Curacao Day: July 26
Curacao Day is a public holiday in Curacao.
On July 26 every year, the local inhabitants of the island of Curacao commemorate the founding of the island by the Spanish sailor Alonso de Ojeda in 1499.
History of Curacao Day in Curacao
The Arawak Amerindians were the original inhabitants of Curacao. Under the leadership of Alonso de Ojeda, the Spanish were the first Europeans to visit the island of Curacao. The Spaniards took advantage of the indigenous population, exporting many to other colonies where the Spaniards needed workers.
In 1634, the Dutch occupied the island. The Dutch West India Company founded the capital of Willemstad on the banks of an inlet called the Schottegat. While the island’s first colonists previously ignored Curacao because it lacked gold deposits, the natural harbor of Willemstad proved quickly to be an ideal spot for trade.
With the discovery of oil in 1914, the fortunes of the island were drastically changed. Royal Dutch Shell and the Dutch Government built extensive oil refinery facilities, thereby creating an abundant source of employment for the local populace and energizing a wave of immigration from neighboring countries. The company also brought affluence to the island, providing large housing projects for the workers.
Curacao was an ideal site for the refinery, placing it away from the social and civil unrest of the South American mainland but near enough to the Maracaibo Basin and its oil fields. The natural harbor provided excellent accommodation for large oil tankers, and Willemstad was able to develop its own infrastructure to support the tankers.
Curacao joined the rest of the Caribbean in a loud clamor for independence after World War II. Instead, it was granted a status of autonomy as an entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Curacao, along with Bonaire, Saba, Saint Eustatius, and Saint Maarten, came to be known as the Netherlands Antilles. The administrative center was placed in Willemstad, where it remains today. Aruba separated later from the other five islands. The kingdom today has only three partners left: the Netherlands, the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles, and Aruba.
In recent years, the island had capitalized on its unique history and heritage to develop its tourism industry.
Curacao’s Curacao Day Traditions, Customs and Activities
Every year the island of Curacao comes alive with various folklore activities and cultural events on Curacao Day. As for food, dishes of keshi yená, “stuffed cheese”, are worth finding despite being difficult to encounter. This dish is made with chicken, a variety of vegetables and spices, and raisins. That is stuffed inside the shell of an Edam or Gouda cheese round, topped with cheese, and baked.
And of course, you can encounter the traditional Curacao liqueur that was developed there in the 19th century by the Senior family. Made from a bitter citrus fruit called laraha, the liqueur is actually made from the peel of the fruit. The fruit itself is extremely bitter and is considered inedible.
Other interesting posts:
- Curacao celebrates Curacao Flag Day
- Saba Celebrates Its Heritage on Saba Day
- Aruba Celebrates National Anthem and Flag Day
- Bonaire Flag Day
- Morocco Festively Celebrates Feast of the Throne
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