Credits:

Ban pas’un ròndu

by Jean-Jacques Rojer

Producer : Jean-Jacques Rojer
Executive producer : Henry van der Kwast
Co-producers : Steven van der Kwast, Hershel Rosario and Javier “Yuchi” Córdoba
Recording engineers : Jean-Jacques Rojer (The Netherlands), Hershel Rosario & Oscar Bor (Curaçao), Alex Figueira (Amsterdam) and Pepe Gavilondo (Cuba)
Mixing : Jean-Jacques Rojer and Oscar Bor
Mastering : Oscar Bor
Artwork : Rubén Cabrera “Cabra” Miranda
Arrangements by Jean-Jacques Rojer
Additional vocal arrangements for the children’s choir by Zita Martijn Additional vocal arrangements on “Tapa kara” by Edsel Juliet
Lyrics of “Tapa kara” written by Jean-Jacques Rojer and Gary Hollander Lyrics of “Den hòf’i Shon Arei” written by Jean-Jacques and Yuchi Córdoba
Additional Lyrics to “Aya na Ser’i Trapi” and “Maria Ta den Kushina” written by Jean-Jacques Rojer
Rhythmical concepts on “Kantikanan di Hila”, “Tapa kara”, “Hé Patu” and “Kule kule” by Javier ”Yuchi” Córdoba

Liner notes :

I became a father in 2019, right before the covid pandemic. The following year my family and I relocated to Aruba and Curaçao because of Covid and other personal circumstances. While being there my wife suggested I make an album with children’s music from the Antilles. I was reluctant at first as I was in the middle of releasing a jazz album. While still mulling over the kids’ album idea, I bumped into an old songbook from the ’60s called “ Nos ta canta” that belonged to a great-aunt of

mine. As I started perusing the pages I noticed that it contained many songs I had never heard of before. Conservation of our cultural heritage would therefore be an added bonus if I’d agree to do the album. Also, I would be making this body of music available to countless other kids from Antillean parents who are growing up abroad. So a win-win situation. Lockdown logistics forced me to park the jazz project in the end and with my time now freed up, I could focus 100% on the children’s music. After carefully plotting a timeline for the production and execution of the album, I took the project to Henry van der Kwast who absolutely loved the idea. He told me he would take care of arranging the necessary funds, which he did, and he’s been closely involved, also creatively, ever since.

I set out to make a children’s album and ended up with music that will hopefully appeal to everyone’s inner child as much, if not more, as to the kids themselves. There will be the unavoidable element of nostalgia for the ones who grew up with these songs and as for the younger listeners, I can only hope that this music becomes part of their childhood memories just as much as they are now part of ours.

At the start of this project I felt the need to educate myself on the origins of the songs I had chosen to put on the album. Harry Moen is a charismatic band leader, musical anthropologist and expert on Curaçao folklore and I knew that he’d be the perfect person to approach for this knowledge quest. He readily agreed to meet up and his accounts, mixed together with some of my own interpretations, are presented here in the following notes.

1.Den hòf’i Shon Arei (In the garden of Shon Arei) - J.J.Rojer.

This song is an hommage to the oral tradition of storytelling. In Curaçao we particularly enjoy the stories about an astute spider called Nanzi. These stories are West African in origin and can be found throughout the Americas. Shi Maria and Shon Arei are all different characters from these tales.

Juliana Martina: lead vocals. Kris Berry and Gary Hollander: backing vocals. Jean-Jacques Rojer: guitars, Cuban tres, accordion synth, shakers and bongos. Hershel Rosario: bass. Javier “Yuchi“ Córdoba: bougarabou and chekeres.

2.Karpinté ta mas ku rei / Ata‘ki mi boka / Mi mamachi (A carpenter

is worth more than a king / This is my mouth / My adorable little (grand)mother) - traditional.

The first song in this pot-pourri is a moral message about the worth of the common man versus that of someone from higher standing (if there even is such a thing). “Ata’ki mi boka”, the second piece, comes from the Dutch children song “Dit zijn m’n wangetjes” (These are my
cheeks). The last of the three songs,“Mi mamachi”, is about kids drinking a sweet water drink called “aw’i papilon” at a party.

