VISHANNA PHAGOO

Despite having a population of only around 190,000, Curacao is rich in culture and is most popular for its clear blue beaches, but what people are not aware of is its rich night life, musically-inclined people and surprising history.

Caribbean Airlines, in collaboration with the Curacao Tourist Board (CTB), hosted journalists and media influencers from September 1-5 to experience these and its fifth Kaya Kaya Festival, held annually on September 2.

Kaya Kaya Festival

Kaya, which means street in Papiamento – one of the languages of Curacao – was created by Kurt Schoop and Clayton Lasten as a way of developing an area from one deemed dangerous for visitors into one of the many popular tourist spots.

Schoop spoke to the media at the festival , explaining its origins and how it helped the community he has been living in for over 20 years.

"First, it started as a street party, which I organised with friends and by telling the neighbours as well. It became bigger and bigger.

"We then added art, music and authentic Curacao food to it for the festival.

"The moment we told the neighbours there was going to be a party in the street, though, they started painting the houses and cleaning the spaces and we said, 'Oh, this has an impact.'"

The first time he held the festival, he said, upwards of 3,000 people showed up and every year Schoop and Lasten would include another aspect of Curacao's culture, growing the festival and the number of participants.

"Every time we do it, we get sponsorship to beautify the area, so we're really using it as a tool now to beautify the Otrobanda and invite people to it."

Otrobanda is one of the historically important quarters of Willemstad, the capital of Curacao. The district was developed in the 18th century and picked up in the early 19th century, when the once-walled city of Punda became overpopulated.

Schoop said nowadays, the main goal is to keep building the community and using the festival as a tool for engaging residents by encouraging the young people to take care of their home and surroundings.

"Doing these things, we have seen that the tourists will come to the neighbourhood... it used to be a neighbourhood that was not welcoming to the people. But nowadays you see a lot of tourists, people come, because the Otrobanda has all of the monuments, (and) it's also clean and safe."

In terms of community development, Schoop said it has helped the youth get jobs and even debut their own start-up businesses.

"A lot of establishments in the food and beverage sector – hotels and restaurants – have employed the youth of the neighbourhood, which makes their household sustainable, in the sense that they will keep living here, and they will also take care of the neighbourhood."

The festival was full of food stalls, art exhibitions and parties. The food stalls were all run by local restaurants. Though local foods were limited, there was enough to eat while enjoying live music and entertainment by small bands and local dancers.

To keep the youth enga