The Director of Cas di Cultura, Ms. Vicky Arens, presented the work of Cas di Cultura in connection with the theme of our colonial heritage and introduced a future project that will help foster greater awareness of Aruba’s colonial past and the role of Cas di Cultura in shaping our own identity.
On September 23, the project “REPAIR: Learning Cultural Justice from the ABC Islands” reached its conclusion following a year of dialogue and preparation with partners from Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, and the Netherlands. Led by scholars from Utrecht University, Ms. Camila Malig and Ms. Jamila Mascat, the initiative provided a platform to discuss the lasting impact of colonial history on present-day cultural heritage. It explored how reparative interventions developed in the ABC Islands, through various formats, can inform and set an example for broader debates on heritage practices, cultural justice, and reparation. Project partners included Vicky Arens representing Cas di Cultura Aruba, Emma Louise Prat for Fundashon Históriko Kultural Boneriano, Zhwendeline Pieter from the Association of Museums & Heritage of Curaçao, and Leenke Ripmeester from the Eye Filmmuseum in the Netherlands.
Through a lively hybrid session (in-person and online), stakeholders and representatives from various cultural, sociocultural, and educational sectors discussed the organizational and communication needs required to build a future defined by greater mutual understanding and equality as citizens of the Kingdom. This event took place at the Eye Collection Center of the Eye Film Museum in Amsterdam.
The previous day, at Pakhuis de Zwijger, interested members of the public and professionals attended presentations showcasing examples of cultural justice presented by the project partners. The program also featured a discussion panel and screenings of films from the ABC Islands, including the documentary Memoria Ancestral, created by Natusha Croes alongside a large team of participants on behalf of Cas di Cultura.
Ms. Arens concluded her presentation by unveiling the project stemming from Memoria Ancestral: a permanent exhibition to be developed in tandem with the renovation of Cas di Cultura. The exhibition will cover the Mon Plaisir neighborhood, the founding of “Het Cultureel Centrum” in 1958, and the subsequent decades in which the institution and cultural sector stakeholders paved the way for Cas di Cultura to establish its Aruban identity. This exhibition will mark another vital milestone on the historical map of our country.