TRADICCIONAL FOOD IN CURAZAO

Toba
Stoba is a hearty stew and is a common dish you’ll find all over the Caribbean. The Stoba you’ll
find on Curaçao is often made with goat meat, though any meat and vegetable combination can
be used. This dish gets its distinct flavor from the spices used so they can be very spicy. Some
stews in Curaçao will also have papaya inside to add a little sweetness to the spice.

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Yambo (Okra Soup)

An important and authentic Curaçao dish is a soup called yambo or for some guiambo. The base
of the soup is made with okra, making it look a little slimy. It sounds scarier than it tastes
though, because the combination of seafood, salt-cured meat and some fresh basil create a
unique taste.

In addition, the green okra seed pods have an impressive nutrition profile with vitamins C, A,
and B6. It is beneficial for your blood sugar and bone structure, among other things. Some also
throw pig’s tail into the soup, which gives it more flavor.
Kabritu Stobá (Goat Stew)

The main difference between karni stobá and kabritu stobá is the type of meat. Goat meat has
a special taste but is less readily available and therefore somewhat more expensive. You will
not find this stew in restaurants, as the meat has to be cleaned and prepared in a special way.

Not everyone has the patience, and not everyone knows how to prepare goat meat properly.
Goat stew is a delicacy and is often served during festive occasions such as weddings or Holy
Communions.

You can also make a delicious soup from goat meat, much like the creole beef soup described
earlier. If you like lamb, you will love kabritu stobá.
Karko (Queen Conch or Strombus Gigas Linnaeus)

Karko is scarce but delicious. It is a shellfish that can be prepared in different ways. You can find
a stewed karko, but the queen conch meat can also be fried or grilled. The best way to eat it is
at special seafood restaurants or from food trucks.

Most food trucks don’t open until the evening, around 8pm, and stay open until after midnight.
Here you can easily find karko with fries on the menu. It tastes very good.

Fun fact: the shell of the queen conch used to be used as an instrument. The loud noise can be
heard from miles away, which meant it could be used to announce important news, and it was
used during cultural events.
Arepa di Pampuna (Pumpkin Pancakes)

These pumpkin pancakes from Curaçao are very simple and incredibly tasty. History links
Curaçao to the Netherlands, where you will find the very best pancakes. In Curaçao we simply
added some extras to the recipe.

These creole pumpkin pancakes are slightly thicker than the Dutch pancakes. The perfect
combination of pumpkin, cinnamon, and raisins provides a special taste that every sweet tooth
will appreciate.
Bolo di Pruimu (Prune Cake)

This tasty and quite heavy cake is the subject of dispute in Curaçao as locals argue about the
best way to make it. But they all agree that the best Curaçaoan prune cake takes time.

The trick is in how the prunes are prepared before adding them to the pie filling. The cake is
often cut into small pieces and wrapped in aluminum foil for adding to goody bags. It is so tasty
and so potent that it’s best to bite off small pieces from time to time.

Bolo di pruimu can’t be found everywhere, so if you get the chance to taste a delicious piece of
this traditional cake, you should definitely go for it!
Ròm Bèrdè (Green Rum)

The bright green of this delicious rum is very distinctive. The recipe is a secret, but contains
anise and lime. This rum is available in various places, but if you want to experience the real
Curaçao green rum, you have to go to a well-known snack bar in the Otrobanda district. You can
drink ròm bèrde plain or mix it in a cocktail.
TRADICCIONAL COSTUME
Women Clothing
The traditional clothing of Curaçao started after the slavery times with our ancestors. The
elderly used to dress in a very modest way. They would wear a long skirt, called ‘saya', with
sometimes even a pant underneath it. For the upper part, they wore a button-up shirt with a
flare on the lower part of the shirt. This is called a ‘djèki’ in the local language. Most women
sew their own clothing and even now all the traditional clothing are often made by elderly
women.

On their head, they would wear different designs of headwraps. The headwrap styles came
from the African continent as most slaves were also brought from this region. They brought
part of their custom to the island which prevailed over years.

The headwrap was a sign of modesty, but also to protect their hair against the sun. Several
headwraps were designed, each for a specific occasion. The ‘Punta di Skálo’ was a design that
was primarily used for labor. It had a knot in the back which gave the needed support to place a
bucket on top of their heads.  This was necessary because women used to go door to door to
sell fish and vegetables. 
Men Clothing

The gentlemen always had a pretty simple design. They wore cream colored pants with
a loose shirt or a button-up shirt of a similar shade. The clothing was made from sugar
and flour packaging. In the past, sugar, and flour used to come in big sacks. The
resourceful minds of the locals took these sacks and created clothing with it. Nowadays,
they use different types of textile that are more colorful and with patterns.

To protect them from the sun or to just add an extra touch to their formal wear, men
used to wear straw hats on their heads. The ones they wore to work on the ‘kunuku’
(plantation) had damaged edges and were less finely braided. These hats—that were
used for working—were hand braided in Curaçao, but the ones that were used when an
occasion required the best outfit were often from Cuba.
‘Seú’, Curaçao’s Colorful Harvest Parade

Every April, we celebrate the ‘Seú’ harvest parade. This harvest parade comes from the
time of slavery and signifies the belief that people are connected to mother nature. The
parade is a recreation of the times when workers danced and sang their way to the
storage house with their harvest. During the parade, you can marvel at different colorful
clothing designs and headwraps. The designs reflect both the modernization as the
creativity of the community. After Carnival, the Seú parade is one of the biggest cultural
events on the island and it is a must-see if you are in Curaçao in April.
ENTERTAINMENT

watamula
Watamula is probably the best dive site on Curacao.
This is because it offers a lot of diversity and a lot of
fish. There are many different types of coral
formations, such as soft coral, hard coral, mushroom
coral, and even some caves. You can see many small
fish such as clown fish, angel fish, butterfly fish,
damselfish, etc. The current helps bring nutrients to the
area, making it an ideal location for macro
photography.
Curaçao national football team