As Aruba boasts a rich culture with strong Latin American, Caribbean and European influences, the island is home a wide array of unique traditions and events that can t be found anywhere else. While exciting elements of Aruba s culture are on display throughout the year, the holiday season features several events that highlight the island s melting pot culture and diverse musical history. From the beginning of November until after the New Year s holiday, bands and performers can be found at locations across the island, including many popular tourist destinations and even the resorts. Best of all, wherever visitors encounter Aruba s holiday performers, they will be welcomed by locals to join in the island s celebration of the holiday season.
Prior to the Christmas holiday, Arubans celebrate St. Nicolas Day, a festive day that shows off the island s Dutch heritage. A few weeks prior to St. Nicolas Day, Sinterklaas – the traditional Dutch version of the modern Santa Claus – arrives on boat at Paardenbaai Harbor where he is greeted by excited crowds, festive brass bands and other performers. The brass bands then lead Sinterklaas and his helpers in a parade through the streets of Oranjestad where visitors of all ages will have a chance to join locals in celebration, enjoy live music and catch a coveted first glance of Sinterklaas. Leading up to St. Nicolas Day, Sinterklaas can be spotted across Aruba, handing out treats to children and spreading holiday cheer to locals and visitors alike. On the December 5th holiday, local children leave their shoes out at night, alongside treats for Sinterklaas and his white horse, in hopes of receiving presents and sweets. As many local resorts also participate in this tradition, visiting children can also receive small gifts and treats from Sinterklaas.
One of the most interesting holiday musical traditions is known as Gaita, a unique genre of Venezuelan folk music born in the 1960s that Arubans have since combined with popular Latin American and Caribbean dance rhythms. Most of Aruba s Gaita groups begin practicing for holiday performances during the summer months, while the most talented ensembles often make professional recordings in September and October. Usually composed of 18 to 20 musicians, the Gaita groups incorporate instruments such as acoustic guitars, bass guitars and plenty of percussion instruments with origins ranging from Latin America, Africa and the other parts of the Caribbean. Many Gaita groups also utilize rarely heard traditional instruments such as the cuarta – a small, four stringed guitar known in Venezuela as a cuatro – the raspa – a gourd instrument with grooves that is played with a scraping motion – and the wiri – a metallic, often homemade, scraping instrument. As most Gaita groups begin playing throughout the island in early November, the unmistakable sound of Gaita music signals the beginning of the holiday season for locals. Until Christmas Day, Gaita groups can be seen and heard in venues as diverse as resorts, restaurants, night clubs, concert halls and throughout the streets of Oranjestad.
The holiday season also brings the Christmas Day tradition known as Aguinaldo. Known in Venezuela as Noche Buena, Aguinaldo is similar to the caroling traditions found through Europe and the United States. Groups of performers visit the homes of locals, as well as resorts and popular tourist destinations across the island, to share songs and the story of Christmas. Aguinaldo performers are known for their friendliness towards the island s visitors, as tourists are welcomed to join in a sense of community and mutual celebration for the holiday. Families staying in Aruba on the Christmas holiday will certainly spot and have a chance to interact with plenty of Aguinaldo performers, both at the resorts and throughout Oranjestad.
On New Year s Day, the caroling continues as small bands – typically five or six performers – roam the island spreading good cheer and blessings for the year to come. Known as Dande, this spirited musical tradition includes an upbeat combination of guitars, accordions and percussion instruments. Each Dande group features a singer that performs their own version of a traditional New Year s song, adding stories, fortunes and blessings for the audience. Tourists will also hear the other musicians sing the phrase “ai nobe” – “new year” in Papiamento – after each of the leader s improvised lines. While New Year s Day brings out the greatest number of Dande groups, many of the bands continue performing across the island throughout the first week of the year. Prior to the New Year s Day holiday, the island also hosts a festival to anoint a Dande King and Queen. The celebration, which features plenty of live music, takes place each year on the Saturday before New Year s Day.
With so many unique cultural events on the schedule each year, the holiday season is a great time to visit Aruba. As the excitement is known to spread across the island, visitors won t have to look far to find some of Aruba s most interesting holiday traditions.
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