Tuesday 10 March
On Tuesday 10 March, we depart for Willemstad, Curaçao. With the visit to this location, we symbolically complete the triangular voyage of the very first slave voyage of Hof van Zeeland: the Netherlands > Angola > Curaçao.
After a great trip and getting settled, we head straight to the office of our contextual programming partner Inspira Canva. When we arrive, they are busy putting the finishing touches on painting the sea container and setting up its technical fit-out.
Two days later, the moment has come: the sea container departs for the centre of Willemstad and is placed right in the middle of Brionplein.
In Curaçao, I stay with family of my nephew River's father! It is a wonderful experience to be able to stay with this family, it feels like home. So I naturally ask them to be the first to sign the flag in Curaçao!
At Brionplein, the name Armazoen is applied to the sea container as the final touch, meaning the project is now ready to begin at this location!
Monday 16 March
On this day, the workshops for schools begin. Partner Inspira Canva focuses to a large extent on reaching young people and young adults — important groups to involve in exchanging and passing on true stories and events from our shared history of slavery, so as to make visible and tangible how we, as descendants, are connected to one another.
What makes it extra special is that our contextual programming partner Kamau Ware has also travelled from New York to Curaçao. He too gives a workshop to a few of the school classes.
At this location too, visitors are invited to sign the travelling flags.