Culture of Bonaire

The culture of Bonaire is influenced from the culture of the neighboring regions and amalgamates the best of all the ethnic roots showcasing its diversity. The true culture of Bonaire is based on time-honored values handed down from one generation to another and are preserved through traditional songs and dances.

The colorful and melodious songs and dances are like rituals performed regularly on holidays and festivals. The culture of Bonaire also emphasizes on strong family ties, love and affection. The people of Bonaire pay lot of respect to nature and healthy understanding of the environment that was originally alien to them. The early settlers worked in the inhospitable and arid land which gradually became their home. The initial tough life in the island has made the people of Bonaire strong with lively spirit and friendliness.  

It is the part of culture that people of Bonaire smiles and wave even at strangers on the street. This lifestyle, spirit and nature of the people of Bonaire gradually developed into their culture. This came to be reflected in songs and dances which gradually took the shape of festivals and have now become an integral part of the life of the people of Bonaire. Thus, people of Bonaire has song for every activity, including work songs, unloading songs, filling-in songs, Saturday songs and hammock songs (for the long day's end) in Bonaire culture.

People of Bonaire have adopted some great festival dances from Africa such as the Simadan and the Bari with their polyphonic melodies and a vast array of percussive instruments. European dances such as the Waltz, the Mazurka, the Polka and a dance known locally as the Baile di Sinta (kind of a fertility dance performed around a maypole) also find place in Bonaire’s culture. The Caribbean Islands contributed in Bonaire culture with dances like the Rumba, the Carioca, and the Merengue while Latin America added the Danza and the Joropo. The jazz rhythms have traveled from United States of America.

The creativity of the people of Bonaire can be judged by the musical instruments that they have created from discarded and broken tools. The Chapi, a small percussive instrument, is made from the metal end of a hoe and is stuck with a small metal bar. The Agan is made from the blades of a plough. The Benta is a string instrument played keeping in mouth made with a bowed-out knife. The cowhorn and conch along with all these instruments comprise the traditional musical collection of Bonaire.

The Grupo Folklorico is a troupe of eight dancers, four men and four women, together with an Antillean band. They perform regularly at festivals and occasionally throughout the year and provide a complete medley of Bonaire’s dance, music and songs. These dancers are dressed up in their traditional costumes which are rarely seen these days in Bonaire.The men dress in straw hats, white blouses, trousers and colorful sandals brought from Venezuela known as Alpargatas.The women dress up more elaborately in the outfits called Saya Koe Yaki.The skirts are customarily adorned with a bright floral pattern called Panya di Perpu or purple flowers.

The skirt was originally designed for women working in the fields. The fronts are cut short to avoid dragging along the ground, while the backs hang a little lower for modesty when bending over.It consists of a bolero-style jacket and a long, flared skirt supported by starched and pleated petticoats.