DUTCH IN THE

CARIBBEAN
WHAT LED TO DUTCH BEING RECOGNIZED
AS AN OFFICAL LANGUAGE SPOKEN IN THE
CARIBBEAN

Subject: Communication Studies

Pool: 12 C
Teacher: Mrs. Watt-Wilson

Group Members: Kamaria Thomas, Dominique Graham,

Davia Guthrie, Dwayne Thompson, Nickali Taylor, Andre
Walters, David Turner, Stephen King

INTRODUCTION
The linguistic territory of the Caribbean is characterized by the
coexistence of many languages, partly of very diverse origin
and structure: English and various European languages such as
French, Spanish and Dutch coexist with pidgins and creoles that
take one or more of the European languages as their lexifier.
Papiamento derives its lexicon from both Spanish and
Portuguese. To make the situation even more complex, most of
the numerous Caribbean creoles have experienced the
influence of various languages or even language families in the
course of their emergence. For example, Papiamento, spoken
on the so-called ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curaao),
shows traces of both indigenous and African substrate
languages, as well as Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch.
Dutch is an official language of Aruba, Bonaire, Curaao and the
Netherland Antilles (Saba, Sint Eustatius, Sint Maarten).
Throughout the Caribbean territory, it is seen that 10% of
Caribbean territories speak Dutch. While English, French,
Spanish and Dutch are most common, the Caribbean is also
home to a great number of creole languages. However,
whereas, on the island of Saint Martin we find Dutch, French
and the Saint Martin Creolevi. The official languages of Aruba,
Bonaire and Curaao are Dutch and Spanish, two types of
historical language contact in the Caribbean.
The only Spanish based creole in the Caribbean is the so-called
Papiamento, which derives most of its lexicon from Spanish and
Portuguese and is spoken on the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire
and Curaao).

Aruba
The island Aruba speaks many languages including English,
Spanish, French and Portuguese which are required for students
to learn though Dutch is their official language, this is a result
of the Dutch war when a Dutch fleet took over the island which
then led to the Dutch appointing a governor to take charge of
Aruba influencing the language they speak. Although Aruba
has a separate status, they still retain strong economic,
cultural, political and defence ties with Holland. Keeping close
ties to Holland affects Aruba in having Dutch as their official.
Historical
Papiamento is a language derived from African and Portuguese
languages with influence from Amerindians, English, Dutch and
Spanish. It originated in 16th century as a means of
communication between slaves and slave drivers. Papiamento
was not considered important on Aruba until 1995. It was
officially included in school curriculum in 1998 and 1999. Since
then, the island has embraced the native language of
Papiamento. Papiamento was officially declared the official
language of Aruba along with Dutch. The government of Aruba
says that Papiamento is the first language of almost all
Arubans. Papiamento is also said to embody the friendliness of
local population of Aruba.
Social
Aruba obtained its autonomous status in 1986, and therefore
controls and manages its own internal affairs. However, as it is
still part of the Kingdom, it does share responsibilities for
certain external affairs. Specific areas such as those relating to

nationality, defense and extradition are controlled by the

Kingdom of the Netherlands.
It is the entirety of the Kingdom that is a state. As a result, the
individual autonomous countries within the Kingdom do not
have an international legal personality. Therefore, Aruba is not
able to sign EU treaties, for example. This is the task of the
Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Cultural
One important aspect of Arubas multicultural society is
language. A variety of languages are spoken in Aruba, and
most people are multilingual. The two official languages are
Dutch and Papiamento (an Afro-Portuguese creole infused with
Spanish, English and Dutch), and most inhabitants also speak
English and Spanish.
Carnival, another aspect of culture, is celebrated annually and
involves a lot of colours, singing, dancing and parades.
Political
The political organization in place is a parliamentary
democratic system, reflecting the principles of equality and the
rule of law. Given its long extensive historical links with the
Netherlands, Arubas institutions are modelled after the
institutions of the Netherlands.
Aruba as an autonomous country has its own executive,
legislative and judiciary branches, which are responsible for the
well-being of its inhabitants. The executive branch includes the
Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers. The legislative
branch consists of 21 elected members of Parliament.
Lastly, the judiciary branch includes the Court of First Instance,
the Common Court of Justice in Curaao and the Supreme Court
in the Netherlands.

