I ora nos ta leu foi kas
Nos tur ta rekorda
Korsou su solo i playanan
Orguyo di nos tur
Laga nos gloria kreador
Tur tempu i sin fin
K'e la hasi nos digno
Di ta yu di Korsou.
And when we are far from home
We do always remember
Curaçao, its sun and beaches
The pride of us all
Let us honour our Creator
All times and without end
That He has made us worthy
To be children of Curaçao.
Y cuando estamos lejos del hogar
Siempre pensamos
En el sol y las playas de Curazao
Nuestro orgullo
Gloria a nuestro Creador
Por siempre y eternamente
Porque nos ha hecho dignos
Hijos de Curazao.
This is an excerpt from Curaçao's national anthem.
Parade of history
By George Oxford Miller
Even if you never take a history and architecture tour of Willemstad (highly recommended) or visit a fort or museum, you can't walk the narrow streets, shop in the vendor markets or drive through the countryside without getting a deep sense of the island's rich and diverse history.
Explore the winding corridors of Hato Caves near the airport and see the petroglyphs on the walls, which were created by the island's original inhabitants. Arawak Amerindians called the island home for 1,500 years before the Spanish arrived in 1499 and enslaved them. Finding no gold and a landscape that grew cacti better than sugar cane, the conquistadors packed up their newly acquired captives and sailed north to the more fertile shores of Hispaniola.
In 1634, the Dutch West India Company needed a deep-water port in the eastern Caribbean as a base for its trading empire. They found the perfect natural harbor in Curaçao, one of Spain's Islas Inútiles (useless islands) and took possession. Because of its strategic location in the shipping lanes that connected Africa and South America with the Caribbean and North America, Curaçao prospered as a trade center, especially for slavery. The Kurá Hulanda Museum, located on the slave auction site in Otrobanda, explains the slave trade and the enduring influence of East African captives on Curaçao's culture.
The Dutch constructed Fort Amsterdam at the tip of St. Anna Bay and seven other forts to protect against Spanish, French and English invaders. With yellow walls, white trim and red-tile roofs, Fort Amsterdam stands as it did in 1635, except that it now serves as the Governor's mansion and has a hot dog stand on the curb. Stroll through the inner courtyard and see the neo-classical Fort Church—built in 1763—and the Council of Ministers building from 1857.
By the mid-1700s, the slave trade had made Curaçao one of the most prosperous islands in the Caribbean. Dutch settlers used slaves to farm large plantations of corn, sugarcane and indigo, as well as in the construction of plantation homes—landhuizen—to oversee their properties. As a booming center for commerce, the island attracted merchants and immigrants from across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas. Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition flocked to the more tolerant Dutch islands and established the first synagogue in the New World in Curaçao in 1732. Synagogue Mikvé Israel-Emanuel, filled with the history and symbolism of the ages, welcomes visitors Monday through Friday.
When the Netherlands abolished slavery in 1854, the economy of the island collapsed. The landhuizen switched from farming to cattle, and many fell into ruin. Of the hundreds that originally existed, 55 have been restored. Many are open as museums, inns, restaurants and galleries. Landhuis Chobolobo, now the Curacao Liqueur Distillery, offers house and factory tours and houses a restaurant as well.
In 1914, vast oil deposits were discovered in Venezuela, and the Royal Dutch Shell Company decided to build its refineries on the Dutch-controlled islands of Curaçao and Aruba. Once again, the economy of Curaçao flourished and attracted a new wave of immigration.
The influx of more than 65 ethnic groups through the centuries has created a true melting pot of cultural diversity. The different cultures work together like the fingers of a hand, each contributing its own strength. The official language, Papiamentu, combines African, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, English and French. The art and architecture reflect Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese and Caribbean influences, and the food and music fuse African, Spanish, Latin and American styles.
Penha House: Celebrating 300 Years
In 2008, the anchor of the famous Handelskade (Curaçao's waterfront) celebrates its 300th anniversary. This iconic building at the corner of the harbor opposite Government House—the Penha House—is the first dated example of the former merchant's houses built during the prosperous days of the 18th century, and has always occupied a prominent position in the town. Although it has the shape of a merchant's house, it was built for a governor's widow who was the mother-in-law of the governor then in office. Construction on the building started in 1707. After it was sold for the first time in 1733, the house was divided into two parts; this explains why a typical gallery was built in one section earlier than in the other section. In 1837, J.L. Penha & Sons bought the building and made various modifications, such as walling up the galleries and covering them and the main body of the house with stucco ornamentations. The bottom floor was then used by J.L. Penha for his store, which is still open today and is run by his great-grandchildren. Penha stores have become one of the top cosmetic, perfume, cologne and apparel stores in the Caribbean. Inside, only the main features of the original plan are left. This was due to the fact that the structure was used at an early date for commercial purposes, later as a club building and most recently, as a shop.
Explore the winding corridors of Hato Caves near the airport and see the petroglyphs on the walls, which were created by the island's original inhabitants. Arawak Amerindians called the island home for 1,500 years before the Spanish arrived in 1499 and enslaved them. Finding no gold and a landscape that grew cacti better than sugar cane, the conquistadors packed up their newly acquired captives and sailed north to the more fertile shores of Hispaniola. 
When the Netherlands abolished slavery in 1854, the economy of the island collapsed. The landhuizen switched from farming to cattle, and many fell into ruin. Of the hundreds that originally existed, 55 have been restored. Many are open as museums, inns, restaurants and galleries. Landhuis Chobolobo, now the Curacao Liqueur Distillery, offers house and factory tours and houses a restaurant as well.
In 2008, the anchor of the famous Handelskade (Curaçao's waterfront) celebrates its 300th anniversary. This iconic building at the corner of the harbor opposite Government House—the Penha House—is the first dated example of the former merchant's houses built during the prosperous days of the 18th century, and has always occupied a prominent position in the town. Although it has the shape of a merchant's house, it was built for a governor's widow who was the mother-in-law of the governor then in office. Construction on the building started in 1707. After it was sold for the first time in 1733, the house was divided into two parts; this explains why a typical gallery was built in one section earlier than in the other section. In 1837, J.L. Penha & Sons bought the building and made various modifications, such as walling up the galleries and covering them and the main body of the house with stucco ornamentations. The bottom floor was then used by J.L. Penha for his store, which is still open today and is run by his great-grandchildren. Penha stores have become one of the top cosmetic, perfume, cologne and apparel stores in the Caribbean. Inside, only the main features of the original plan are left. This was due to the fact that the structure was used at an early date for commercial purposes, later as a club building and most recently, as a shop.
