Column

In the Name of (our) Culture

I am staring at a picture in today’s edition of El Pais (Spain) with tens of people nearly drowning after a shipwreck close to the European coastline. I am really ashamed of our so-called Western/Christian civilization or culture, or however you want to call it, as it will go down in history as the cruelest, bloodthirsty and terrorist ever known to humanity. This is what my History colleagues will teach in 100-200 years (if we still have a World by then).

Finding Meaning, Creating Meaning

Joseph Campbell said we are all seeking meaning. I see this in my daily conversations with people. I ask myself, where does one go to seek meaning? Where does one look to find meaning? And how would one recognize it if one "found" it?

A Non-religious Case Against Same-sex Marriage

You might recall the awful option faced by the title character in "Sophie's Choice:" Pick one child or the other. It's not a choice any mother wants to make. No matter what she chooses, her loss is unutterable.

The Caribbean: A Cradle of Creolized Creativity

This column marks my first contribution to Colorszine. My goal will be to write about our region with all its diversity and its unified history, the philosophical and theological trends, while on the other hand, commenting on the world from a Caribbean perspective that is thoroughly influenced by a deep faith, a philosophical perspective cultivated in the academics of the United States and The Netherlands and a positive outlook at this marvel of creation called the Caribbean, with its Creole languages, its own legitimate versions of Dutch, English, French and Spanish.

First letter from Quisqueya

From Quisqueya, land of my ancestors, I write to you, dear meek soul full of hope…

Piet's Colors

To me 'B' as in Black stands for Brave, Bold & Beautiful. Translate this word into Dutch say: 'Zwart' I get a feeling 'Z' is equivalent to Zwak (weak) Ziek (sick) Zielig (pitiful). As a Dutch citizen living in the Netherlands since anno 2000, I've never, ever felt ZZZ as Zwart, but always BBB as Black.

The Healing Power of Acceptance

Statistics confirm that many of us in the Boomer generation are currently, or will be dealing, with taking care of our parents at the same time we take care of our children. I have coached several clients who have had to deal with this issue. My husband and his siblings dealt with a mother who was diagnosed with dementia, who lived many years with this before passing away. So this process is familiar to me; even more so now as I become one of the statistics.

Curaçao Uprising May 30th 1969

There is a scarcity of local history connected to the Curaçao Uprising on May 30th 1969 better known as "Trinta di Mei" in Papiamentu. Tipping the scales after 45 years could be quite surprising in many ways globally, and internal affairs in particular, viewed from a socio-political standpoint.

Cultural Identity and the Santa Claus Celebrations

Adherence to particular traditions, symbols, rituals, traits, and attitudes are fundamental in the forming and nourishing of cultural identities. Cultural identities have a profound influence on the manner in which the national identity of a given country is given quintessence and articulated to all concerned.

Inburgering in The Netherlands

I was still in Spain when I heard about inburgering for the first time. A good friend of mine had to take a Dutch language exam before she moved to The Netherlands to live with her boyfriend. She followed a course with a Dutch professor in Colombia for more than two months, she passed the exam and then she was here, waiting to start the inburgering course. Inburgering means becoming a citizen (burger= citizen).