Shaun Limon, Kayle Mena, Victoria Pinto, Alexia Stopa, Kisha Meijer and Evanthe Jandroep: vocals. Christine Corsen: additional lead vocals. Mariana Hutchinson Siemers: first violin. Raphaella Engelsberg: second violin. MaraTieles Cutié: viola. Jonas Pap: cello. Angelo Ursini: clarinet and flute. Jean-Jacques Rojer: piano and woodwind synths.

3.Aya na ser’i trapi (Don Pancho) (There on the little hill by the stairs) - P.Flores, R.Palm.

The initial idea for this composition allegedly came from one Pancho Flores whereas the composition itself was done by Rudolph Palm(1880-1950). The song is about a shoemaker called Don Pancho who lived in the old neighborhood of Otrobanda. Located in Willemstad, the Otrobanda neighborhood is a very lively and picturesque place. It’s also where most of my musical heritage comes from. I added the extra characters of “Masita piki pieuw”, the seamstress, and ”Shon Kè”, the carpenter, to this version.

Edsel “Payo” Juliet and Urvin ”Luwi” Jano: lead vocals. Kris Berry, Juliana Martina and Gary Hollander: backgrounds vocals. Igort Rivas: trumpets. Angelo Ursini: clarinet & flute. Jean- Jacques Rojer: Cuban tres and mandoline. Hershel Rosario: bass. Javier “Yuchi“ Córdoba: bougarabou and clave. Pernell Saturnino: timbales, campana and wiri.

4.The magic of it all - J.J.Rojer / K.R.Van der Kwast.
This track is about that first encounter one has with a child who has just

woken up. So a “reverse lullaby” if you will.

Maruja Boogaard: lead vocal. Mariana Hutchinson Siemers: first violin. Raphaella Engelsberg: second violin. MaraTieles Cutié: viola. Jonas Pap: cello. Alex Rossi: harmonica. Jean-Jacques Rojer: piano, guitars and mandoline.

5.Tapa kara (Hide and seek) - J.J.Rojer, G.Hollander, J.Córdoba.

Tapa kara ( literally to cover one’s face) is a universal game that’s also played in Curaçao. The lyrics are abstract and playful and the words were
chosen more for their sound than for their meaning.

Edsel “Payo”Juliet: lead and background vocals. Angelo Ursini: ethnic flutes. Javier “Yuchi“ Córdoba: percussion. Jean-Jacques Rojer: small percussion.

6.Pobersitu Janchi / Buchi Juan / Ki sort’i balia tin (Poor Janchi / Buchi Juan / What kind of a ball is there) - traditional .

“Janchi” was a “benta” player, benta being a “bow and arrow” like instrument of West African origins. Rats are described doing Janchi’s dishes and this mention of rats doing human chores is found a lot in songs and stories written right after the abolition of 1863. “Buchi Juan” is most likely about a person going to the Santa Barbara plantation house to sell a child into slavery. The trading of slaves was done officially by the government and/or needed to be registered. At Santa Barbara, however, it was done illegally and off the books. “Shon grandi” (big important person) refers to the buyers. The last song of this medley, to end on a happier note, is about a ball where there was music being played with violins and clarinets.

Kris Berry, Juliana Martina and Gary Hollander: vocals. Hershel Rosario: bass. Mariana Hutchinson Siemers: violin. Igort Rivas: Trumpet. Angelo Ursini: clarinet. Jean-Jacques Rojer: guitars, Cuban tres, mandoline and bongos. Javier “Yuchi“ Córdoba: benta, congas, chekeres, tambu grandi and bougarabou. Pernell Saturnino: timbales, campana and wiri.

7.Mi mama no tin plaka / Alélimo / Ban, ban pas’un ròndu (My mother has no money /Alélimo / Come let’s make a circle to play) - traditional

The first songs in this medley is about a child of poor parents who is shipped off to The Netherlands and his/her first impressions upon arriving there. “Alélimo” is a song of old Spanish origins and its variants can be found throughout Latin America. I juxtaposed the original Spanish version with the version that is sung in Curaçao. The original version is about a collapsed bridge in need of repair. However, the Lord responsible for fixing up the bridge doesn’t have the funds to do so. Hence the humorous suggestion of using eggshells to carry out the restoration. An interesting note is that the eggshells survived in the Curaçaoan version even though the placement of the word completely differs from the original lyrics. Ban, ban pas’un ròndu is a game in which

a child is surrounded by a circle of spinning children. When the song is through the surrounded child, who’s name is used in the song, appoints another child to go stand in the middle, and the whole thing repeats again.