Bonaire
Dutch is the official language. Papiamento (a mixture of
Portuguese, African, Spanish, Dutch and English) is the
commonly used lingua franca. English and Spanish are
also widely spoken.
Historical
The history of Bonaire dates back only one thousand
years before our year counting system, and
commenced with the presence of the Caiquetio Indians.
To this day the remainders of these Indians in the
history of Bonaire can still be found around Onima on
the east coast. Agriculture was the Indians main
occupation for five hundred years, until the Spaniards
as first Europeans set foot on land in 1499 and seized
the island. Due to the fact that there wasnt any gold on
the island, plus the fact that Aruba and Curacao werent
suited for agriculture, the Indians were shipped away to
work as slaves because the Spanish didnt think there
was any other way to make these islands somewhat
profitable.
The trading interest of the Dutch West India Company
were so great in the first half of the seventeenth

century that, as a retaliation for the Spanish conquering

the island of Sint Maarten, they attacked and seized the
ABC islands from the Spaniards. In 1634 Curacao was
captured, followed by Aruba and Bonaire that also
came in to Dutch hands in 1636, commencing the
Dutch history of Bonaire.
Social
In 2011 the BES Islands replaced their currency, the
Netherlands Antillean guilder (ANG), with the US dollar
rather than replacing it with the euro which is used in
the European Netherlands. The decision was based
primarily on the islands' needs in relation to tourism
and trade. Most countries and territories in the
Caribbean use the dollar as their currency or have a
currency linked to the dollar as legal tender. The guilder
(ANG) has been linked to the dollar for decades with an
exchange rate of ANG 1.79 = USD 1.00. Adopting the
dollar put an end to the dual-currency payment system,
and foreign exchange charges.
Cultural
Dutch customs are still prevalent throughout the
islands, although they are increasingly subject to US
influence. Dress is casual and lightweight cottons are
advised. Bathing suits should be confined to beach and
poolside areas only.
Political
On 10 October 2010, the Netherlands Antilles was
dissolved. As a result, the government of the
Netherlands assumed the task of public administration
of the Caribbean Netherlands or BES Islands comprising
Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba. The three islands
acquired new status as "special municipalities", making

them part of the Netherlands itself (bijzondere

gemeenten), a form of "public body" (openbaar
lichaam) as outlined in article 134 of the Dutch
Constitution. Special municipalities do not constitute
part of a province.
As a special municipality, Bonaire is very much like
ordinary Dutch municipalities in that it has a mayor,
aldermen and a municipal council, and is governed
according to most Dutch law. Antillean legislation
remained in force after 10 October 2010, with the
exception of those cases where Antillean law was
replaced by Bonaire's municipal law. It was believed
best for the island to not introduce the entire body of
Dutch legislation at one time as it would cause
confusion. Therefore, Dutch legislation is being
introduced in stages. Bonaire retained its own unique
culture while residents enjoy the same rights as Dutch
citizens, including the right to vote in Dutch
parliamentary elections in the Netherlands. Residents
also have access to new or improved facilities and
government benefits including, but not limited to,
universal health care; improved health care facilities;
better educational facilities with additional training for
teachers, new teaching methods, and new school
buildings; social housing for low-income individuals and
families; a centrally dispatched single police force, fire
department and ambulance service.While the three
islands are considered to be land of the Netherlands,
they are not a part of the European Union, therefore not
subject to European Union Law. They are considered to
be an overseas country and territory and will remain as
such until at least 2015.

Curacao
Dutch is the official language of Curacao spoken by
8.6% of the population while Papiamentu is the mother
tongue spoken by 83.2% of the population. English is
spoken by 3.6% of the population. Spanish is spoken by
3.1% and other languages, are spoken by 1.5% of the
population.
Effective 1 July 2007, the Netherlands Antilles declared
Dutch, Papiamentu, and English as official languages, in
recognition of the Dutchspeaking, Papiamentu
speaking and English speaking communities of all the

islands. Dutch is the official language, while

Papiamentu is the most common.
Historical
In 1634, after the Netherlands achieved independence
from Spain, Dutch colonists started to occupy the island
hence seizing it from the Spanish. European powers
were trying to establish bases in the Caribbean.
Sephardic Jews with ancestors from the Iberian
Peninsula along with the Dutch, had a significant
influence on the culture and economy of the island.
Some Jewish merchants were part of the Dutch colonial
slave trade, as were a wide variety of people involved
in trade and shipping.
During the 18th and 19th centuries, the island changed
hands among the British, the French, and the Dutch
several times. Stable Dutch rule returned in 1815 at the
end of the Napoleonic wars.
Historically, Dutch was not widely spoken on the island
outside of colonial administration. Its use increased in
the late 19th and early 20th century.
When Dutch rule resumed in 1815, officials already
noted wide use of the language.
Social
Papiamentu is easier to learn and lack of education and
poverty in the lower class citizens or Latin American
immigrants causes them to not be able to speak Dutch,
this is why it is the language most of the population
speaks. Many persons choose Papiamentu because its
more practical in daily life on the islands and for
Spanish speakers, it is much easier to learn than Dutch.
That is because Papiamentu has many Spanish and

