CURAÇAO |
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Curaçao (population 150,000) is an island in the
southern part of the Caribbean Sea, one of the Windward Islands of the
Netherlands Antilles, a self-governing part of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands. Curaçao's capital is Willemstad.
The languages widely spoken on Curaçao are Papiamento, Castilian (Spanish),
English and Dutch. Of these languages, Papiamento is the native language of
most inhabitants. Papiamento is a creole language that has developed through
centuries of contact between the diverse peoples living on Curaçao. Though
it is a widely accepted language, usage of Dutch is considered prestigious. |
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First discovered
by the Spaniards, the island was occupied by the Dutch in 1634. The original
inhabitants were Arawak indians, which were decimated after the Spanish
occupation. After the island became a territory of the Netherlands, slaves
were brought from Africa. The Dutch abolished slavery in 1863. Because of
its history, the island now has a diverse ethnic background. Willemstad
features colonial architecture and one of the oldest synagogues in the
western hemisphere, all of which earned Willemstad a place on UNESCO's world
heritage list.
The main industries of the island are tourism and oil refining. Off-shore
banking activities also contribute to the local economy. Curaçao gained
limited self-government on January 1, 1954. Though most are content with the
status quo, a small number of leftists from Curaçao are seriously
considering total independence. Others want Curaçao to become a province of
the Netherlands.
The name "Curaçao" has become associated with a particular shade of blue,
and is sometimes used as an adjective, because of the deep-blue liquor named
"Blue Curaçao". The Curaçao liquor was made on the island as well. This
liquor has a slight orange aroma, and is used primarily as a colouring agent
in mixed drinks. |
