Carnival Curaçao goes way back and is full of international influences and traditions. Do you want to know more about our carnival? You’ll find everything you need to know in this blog.

Carnival Curaçao
Carnival started as a European tradition and goes way back. In the time of slavery the wealthy elite put on big masquerade balls and other festivities to celebrate the Lent period prior to the Catholic Easter. When they colonized the West Indies (a region of the North Atlantic Ocean in the Caribbean) they brought the costumes and other traditions with them. During those exclusive parties the slaves began to imitate the plantation owners, adding their own African tradition into the festivities. They dressed up in colorful costumes, participated in African rituals and told stories about their history to keep their ancestry on top of mind. When slavery was abolished (july 1st 1863) the celebrations moved from well hidden spots into the streets.

In 1961 a local man named Benjamin Wever (known as Shon Bènchi) took the initiative to celebrate carnival the way we celebrate it nowadays on the streets of Curaçao. A big event where European, Indonesian, Asian and Caribbean traditions come together.

Carnival in 2017
Curaçao's carnival is the largest and longest- lasting carnival of the Caribbean. The carnival period is by far the best time to visit our beautiful island to experience the creativity, passion and outgoingness of our locals. Carnival on Curaçao features beautiful parades (such as the teen parade and the grand parade), music festivals (Tumba festival) and beautiful costumes. Are you ready to party?

There is no excuse for eating bad food during Curaçao carnival. Do you want to know where to get the best Carni Stoba? Or want to know where Caribbean food is all about? Here is CCGG’s guide to the best restaurants on the island.

Kuminda Krioyo (local food) literally means mixture and describes the local food very well. The local food of Curaçao is a mixture of influences from European, American, African and Asian countries. In this blog you’ll find a few famous local restaurants you really not should miss out on.

Plasa Bieu/ Marshe Bieu (Punda)
Do you want to experience the real Curaçao and have lunch among the locals? Than is Marshe Bieu by far the place to be. Marshe Bieu offers local food of Curaçao and you can choose from dishes such as ‘catch of the day’ (freshly caught fried fish) and stoba (a stew). Do you want the full ‘Caribbean experience’? Try some ‘pika’ that is served on every table. This is a tasty and very spicy side dish. Enjoy!

Awa di Playa
Awa Di Playa offers you local tasty food in a nice atmosphere. The restaurant is built in a container, but still provides you a real restaurant feeling. Get some local food and try their freshly caught fish, goat or Awa di Playa (a peppery fish soup) for which the restaurant is named.

Are you ready to experience an event unlike any other? Curaçao carnival is famous around the world for it’s colorful, outgoing and creative style. One of the most important parts of this carnival is music, Tumba in particular.

What is Tumba?
Music on Curaçao is a rich blend of African, European, US, Latin American and Caribbean influences. Over the years those different influences blended and created several local styles. Tumba, also called the Caribbean blues, is one of the most important forms of music in Curaçao. The Tumba is a music and dance style that originated from the Bantu-culture in Congo and is deeply connected to the history of the Dutch Caribbean islands. When the African slaves were shipped to the Caribbean, they took this art form with them. Playing and dancing on the rhythm of Tumba was a way for these slaves to express their sadness, sorrow and pain. The rhythm has evolved a lot since it reached Curaçao in the 17th century and nowadays it is the official music style of the Curaçao Carnival.

Tumba music has it’s own rhythm, combined with influences of merengue, salsa and other African and Caribbean rhythms, as well as blues and jazz influences. The basic instruments of Tumba music are: the drum (tambu), a cow’s horn (the kachu) and the a plough share (the agan). Enjoy the catchy beat and you’re body will start moving on it’s own.

Tumba Festival
The first big event of the carnival celebrations is the Tumba festival. This is a four-day competition, held in late january. During the annual Tumba Festival many tumba singers battle it out for the ultimate prize: the Tumba crown. Whoever wins, can proudly call themselves the Tumba King or Queen. The Tumba festival isn’t just like any other festival. It’s a spectacle and often lasting long into the night. The festival goes with plenty of beer, good food and a lot of swaying, booty shaking and dancing to hype things up.