song for Curaçao : musical performances of double diaspora

In the last few decades, especially leading up to and in the wake of the dissolution of the Netherlands Antilles on 10-10-10, debates on national identity and cultural heritage have taken off in the various countries within the Dutch Kingdom. On the island of Curaçao, public figures such as former Minister of Culture Rosalia and the late politician Wiels emphasized the historical repression of AfroCuraçaoans and the systematic undervaluation of Afro-Curaçaoan culture. Meanwhile, migration and integration also gained ground as topics central to the European Dutch debate on national identity. Author researches ways in which Curaçaoans moving between the Netherlands and Curaçao construct collective identities through music practices. How do they deal with conflicting expectations within two societies? What is the role of music in this process? The cases analyzed here show a flexible attitude to dealing with Curaçaoan identity, engagement with two diasporas and the use of two important identity discourses; an AfroCuraçaoan and a creolized Curaçaoan one.