Afro-Arubans

Afro-Arubans

Languages
Papiamento, Dutch, Spanish, English
Religion
Christianity
Related ethnic groups
other Afro-Caribbeans, Afro-Curaçaoan, African people, Afro-Venezuelans

Afro-Arubans are Arubans who have predominantly African ancestry. Afro-Arubans are a minority ethnic group in Aruba, although many Arubans may have African ancestry. They speak Papiamento, an Afro-Portuguese language spoken in the ABC islands. The language dates back at least 300 years and is based on African linguistic structures combined with vocabulary from Portuguese, Dutch, and Spanish. Like other Arubans, Afro-Arubans also speak Dutch, Spanish, English, as well as other languages.

While Aruba had enslaved Africans, most Afro-Arubans descend from nearby islands and nations such as Sint Maarten, Dominican Republic, Suriname, Haiti, Jamaica, Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, the Lesser Antilles, and/or South America. Many Afro-Arubans live in Aruba's second largest city, San Nicolaas, located on the southern tip of the island.

History

Further information: History of Aruba

Africans were brought to Aruba by Dutch settlers during the colonial era.

Many brought an English Creole to Aruba in the early 20th century.

Notable people

• Eric Abdul
• Xander Bogaerts, baseball player
• Gregor Breinburg
• Niesha Butler
• Virginia Dementricia, rebel slave
• Denzel Dumfries, football player
• Boy Ecury, resistance fighter
• Euson, singer
• Lolita Euson, writer and poet
• Bobby Farrell, dancer and singer
• Ronald Gomez
• Javier Jimenez
• Joshua John, football player
• Jim Jones (rapper)
• Gene Kingsale, baseball player
• Matthew Lentink
• Nickenson Paul
• Jonathan Ruiz
• Jurriën Timber
• Quinten Timber