’t touch each other during tambú dance, they move more provocatively than a Dutch couple making love.” This form of recreation and
617. Curaçao’s Universal Beauties
Miss Curaçao, Curaçao’s national female beauty pageant, was founded in 1963 and has sent various stunningly beautiful contestants to the Miss Universe and Miss World pageants. Sample our awesome European – South American – West African melting pot by taking a look at some of our
617. Curaçao’s Universal Beauties
Miss Curaçao, Curaçao’s national female beauty pageant, was founded in 1963 and has sent various stunningly beautiful contestants to the Miss Universe and Miss World pageants. Sample our awesome European – South American – West African melting pot by taking a look at some of our
642. Curaçao’s Beloved Musician Rudy Plaate
Curaçao’s singer/songwriter/composer Rudy Plaate has composed over 400 songs over the course of his career, his genres range from waltz and tumba to mazurka, and the vast majority of his compositions profess deep love and admiration for his ‘island muse’ in her
642. Curaçao’s Beloved Musician Rudy Plaate
Curaçao’s singer/songwriter/composer Rudy Plaate has composed over 400 songs over the course of his career, his genres range from waltz and tumba to mazurka, and the vast majority of his compositions profess deep love and admiration for his ‘island muse’ in her
672. Substation Curaçao
Written by Natasha Chatlein. Discover Curaçao from a completely different vantage point: at a depth of 1,000 feet in a submarine! Curasub, as the submarine is called, descends four times a day from its launching pad at Bapor Kibrá to
672. Substation Curaçao
Written by Natasha Chatlein. Discover Curaçao from a completely different vantage point: at a depth of 1,000 feet in a submarine! Curasub, as the submarine is called, descends four times a day from its launching pad at Bapor Kibrá to
673. Curaçao’s YouTube Celeb Captain Alex Alberto
Written by Jeroen Jansen. Translated by Carolina Gomes-Casseres. Our beloved Alex Alberto (qepd) passed away on July 5, 2013. He was a colorful man, a man who always had a story to tell. If you care to read his stories, simply
673. Curaçao’s YouTube Celeb Captain Alex Alberto
Written by Jeroen Jansen. Translated by Carolina Gomes-Casseres. Our beloved Alex Alberto (qepd) passed away on July 5, 2013. He was a colorful man, a man who always had a story to tell. If you care to read his stories, simply
677. Curaçao’s Sephardic Sand Floor
A visit to Curaçao’s majestic Mikvé Israel-Emanuel (“The Hope of Israel”) should be on many bucket lists. Built in 1732 as a tropical replica of the Esnoga (Amsterdam’s oldest synagogue, 1670/71) congregants’ ancestry dates back to 1651 when the first Portuguese Sephardic Jews settled
677. Curaçao’s Sephardic Sand Floor
A visit to Curaçao’s majestic Mikvé Israel-Emanuel (“The Hope of Israel”) should be on many bucket lists. Built in 1732 as a tropical replica of the Esnoga (Amsterdam’s oldest synagogue, 1670/71) congregants’ ancestry dates back to 1651 when the first Portuguese Sephardic Jews settled
692. Curaçao’s Freedom Fighters
“The monument can be the beginning of the healing process… Descendants of the slave owners… must also come and look at this monument… and say and believe that such a thing will never happen again. Then we can let bygones
692. Curaçao’s Freedom Fighters
“The monument can be the beginning of the healing process… Descendants of the slave owners… must also come and look at this monument… and say and believe that such a thing will never happen again. Then we can let bygones
693. Curaçao’s Slave Trade Museum
The brainchild of Dutch entrepreneur-turned-philanthropist Jacob Gelt Dekker, the Kura Hulanda Museum consists of 15 buildings that span more than 16,000 square feet and houses the world’s most extensive collection of slave-related artifacts and replicas as well as the largest
693. Curaçao’s Slave Trade Museum
The brainchild of Dutch entrepreneur-turned-philanthropist Jacob Gelt Dekker, the Kura Hulanda Museum consists of 15 buildings that span more than 16,000 square feet and houses the world’s most extensive collection of slave-related artifacts and replicas as well as the largest
700. Keisha Wiel’s Maternal Great-Grandmothers
NY-based Anthropologist Keisha Wiel (currently visiting family in Aruba and Curaçao) posted this on Facebook today: I love spending time with family! My 70-year old maternal aunt just told me the story about her grandmothers, my maternal great-grandmothers, and I’m
700. Keisha Wiel’s Maternal Great-Grandmothers
NY-based Anthropologist Keisha Wiel (currently visiting family in Aruba and Curaçao) posted this on Facebook today: I love spending time with family! My 70-year old maternal aunt just told me the story about her grandmothers, my maternal great-grandmothers, and I’m
704. Catholic Churches of Curaçao
This majestic photo of Misa di Willibrordus by awesome photographer Brett Russel popped up in my Instagram feed today and created an immediate pang of homesickness… while jauntily crossing 14th Street in Manhattan (clutching my iPhone, of course). Funny thing is I’m actually not
704. Catholic Churches of Curaçao
This majestic photo of Misa di Willibrordus by awesome photographer Brett Russel popped up in my Instagram feed today and created an immediate pang of homesickness… while jauntily crossing 14th Street in Manhattan (clutching my iPhone, of course). Funny thing is I’m actually not
716. Curaçao Liqueur
In pre-Dutch days, when the Spanish ruled Curaçao in the early 1500s, they imported their deliciously sweet Valencia oranges in the hopes of cultivating a New World citrus crop. Originally from Southern Asia, the orange made its way to Syria, Persia,
716. Curaçao Liqueur
In pre-Dutch days, when the Spanish ruled Curaçao in the early 1500s, they imported their deliciously sweet Valencia oranges in the hopes of cultivating a New World citrus crop. Originally from Southern Asia, the orange made its way to Syria, Persia,
730. Curaçao’s Thanksgiving Parade
Our annual harvest festival, Seú, dates back to the 17th century when slaves would gather together in the kunuku (countryside) to pick the harvest at the end of growing season. A good harvest consisted of sorghum stalks, pumpkins, peanuts, watermelons, cucumbers, peppers, and other vegetables. Some
730. Curaçao’s Thanksgiving Parade
Our annual harvest festival, Seú, dates back to the 17th century when slaves would gather together in the kunuku (countryside) to pick the harvest at the end of growing season. A good harvest consisted of sorghum stalks, pumpkins, peanuts, watermelons, cucumbers, peppers, and other vegetables. Some
732. Curaçao’s Strong Female Hands
Straw hats were Curaçao’s single most important export in the early 20th century. In fact, they’re the only rural product to achieve that status. International demand was predominantly driven by two distinct markets: 1. wealthy, fashionable American and European businessmen happy to
732. Curaçao’s Strong Female Hands
Straw hats were Curaçao’s single most important export in the early 20th century. In fact, they’re the only rural product to achieve that status. International demand was predominantly driven by two distinct markets: 1. wealthy, fashionable American and European businessmen happy to
737. Curaçao Passover Charoset
Last week I found myself making a Passover favorite, Garosa (Charoset), just like my mama and her mama and her mama and her mama before her. Meant to symbolize the sticky-and-strong mortar Hebrew slaves used to build clay bricks in Egypt
737. Curaçao Passover Charoset
Last week I found myself making a Passover favorite, Garosa (Charoset), just like my mama and her mama and her mama and her mama before her. Meant to symbolize the sticky-and-strong mortar Hebrew slaves used to build clay bricks in Egypt
1000 Awesome Things About Curaçao 