Curaçao is an island shaped by stories. They are in the salt of our shores and the rhythm of our music. They are in every voice that calls the island home.

This book, True Children's Stories of Curaçao, gathers ten remarkable tales that stretch from 1653 to today. Each story is rooted in real history or cherished island lore—tales of music that crossed oceans, of athletes who dared to dream, of leaders who fought for change, and of the quiet, powerful traditions that have carried our culture through generations.

Written in both English and Papiamentu, these stories invite readers young and old to step into the colorful soul of Curaçao. Papiamentu is more than a language; it is a living symbol of our resilience, creativity, and unity. Born from the meeting of cultures, it carries within it the laughter of markets, the prayers of churches, and the songs of the sea. To tell these stories in Papiamentu is to honor the spirit of the island—to keep alive the voice of the people who shaped it, and to pass it proudly to the next generation.

Through these tales, readers glimpse our music, our sport, our politics, our faith, and our everyday joys—an invitation to laugh, to wonder, and to remember.

Though these are children's stories, their spirit speaks to everyone. They remind us that the island’s greatest treasures are not just its beaches and cityscapes, but its struggles, triumphs, dreams, and the vibrant threads they weave into the fabric of Curaçao.

We hope these stories inspire a new generation to listen, to ask, and to tell their own.

1. The Sea Witch of Watamula - 1653

2. Admiral Popham & the Talking Flags - 1780

3. Tomasito and the Pirate’s Cave - 1795

4. Governor Albert’s Secret - 1800

5. Isaac and the Bishop of Cartagena - 1826

6. The Music That Bumped the Walls - 1875

7. The Ice Cream That Won the War - 1944

8. City Without Hate - 1952

9. Call and Answer - 1958

10. Andruw Jones Listens - 1996