Portuguese words in it. It is the language often heard on

the street and in any informal context. There are
newspapers, TV stations and different broadcasts and
programs in Papiamentu. Teacher might switch from
Dutch to Papiamentu during class time to explain
difficult concepts or check comprehension. Dutch is
spoken mainly by upper class persons to show off or
prove themselves to the European Dutch immigrants.
This is to show that they can speak Dutch well, as
persons are usually resented if they are not able to
speak Dutch properly or dont make an effort to learn
the language but this is seen more readily with the
Latin Americans who are Spanish speakers hence why
Dutch is barely spoken.
Cultural
When the Dutch arrived on Curacao they established
themselves as rulers of the country and they had an
effect on all levels of society. This resulted in Dutch
being taught in schools and spoken in business and
government. About four percent of the Dutch
population on Curacao was born in Holland. Thousands
of Dutch people have made Curacao their homeland.
Many Curacaoan students leave to study in Holland;
while others never return.
African culture has played a major role in influencing
languages in Curacao as majority of the island's
population consists of people of African descent.
Although Curacao's official language is Dutch, most of
the islanders speak a dialect called Papiamentu. This
Creole language is a grammatically African structured
Creole language with a Portuguese-Spanish origin,
accompanied by English and Dutch words.
Examples:

Mru Good morning, Bon nochi Good night, Ayo

Goodbye, Danki Thank you
The islanders speak Papiamentu, which has been used
on the island for about 300 years, just as well as they
speak Dutch. This multifaceted language comes from
an oral tradition and was meant to be spoken more so
than written. Because of this, different spellings of the
same word is used throughout the island and among
the ABC islands. For instance, Aruba spells the
languages name Papiamento, while Curacao renders it
Papiamentu.
Portuguese speaking Jews who had emigrated from
Brazil also had an influence in the formation of
Papiamentu because the learned Papiamentu from the
slaves in order to communicate with them and their
African nannies.
Political
However, Dutch is the sole language used in writing, in
education, in government administrative and legal
institutions, and generally in public and formal
situations.

Saba

Saba is a Caribbean island and the smallest special

municipality (officially public body) of the Netherlands.
It consists largely of the potentially active volcano
Mount Scenery, at 887 metres (2,910 ft.) the highest
point of the entire Netherlands.
Saba has a land area of 13 square kilometres
(5.0 sq. mi). As of January 2013, the population was
1,991 inhabitants, with a population density of 150
inhabitants per square kilometre (390/sq. mi). Its towns
and major settlements are The Bottom (the capital),
Windward side, Hell's Gate and St. Johns.
Historical
Island legend tells that planters from Statia first settled
the "Windwardside" as a sugar and coffee plantation.
Old inhabitants still point out the remains of an alleged
sugar refinery on the eastern shore. Hamelberg says
that, according to tradition, the earliest colonists took
possession of the south of Saba, where they built a fort
and a village on the present "Fort Bay." However, they
soon experienced the geographical difficulties of the
island, for one of the frequent cliff slides demolished
the fort and houses, and several of the people were
killed. Later inhabitants turned this same geographical
p43
factor to their own advantage when they defeated a
French attack by rolling rocks on the heads of the
invaders in 1688-1689.
The English captured Saba in 1665 and held it
until 1667. They again took the island in 1672 and,
although they nominally restored it in 1674, continued
to administer it for eight more years. These English
occupations and the sea interests of the islanders

