Papiamento Novel in the Almere Library

l. to r. Minister Plenipotenciery of Aruba Edwin Abath, writer Quito Nicolaas and
Chris Wiersma (director library). PHOTO: Almere Vandaag, 2013

In October Quito Nicolaas presented his latest Papiamento Novel ‘Sombra di recuerdo’ to the director of De Nieuwe Bibliotheek, the library in  his hometown of Almere.

The library has aready some of his books in their collection, like ‘Verborgen Leegte’ and were very pleased to receive another book for their collection. Also present was the Minister Plenipotentiary of Aruba, Edwin Abath, who commended Nicolaas with his 10th publication in Papiamento in the Year Celebrating the Papiamento Language in Aruba and in The Netherlands. Papiamento is spoken in the three Dutch Caribbean islands of Aruba, Bonaire & Curaçao.

Quito Nicolaas´s books are available  @ BookIsh Plaza

 

Book Launch Papiamento Novel a Success

Yesterday the book launch of Quito Nicolaas’s Papiamento novel Sombra di recuerdo [Shadow of Memories] was a success.
A double celebration on that day. It was a celebration of a decade that the Papiamento language became an oficial language on the island of Aruba. But also a celebration of the tenth book in the oeuvre of this Aruban writer.
An entertaining evening with speakers on the history and  the struggles the Papiamento language went through to get recognized.
An analysis of the message Quito Nicolaas conveys in his work. A sneak peek of the novel Sombra di recuerdo. Readings of the new novel. And music of words all around.

Angelo Tromp of the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary of Aruba in The Hague opened the event ‘Nos Idioma, Nos Cultura’ giving an introduction on the meaning of May 21rst for the Papiamento language. This day is also the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development, proclaimed by the UN General Assembly in December 2002.

Collection of old books in the Papiamento language. A treasure of words.

Linguïst Henry Habibe giving an insight on the struggles of the Papiamento language through history and reciting some of the powerful poems of poets defending the language on a literary level.

Cultural Anthropologist dr. Francio Guadeloupe gave an insight how to interpret the work by the author Quito Nicolaas.
‘As a “changing same”(a repeating question, but every time on just in a slightly other way) is presented to us then we’ll sing along and begin to dance. Class and ethnicity than do far less to it. Nos ta baila. We jammin. If like dancing the oldest form of thinking is — a pattern with renewal, losing your habitual sense of self to find yourself and the World renewed and transformed — then let’s think like a dancer.
Only in this way can we understand Quito Nicolaas.
The work of Quito Nicolaas — Bos pa Planta, Atardi di Antaño, Gerede Twijfels, Verborgen Leegte— I interpret as a literary tune. It is a changing same. If he does it in prose or poetry form, his oeuvre is an invitation to reflect on the question: what do we share? What do we share as citizens of the Kingdom of The Netherlands? What we continue to share even if we call ourselves Aruban, Antillian or Dutch? What do we share despite the fact that we’re born dark brown, light brown or have a pinkish skin color?’
Read his introduction further on in the next post.

The young talented poet Natusha Croes of HALA in Holland (a poet collective of Aruban students in The Netherlands) read a fragment of the book. A section where the friends were nearly on the brink of unvailing part of a secret, but silence stood in their way.

Quito Nicolaas talked about the setting of the book in a village of San Nicolas in the 70s and gave some spicy insights of the book that shook the audience awake.

Next the novel Sombra di recuerdo was presented to the Minister Plenipotentiary of Aruba in The Hague Edwin Abath, who received it with much proudness and satisfaction. It’s the third book during his term that is presented to him by the author. For sure a productive writer.

A succesful ending of a delightful literary evening.

Press Release New Novel in the Year of Papiamento

Coming Thursday May the 30th the novel in the Papiamento language Sombra di recuerdo [Shadow of Memories] by Quito Nicolaas will be launched at the National Library Aruba. The book appears within the framework of the celebration of the Year of Papiamento.

The book published by BookIsh Publishers is about four friends who come together and reflect on the past. They contemplate on their past lives, the relationships they enter into, on politics and developments on the island. And also about the relationships between them which in time are conflicting or conciliatory. They meet challenges at every stage of their life against which they must overcome in order to escape the daily routine life. The consequenses of colonization, culture of obedience and emancipation are subjects in the lives of these four friends. The balance between good and evil runs like a red thread through the book.

The Aruban born and Almere based author, writes poems and prose in his native language of Papiamento, but also in Dutch, English and Spanish. This novel is the tenth book in his oeuvre. For the time being, this book with 400 pages is the most comprehensive work of the writer.
Nicolaas made his debut as novel writer in the Papiamento language in 2004 with Tera di silencio [Silent Land].

With Sombra di recuerdo [Shadow of Memories] the writer embroiders further on the fictional reality of an island community. So these two books interact with each other in the game between time and space.
Joe Fortin, literary theorist, says that the writer, takes the reader into a labyrinth of time and space, in search for the truth. Reality and fantasy are intertwined with each other. Different realities, times and places are mixed with one another throughout the book.

The book will be available at BookIsh Plaza

Impression of the Dutch Caribbean Book Club Meeting

The last literary meeting of the Dutch Caribbean Book Club was a succesful one.
The book people spoke and discussed about this time was our own Verborgen leegte (Hidden Emptiness] by Aruban born, Almere based writer Quito Nicolaas. There were introductions,  a short sketch based on one of the characters in the book and people could talk to the writer.
A dance group entertained the public who were very pleased to attend the afternoon.
BookIsh Plaza was also there with a bookstand of Caribbean books.

BookIsh Publishers will be publishing a new book by the writer in the Papiamento language. The book launch will be May the 21rst in The Hague.

Check also the crowdfunding on this site for this book Sombra di recuerdo.