Hij was maar een neger....(he was just a nigger)

This is a line from a Dutch Christmas song, sung by de Zangeres zonder Naam, not even that old. I only heard it once, when Howard Komproen, a Dutch “comedian” played it in one of his shows. He wanted to make something clear about slavery and the responsibility we take, or don’t take regarding the whole issue. That moment, in the theatre, I wasn’t particular interested in the subject and actually thought it was time they stopped whining about it and move on. It’s all been so long ago and it wasn’t me personally who captured them, tortured them and shipped them to the other side of the world, now was it? We said sorry, what else can we do?

But now, here, on an island 472 km2 big, with somewhere between 55 and 74 different nationalities, I’ve started to think again. Although it wasn’t me personally, I do have the same nationality as the shons (bosses) from back then. I do speak the language of the people that are to blame for this melting pot of nationalities. It’s not even that long ago that we, apart from France, were the last country that stopped slavery. Only 144 years! And the end of slavery doesn’t mean everything is just fine and dandy the next day.
A good eye-opener for me was the Kura Hulanda museum that we went to see last Friday. If you think Saw is a sick film, just try and imagine the things we did to the slaves we transported from Africa: break up families, chop of limps, burn them alive or let fathers beat their own sons. And that’s just a fraction of the cruel things I came across. And I was so naïve to think that we could forget things like that by now. But the consequences are still noticeable today. The whole culture is based on this history. You can tell by the language (Papiamenthu, a mixture of different languages), the food, the macho culture, the houses (many small slave huts are still standing) etc.

Unfortunately there are so many Dutch (tourists) even more ignorant then me. They come to Curaçao thinking it’s just a piece of Holland, only a bit warmer. They come here and expect to speak their own language, eat their own food and drink their own beer. And they can, because, God forbid, even Albert Heijn is here ! But…….it’s not Holland.
Then again, Sinterklaas arrived. Can you imagine the mixed feelings I had? One day I was standing in a replica of a ship of the WIC in which the slaves were transported like sardines, the next day a white man arrives on a ship filled with black helpers and everyone is celebrating. I know, I know, it’s not the same. Sinterklaas came baring gives and everything, but hell, it’s confusing and strange.

Anyway, I hope it all makes a bit of sense and I’ll finish this history lesson. Concerning our personal life I can tell you that Peter has his job interview today and will probably hear tomorrow whether he will become a dolphin trainer or not. On top of that he has a 4 days job walking around in a dog suit, advertising Hush Puppies.
Me? That is starting to look better. I got a job interview this Saturday, at a car rental place and on Monday at the beautiful Blue Bay resort (http://www.bluebay-village.com/index_eng.jsp) . Although, in a way I would feel better if I didn’t get a job, baring the 17% of unemployment in mind. I would have a clearer conscious leaving any jobs available to the locals.

Ayo dushis (goodbye sweeties)