On the Shoulders of Our Ancestors

Описание: E identidad cultural Rubiano no ta un cu ta facil pa defini, atribui na Aruba su historia largo di migracion di varios pueblo y cultura. Aruba a desaroya pa bira un pais, unda por lo menos 100 nationalidad ta topa, mescla y intercambia custumber y idea. Pero ta solamente 40 aña pasa Aruba por a reclama e identidad cultural aki cu autonomia. Kico ta nifica anto pa haci e declaracion ‘Ami ta Rubiano’? Y con esaki ta cambia ora, den caso di diaspora Rubiano na Hulanda, e pais unda e identidad aki a nace ta 8000 kilometer leu?

Den ‘On the Shoulders of Our Ancestors (Riba Schouder Di Nos Antepasadonan)’ nos ta trata di explora con e identidad cultural Rubiano a bin pa existi, con el a evoluciona, y con nos por sigui reclama y practica esaki, tanto riba nos dushi isla como den su diaspora*. Tambe ta invita reflexion critico riba e rol cu colonisacion a hunga –tanto den e formacion como erosion– di identidad cultural y memoria colectivo* di Aruba.

E evento aki ta cuminsa 19:30 cu un charla cortico tocante e factornan cu a forma y cu ta sigui forma nos identidad cultural. Despues nos lo tene discusion cu Quito Nicolaas, escritor y poeta cu pa siglo caba ta contribui na e documentacion y celebracion di nos cultura, hunto cu artistanan mas jong, cu lo tuma su trabou como inspiracion, y mustra nos con nos lo por conserva, honra y aprecia nos cultura den futuro.

Prome y despues cu e evento caba lo tin benta di buki facilita pa Bookish Plaza

(English Translation)

The Aruban cultural identity is not an easy one to define. Home to more than 100 nationalities, Aruba has grown into a nation where cultures meet, blend, and exchange customs and ideas. Yet it has been only forty years since Aruba could autonomously claim its own cultural identity. What does it truly mean then to make such a claim? And how does this meaning shift when, for the Aruban diaspora in the Netherlands, the land where that identity was shaped lies 8,000 kilometers away?

In ‘On the Shoulders of Our Ancestors’ we explore how Aruban cultural identity emerged, how it has evolved, and how it can continue to be practiced and reclaimed, both on the island and within its diaspora. It also invites critical reflection on the role the Netherlands has played—both in shaping and in eroding—Aruba’s cultural identity and collective memory.

This event starts at 19.30 with a lecture about the developments that have shaped and continue to shape Aruba’s cultural identity. We’ll then hold a discussion with Quito Nicolaas, an elder writer and poet who has contributed to the documentation and celebration of this cultural identity, together with younger artists who, using his work as inspiration, showcase what conserving, honouring and appreciating this culture could look like in the future.