Shaun Limon, Kayle Mena, Victoria Pinto, Alexia Stopa, Kisha Meijer and Evanthe Jandroep: vocals. Angelo Ursini: Clarinet and flute. Jean-Jacques Rojer: Spanish guitar, accordion synth and tambourine.

8.Oloshi kèns (Stupid clock) - traditional.

The melody of this song is Latin American while the lyrics may have been written by a priest called P.J.Poiesz (1875-1919). They were written in an attempt to deter the parishioners of a church from stealing money out of the collection basket. The lyrics speak of a ghostly apparition that urges people not to steal.

Juliana Martina and Gary Hollander: lead vocals. Mariana Hutchinson Siemers: first violin. Raphaella Engelsberg: second violin. MaraTieles Cutié: viola. Jonas Pap: cello. Angelo Ursini: flute. Igort Rivas: trumpet. Jean-Jacques Rojer: spanish guitar, cuban tres and bongos. Hershel Rosario: bass. Pernell Saturnino: timbales, congas and guiro.

9.Cabrito (Goat) - traditional.

Finding old Sephardic songs that were sung in Curaçao was very difficult. The main reason for this is the fact that the upbringing of very young children in Jewish families was left in the care of black yaya’s (nannies). This resulted in the vanishing of all the original music (lullabies) brought to Curaçao by the Sephardic communities in the 17th and 18th centuries. After doing ample research I did however find Cabrito, originally called Kavrito, which talks about the fate of a little goat. Kavrito is the Ladino version of the song Had Gadya which is sung by children on the first night of Pesach. This particular version, with Spanish lyrics, is from a May Henriquez book called “Ta asina o ta asana?” (Is it this way or is that way?). Ms. Henriquez (1915-1999) was a writer, artist and historian who heard the song as a kid herself (so early 20th century) from a girl called Meri who used to work as a yaya at her grandmother’s house. Meri’s version of the story/song was titled “Bitu”, which is clearly the last part of the word Kabritu (papiamentu spelling). I concocted the main melody from various existing versions.

Juliana Martina: lead vocals. Kris Berry: Background vocals. Angelo Ursini: Ethnic flutes. Vernon Chatlein: Bull horn. Mariana Hutchinson Siemers: violin. Sarah Gutiérrez Biraben: cello. Jean-Jacques Rojer: Spanish guitar, cuban tres, synths, hand claps, udu drum,

background vocals, shakers and tambourine.

10.Kantikanan di hila (Songs of the Hila game) - traditional
Hila is a children’s game in which kids hold hands while spinning in a circle. As they circle they also sing songs and I found 4 such songs in the “Zikinza” collection. This is a body of research on old Curaçao customs and traditions, done mostly in the ’60s by “de facto” anthropologists Pater Brenneker and Elis Juliana. The lyrics are just a play on words that don’t really make any sense. The phrases are strung together in call-response form, always using the last word of the previous line to jump to the next one.

Shaun Limon, Kayle Mena, Victoria Pinto, Alexia Stopa, Kisha Meijer and Evanthe Jandroep: vocals. Igort Rivas: trumpets. Jean-Jacques Rojer: guitars, hand claps and brass synths. Javier “Yuchi“ Córdoba: barí, tambú grandi, conga (requinto) and chekeres. Pernell Saturnino: chapi.

11.Orjunchi - H.O.Booi

Orjunchi is an Aruban traditional composed by Hubert “Obdulio” Booi. It’s an hommage to the trade of fishing and to a fictional fisherman called Orjunchi.

Kris Berry, Juliana Martina and Gary Hollander: lead and background vocals. Angelo Ursini: clarinet. Hershel Rosario: bass. Jean-Jacques Rojer: Cuban tres, mandoline and accordion synth. Javier “Yuchi“ Córdoba: bougarabou and clave. Pernell Saturnino: wiri and campana.

