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Although the Spanish were in control of Aruba for many years, the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Netherlands soon gave the Dutch the upper hand. Finally in 1636 the Spanish handed over the island to the Dutch. Years later, the English took over Aruba for a brief period, but it quickly returned under Dutch rule in 1816 and remained that way until 1985 , when Aruba became a separate entity within the kingdom of the Netherlands. The people and culture of Aruba has many different backgrounds. One can go from the Indians , to the Spanish, and more recently, the Dutch. Yet, through the years Aruba has become the home for many different people. Especially since the 20th century when industry has blossomed and people from all corners of the world call this island home. It can easily be said that Aruba is now made up of at least 40 different nationalities all living peacefully together. Nowadays, the nearly 88,000 inhabitants of Aruba reflect it's greatly changing history. Through local foods, architecture, celebrations, and languages one can immediately see the different influences the past settlers had on the island. Yet, the Dutch, up to this day continue to be the most influential people on Aruban society since the Dutch language is the official tongue of the Aruban people and Aruba continues to have close ties to the Netherlands. CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS Aruba has its own distinct culture, which often includes celebrations. Color and '''music''' play an important role in the majority of cultural events, most notably in the yearly Carnival and '''Dia Di San Juan''' (St. John's Day) celebrations. Arubans dress in red and yellow to represent fire during the Dia Di San Juan celebration. This celebration originates from a combination of Pre-Christian Arawak harvest festivals and the works of Spanish Missionaries to combine them with the celebration of San Juan . Aruba is the only country in the world that celebrates this day with dancing and singing. During the celebration a singer will chant a familiar "dera gai" tune while players accompany the song with Drum , Violin , and local instrument called a "wiri." Arubans will often refer to Carnival as Bacchanal , a term based on the Greek and Roman celebrations dedicated to Dionysus for the Greeks and Bacchus for the Romans , their god of wine, vegetation, and cheer. Aruba's Bacchanalia shares some similarities with the ancient celebrations. The Greeks wrote Tragedies for these celebrations, and modern-day Arubans also use this time for artistic expressions. Similarly, they each have a religious significance. Aruba's Carnival is about cleansing one's body of sins, like the historic celebrations, and helps the people of Aruba prepare for Lent . "Aruba's Official Carnival Concept Design," as it is called, infuses themse of Music , Dance , Colors , creativity, and merriment. The New Year celebration in Aruba also includes a number of cultural superstitions and traditions; the traditional celebration is called dande. The name "dande," also spelled "dandee," comes from the Papiamento word, "dandara," meaning "to revel," "to carouse," or "to have a good time." After King William III declared Slaves to be free, the celebration began. A group of five or six people usually performs these rituals, though more can join in. These people accompany a singer and travel door-to-door to express their best wishes for the New Year. Repetitive songs, with the chorus which includes the phrase "ai nobe" – "new year" – sung after each phrase. The celebratory travel usually leads to the houses of the singers' friends and family, where the host collects money in his hat to give to the group. Certain districts may have their own dande groups performing on the second day of the year. EXTERNAL LINKS |
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