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Some facts about the history of CuraçaoThe island was discovered in 1499 by Alonso de Ojeda, one of Kolumbus´ lieutenants. The inhabitants were very big Indians. That is why the Spaniards called the island "Isla de los Gigantes" ( island of the giants) but only 20 years later the name "Curaçao" appeared on a Portuguese map. There are different opinions about the word "Curaçao". The most probable is the one that the Spaniards called the island after a certain period of time "Corazon" ( heart). The famous Portuguese cartographers of this time took this word to their language as "Curacau" or "Curaçao".The island stayed Spanish till the Dutch conquered it in 1634. From the end of the 17th century to the beginning of the 19th century the island was under English or Dutch rule, while the French tried again and again to conquer it. They nearly succeeded in doing so but after being paid an enormous compensation the French left again. In 1815 the Dutch gained control over the island again which had been under English rule (since 1807) then. The "colonial" status of Curaçao and of the other islands of the Dutch Antilles was changed in 1954 when the Dutch Antilles gained complete self-administration. Contacts and confrontation between the Indian, European, African, Asian, and Arabian cultures in the course of several centuries have caused a reciprocal influence and made new forms of living together possible. Curaçao has developed a unique culture of its own. |
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