WILLEMSTAD - On September 20, during the Wintertuin Curaçao Festival, audiences will be introduced for the first time to Sombra di Pasado: an audio exhibition that breathes new life into the stories surrounding Curaçao’s slavery past. This project is a collaboration between Wintertuin Curaçao and the Kurá Hulanda Museum, combining history, fiction, and oral tradition to honor the resilience of our ancestors.
Writers and historians worked together to transform historical documents and oral traditions into fictional stories filled with emotions of pain, hope, and the strength of the people. “History was written by the colonizers,” says Sheedia Jansen, writer and performer of her own story. “Sombra di Pasado gives a voice to those who had none in the past.”
In the first phase of the project, an exceptional creative team met weekly at the Kurá Hulanda Museum to write stories. The team included word artists Calviany Eleonora, Natasha Cabenda, Plazina Timmers, Ena Neslo, Sheedia Jansen, Sorandy Sint Jacobs, Percy Pinedo, Richard Doest, and Crisanta Martha. They were provided with relevant historical information by experts such as Richard Doest, Jeanne Henriquez, and Max Elstak. In the second phase, the stories were adapted into scenes for an audio experience. These scenes were recorded with voice actors including Milushka Birge, Greysha Niebe, Juji Oltheten, Richailine Elisa, Aydan Goilo, Kionn Yung, and Shenyo Bokshoven. The recordings took place at Oscar Bor’s studio, with soundscape design by Sorandy Sint Jacobs. The project is under the artistic direction of Joeri Oltheten and Juan-Carlos Goilo.
One of the most moving recordings is Huida pa Libertat (Escape to Freedom), written by Natasha Cabenda and performed by Richailine Elisa and Mayberney Meyer. The story is based on the real-life sale of a group of enslaved people in 1852. Stories like this bring Curaçao’s history closer to the heart. According to Jansen: “Sombra di Pasado adds color to our history and makes it feel as if it truly is our history.” The stories highlight different aspects of slavery history from multiple perspectives: from rebellion and escape to children’s songs and rituals.
The premiere on September 20 will be an exclusive experience in the atmospheric garden of Landhuis Vredenberg. Don’t miss this unique cultural event. Tickets for the Wintertuin Festival are available at Mensing’s Caminada, Van den Tweel Supermarket Zeelandia, and online via Caribbean Ticket Shop.
