Today marks the start of my countdown to my 55th birthday – ku Dios dunami bida i salú (by God’s grace, with life and health). This phrase is deeply rooted in Curaçao’s culture, a reminder of the gratitude and humility that many carry in their hearts. While I’m no longer religious myself, it’s a phrase that feels like home – a connection to my island roots and the traditions I grew up with.
Over the next 55 days, I’ll take you along on a journey through moments, stories, and photos that have shaped my life. A little nostalgia, a little reflection, and a broader perspective – because no one needs too much navel-gazing (you’re welcome 😉) – and hopefully, a smile or two.
This photo was taken sometime in the early 1970s in Curaçao. I was about 1, maybe 2 years old, and clearly not a fan of sitting still for a photoshoot. My mother recalls how restless I was – always on the move, just like her. The bear and the keys? Pure distraction tactics to keep me occupied.
As a small child, I was blissfully unaware of the world I was growing up in. But with the knowledge I have now, I can see how much those years were shaped by change. The 1969 Curaçao uprising sparked a renewed sense of pride and identity on the island. People were finding their voices, reclaiming space for themselves, and you could feel it in the air, in the way they spoke and acted. At the same time, the Shell refinery loomed large – a source of both progress and pollution, of jobs and dependency.
And me? I sat there, an island girl oblivious to the bigger picture, but growing up in a time that shaped so much of who we are today.
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