Archivo Nacional Aruba

Un invitacion pa reflexiona riba historia di sclavitud na Aruba y su legado den nos sociedad “Letra y Consenshi: Balor Humano di un pueblo”

📜 INVITACION

LETRA Y CONSENSHI: BALOR HUMANO DI UN PUEBLO
Un reflexion tocante historia di sclavitud na Aruba

Archivo Nacional Aruba ta invita comunidad pa e apertura oficial di e exposicion “Letra y Consenshi: Balor Humano di un Pueblo”.

A traves di documentonan historico unico, e exposicion ta ofrece un oportunidad pa conoce mas tocante historia di sclavitud na Aruba, e experiencia humano tras di e documentonan y e balornan cu a contribui na forma nos identidad como pueblo.

E exposicion ta inclui documentonan reconoci den marco di UNESCO Memory of the World y ta pone na cla e importancia di preserva nos memoria colectivo pa generacionnan presente y futuro.

📅 Diamars 30 di juni 2026
🕖 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
📍 Biblioteca Nacional Aruba – San Nicolas

Bin descubri e bosnan di pasado cu ainda tin hopi pa conta nos tocante Aruba di awe.

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Today, the National Archives of Aruba recognizes and commemorates the Statia Revolt of 12 June 1848 as an important part of our shared Caribbean and Dutch colonial history. The historical records that document this past are often dispersed across the islands of the Dutch Caribbean and the wider Caribbean region.

Documents preserved in one island's archives frequently contain valuable information about people, events, and experiences connected to another island, demonstrating how deeply intertwined our histories are.

The Statian leaders who stood firm on 12 June 1848 raised their voices not only for the people of St. Eustatius, but for the broader ideals of freedom, dignity, and justice throughout the Dutch colonies. Their actions resonated far beyond the shores of Statia and became part of a wider struggle against oppression. Today, their legacy continues to live on through the archival records preserved across the region, allowing us to study, remember, and commemorate this shared past.

After the revolt, five enslaved leaders, Abraham, Joseph, Prince, Oscar, and Valentine, were removed from St. Eustatius and sent to Curaçao. In January 1849, they were banished to Aruba, where they were forced to work at the government establishment of Canash*to.

Their years on Aruba tell five different stories. Abraham was considered "a dangerous man" by the authorities and was returned to Curaçao only weeks after arriving on Aruba. Joseph remained longer but was sent back to Curaçao in 1851 because of what officials described as repeated misconduct. Prince was also removed from Aruba in 1852 after an incident at Canash*to involving fellow detainee Oscar.

Oscar's fate remains uncertain. Historical records show traces of an enslaved man named Oscar on Curaçao, but what ultimately became of him is still unknown.

Valentine's story is different. Described in 1857 as a "capable young man from St. Eustatius," he remained on Aruba while the others disappeared from the island's records.

On 1 July 1863, he obtained his freedom under the name Balentien Simon. https://coleccion.aw/database/pap/show/?id=10027

He continued to live and work in Aruba, and records show him still active in the community years later. He passed away on 9 July 1877.

As being part of the Colony of Curaçao and its dependencies in the past, we remember Thomas Dupersoy, Abraham, Joseph, Prince, Oscar, and Valentine. Their courage, resilience, and determination in the struggle for freedom remain an important part of our shared history.

Awe riba Dia Internacional di Archivonan nos kier a manda un pabien grandi na tur esnan cu ta traha den e sector aki tanto na Aruba, como otro parti di mundo.
Archivo ta importante den cualkeir sociedad cu kier sa di unda e ta bin y unda e kier bai. Ban conserva nos archivonan, cu ta memoria di nos pais. Pabien na tur coleganan di ANA y tambe tur cu ta dedica nan mes cu e trabou aki.

📚🌴 Aruba ta presente un biaha mas na ACURIL 2026 na Puerto Rico 🌴📚

E siman aki, un delegacion di Biblioteca Nacional Aruba y Archivo Nacional Aruba ta participa na e di 55 conferencia anual di ACURIL na San Juan, Puerto Rico. E conferencia, cu ta tuma luga for di 7 te 11 di juni 2026, ta reuni bibliotecario, archivista, specialista di informacion y profesionalnan di museo di henter region Caribense bou di e tema “Libraries, Archives and Museums on the Frontline: Advocacy, Innovation and Sustainability”.

Durante un programa varia cu ta inclui conferencia, tayer, presentacion, exhibicion di investigacion y oportunidadnan pa colaboracion internacional, e delegacion Arubiano ta comparti experiencia, amplia conocemento y fortalece relacionnan profesional cu coleganan di henter Caribe.

Biblioteca Nacional Aruba y Archivo Nacional Aruba ta orguyoso di representa Aruba un biaha mas na e importante encuentro regional aki, contribuyendo na intercambio di conocemento y na e desaroyo continuo di nos sector di informacion y patrimonio cultural.

E grupo a cuminsa nan trayecto pa yega Puerto Rico via Panama (Potret).

Keda pendiente di mas informacion tocante ACURIL 2026 den e dianan aki! 🇦🇼🇵🇷

Screening of the production Francisca Candida y Eugenio Candido Ecury. The film will be preceded by a lecture about the research in the series E Testigo Silencioso and followed by a Q&A. with Rebecca Roos & Edric Croes.
Thursday May 28, 18:30 at the University of Aruba.