probably account for the fact that Saba remains

English-speaking today. Hamelberg makes it clear that
when the English captured Saba in 1665 the island was
inhabited by a variety of races and that some of the
people were probably planters employing negro slaves.
The records state that there were 87 Hollanders and
54 English, Scots, and Irish, with 85 negroes and
Indians, and that the English sent the defeated Dutch
settlers to the island of St. Martin. During the second
British occupation the governor of St. Kitts and Nevis,
William Stapleton, said that he wished that Statia and
Saba were sunk to their own height in the ocean, as
their inhabitants gave so much trouble by smuggling. It
is thus fairly certain that during the latter half of the
seventeenth century the Saban community consisted of
small planters and seafarers the latter engaged in
more or less legitimate vocations.
Social
The population of Saba (the Sabans) consists of
1,991 people who come from all over the world. Saba's
small size has led to a fairly small number of island
families, who can trace their last names back to around
a half-dozen families. This means that many last names
are shared around the island, the most numerous being
Hassell and Johnson.
Most families are an intermixing of Dutch, English,
Scottish, and African heritage. The population is also
descended from the Irish who were exiled from that
country after the accession of King Charles I of England
in 1625. Charles exiled these Irish to the Caribbean in
an effort to quell rebellion after he had forcibly
procured their lands for his Scottish noble supporters.

Historically, Saba was traded among the many

European nations that fought for power in the region.
Slaves were also imported to work on Saba.
Cultural
Political
Saba became a special municipality within the country
of the Netherlands after the dissolution of the
Netherlands Antilles on 10 October 2010.

Sint Eustatius
Although Christopher Columbus sighted the island in
1493, St Eustatius was not settled until the 17th
century as the Dutch consolidated their Caribbean
empire based on Curaao. The island, first colonized by
the French and English in 1625, was taken by the Dutch
in 1632 and initially named Nieuw Zeeland before being
renamed Sint Eustatius. Dutch control was not
absolute, the island changing hands 10 times in 1664
74, yet Sint Eustatius began to grow as a commercial
centre. Despite the absence of a good natural harbour
and a severe shortage of fresh water, it became the
main focus of the slave trade and of mercantile
exchange in the eastern Caribbean by 1780.
The island was probably the major source of supplies
for the rebellious North American colonies, arousing
British antagonism during the American Revolution. On
Nov. 16, 1776, Sint Eustatius became the first foreign
government to officially recognize the fledgling United
States of America: the cannon at Fort Oranje fired a
salute to the brig Andrew Doria, which was flying the
new Stars and Stripes flag. Great Britain took umbrage
at the incident and lodged a complaint with The Hague
in early 1777; Sint Eustatius was considered to be
speaking for the Netherlands in the matter. The
incident continued to rankle Britain, which eventually
seized the opportunity for retribution presented during
the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War by an impending AmericanDutch commercial treaty. Admiral George Rodney was

ordered to capture the island and did so in February

1781. After sacking storehouses and homes, the British
continued to fly the Dutch flag, luring many American
and other enemy ships to their capture. This marked
the end of Sint Eustatiuss most prosperous period.

Historical
The island has changed hands 22 times since
settlement, with the French, Spanish and British ever
eager to wrest it from the Dutch. It was an important
supply port for American settlers during the War of
Independence; indeed, the Dutch administration of St
Eustatius was the first state to recognise the United
States of America, on 16 November 1776.
As part of the now disbanded Netherlands Antilles, St
Eustatius (also known as Statia) gained partial
independence from the Netherlands in 1954, but the
issue of the Antilles' constitutional status never left the
political agenda and although in 1994 the islands voted
to retain the Netherlands Antilles the arrangement was
not a happy one.
Following more referendums a 2005 conference
resolved to grant autonomy to Curaao and St Maarten
and integrate Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba into the
Netherlands as special municipalities.
Dutch is the official language. Papiamento (a mixture of
African, Dutch, English, Portuguese and Spanish) is the
commonly used lingua franca. English and Spanish are
also widely spoken.
Social

The spoken language is English. Much of the population

is concentrated in Oranjestad. Sint Eustatius is a poor
island, and many of its young people leave to find jobs
elsewhere. Although rainfall is meagre, every home has
its own cistern to catch runoff, and there is some
cultivation of onions, yams, and sweet potatoes.
Lobsters are caught for export. Tourism is increasingly
important, and the waters off the island are popular
with divers. Along the rim and within the crater of The
Quill is a dark forest filled with orchids and other
tropical vegetation. Area 8 square miles (21 square
km). Pop. (2010 est.) 2,886.
Cultural
Considering that it was claimed by the Dutch as far
back as 1636, and aside from a few decades of control
by other powers - has remained part of the Netherlands
ever since, it is no surprise that the culture of St
Eustatius remains largely linked to the mainland. This is
can be seen in the customs of the locals, the holidays
they celebrate, the food they eat, and traditions they
follow. When the former colonies of the Netherlands
Antilles dissolved, 77 percent of the population voted to
become part of the Netherlands, in an agreement that
was finally consolidated in 2010.
Islanders here are proud to be St Eustatiun, and proud
to be Caribbean, albeit with a Dutch twinge. However,
links with America are pertinent too, as the islanders
first language is English, and the US dollar is the
unofficial currency. This interesting cultural mix is well
illustrated through sport, as the most popular here is
soccer (the national sport of the Netherlands), followed
by basketball and softball.

Political
According to the Sint Eustatius government website,
"Statia's economy is stable and well placed to grow in
the near future. With practically no unemployment and
a skilled workforce, we have a infrastructure in place to
ensure sustained growth." In reference to this
statement, one should understand that the government
itself is the largest employer on the island, and the oil
terminal owned by "NuStar" is the largest private
employer on the island.

Sint Maarten
Sint Maarten, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is
a country on the southern part of a Caribbean island
shared with Saint Martin, a French overseas collectively.
Its natural features span lagoons, beaches and salt
pans. The capital, Philipsburg, has cobblestone streets
and colourful, colonial-style buildings lining its Front
Street shopping area. The port is a popular cruise-ship
stop.
Historical
The island of Sint Maarten changed hands sixteen times
over the course of its history, moving from the Spanish
to the Dutch to the English to the French and then back.
The island was first inhabited by Arawaks who were just
looking for a peaceful life, but was run of the island by
tribes of Carib Indians who gave the island the name
Soualiga or Land of Salt.

The Spanish, more specifically Christopher

Columbus, discovered this island on the 11th of
November (which is now celebrated as St. Maartens
Day on the island) and named it after himself, hence
the name St. Maarten. However, even though the island
was discovered, the Spanish made no attempt to settle
there.
In the year 1630, both the French and the Dutch
had established small settlements on the island. The
Spanish saw this as a threat to their influence in the
region and didnt take this lightly. They attacked the
island, driving away both the French and the Dutch,
however, both countries decided to join forces in order
to drive out the Spanish, and in 1644, they achieved
this goal.
In 1648, the French and the Dutch signed an
accord to the divide the island giving the northern half
of the island to the French (St. Martin) and the southern
half of the island to the Dutch (St. Maarten). Being a
colony of the Dutch up until October 10, 2010
influenced the language spoken in that section of the
country.
Social
Dutch is the language used on the island in
governmental departments as well as some schools,
however it is said to be spoken little in daily life. It is
more likely that the countrys higher authorities would
speak Dutch due to it being, until recent times, a colony
of the Dutch. The island is said to boast the ability of
being fluent in both Dutch and English, with these two
languages, along with the islands creole Papiamento
being used interchangeably throughout the course of
daily life.

Cultural
The cultural diversity of St. Maarten springs from its
historical role as a crossroads for visitors to the New
World. Dutch, French and British traders brought
European traditions, while Afro-Caribbean people
brought the language and culture of West Africa. Today
the range of influences is reflected in the number of
languages spoken. Dutch is the official language, but
English is taught in schools and spoken everywhere,
while other common languages are Spanish and
Papiamento, the dialect of the Netherlands Antilles. St.
Maarten's premier cultural event is its annual Carnival,
which includes parades, calypso competitions, reggae
shows, and an endless array of stands serving
traditional island food.
Political
The total island of St. Maarten contains two jurisdictions
(legal systems), i.e. a jurisdiction on the Dutch part of
the island, as well as a French jurisdiction.
The Dutch part of St.Maarten has a civil law system and
is based on the Dutch model. Instead of juries or grand
juries, in Aruba, legal jurisdiction lies with the Court of
First Instance on Aruba (Gerecht in Eerste Aanleg), the
Joint Court of Justice of Aruba, Curaao, Sint Maarten,
and of Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
(Gemeenschappelijk Hof van Justitie van Aruba,
Curaao, Sint Maarten en van Bonaire, Sint Eustatius en
Saba) and the Supreme Court of Justice of the
Netherlands (Hoge Raad der Nederlanden).
As of 10-10-2010 and under the National Ordinance on
Transitional Provisions on legislation and administration
(AB 2010/30 St. Maarten) national ordinances, national

decrees, directing general measures and ministerial

order with general effect of the Netherlands Antilles,
acquire the status of national ordinances, national
decrees, directing general measures and ministerial
orders with general effect of St. Maarten. Island
ordinances and island orders, directing general
measures from the island territory of St. Maarten
acquire the status of national ordinances respectively
island orders, directing general measures, of St.
Maarten.

{Majority of the information for the country Saba is

missing because the group members Dwayne and
Nickali neglected their duties and did not submit their
part of the project.}