12.Tiptoe - J.J.Rojer/K.R.Van der Kwast

The suffering of children is a reality that I didn’t pay much attention to until I became a parent myself. One of the events that inspired me to write this song was the humanitarian drama that unfolded in Afghanistan when the Taliban took over the country. As I started writing the song the Ukrainian war also broke out. While watching the news on these war- inflicted countries I had to think of all the children that were being split from their loved ones and sent away for safekeeping

Gabriel Milliet: lead vocals. Mariana Hutchinson Siemers: first violin. Raphaella Engelsberg: second violin. MaraTieles Cutié: viola. Jonas Pap: cello. Igort Rivas: flugel horn. Angelo Ursini: clarinet. Jean-Jacques Rojer: piano, orchestral synths.

13.Hé patu (The duck) - E.Juliana

This rhythmical poem was penned by Elis Juliana (1927-2013) and is about a mother duck scavenging for food for its ducklings.
Elis Juliana was a wonderful writer, storyteller, artist, painter and anthropologist who did a lot for Curaçao and its folklore.

Harry Moen: vocals. Javier “Yuchi“ Córdoba: benta, congas, chekere, tambu grandi and bougarabou. Jean-Jacques Rojer: mandoline, orchestral synths, percussion.

14.Maria ta den kushina (Maria is in the kitchen) - traditional

Maria is in her kitchen when a man, described here as a bull, walks by and starts chatting with her, maybe with romantic intentions. Maybe not. That’s the original song. I added two extra verses to the already existing one, tilting the interactions of Maria and the Bull a little more towards the amorous.

Edsel “Payo”Juliet: lead vocals. Kris Berry, Juliana Martina and Gary Hollander: background vocals. Jean-Jacques Rojer: guitars, hand claps, accordion synths, small percussion. Hershel Rosario: bass. Javier “Yuchi“ Córdoba: barí. Pernell Saturnino: wiri.

15.Waya waya Kelumambé / Kule kule - traditional

I found these two songs in the Zikinza collection mentioned in track 10. The first of the two is about a mother looking for her lost child, who’s completely covered by tall grass. It is sung from the child’s perspective in a combination of Guene and Papiamentu. Guene is a dead language that was spoken by slaves on the plantations in the countryside. It was used as a secret language to keep the masters from understanding what was being said. The language consisted of African words, taken from various African languages, in their original form, i.e., not distorted and/or merged with other words. The second piece is supposed to be a Chuchubi bird (hippolais icterina) singing on the 8th day after a child’s birth. We don’t know exactly what is being said as the lyrics are entirely in Guene.

Urvin” Luwi” Jano and Kris Berry: lead vocals. Angelo Ursini: ethnic flutes. Jean-Jacques Rojer: guitars, bass, hand claps and small percussion. Hershel Rosario: bass. Javier “Yuchi“ Córdoba: benta, shekere, tambú grandi and bougarabou.

16.Luna ku solo / Albert’i Shon Rica Tutuchi (Moon and sun / Alberto

of Shon Rica Tutuchi) - traditional

The first piece of this medley is Latin American in origin, and in Curaçao it is sung during the playing of the homonymous game. The second song is about a person called Alberto who is from another person called Shon Rica Tutuchi. This Alberto has but one eye and still manages to see everything in spite of his handicap. I don’t know if the “from” has to be interpreted as ”beloning to” or if it’s a description of Alberto being the offspring (or husband) of “Shon Rica Tutuchi”. Since he’s responsible for

the cooking it is most likely the former.

Shaun Limon, Kayle Mena, Victoria Pinto, Alexia Stopa, Kisha Meijer and Evanthe Jandroep: vocals. Christine Corsen: additional lead vocals. Angelo Ursini: clarinet and flute. Jean- Jacques Rojer: guitars and accordion synth.

17.E kriki tocado (The musician cricket) - B.Tromp, R.Odor

E kriki tocado, also known as “Bou mi cama” (under my bed), is an Aruban tune composed by the late Brigido ”Icho” Tromp (1921-2000). Brigido’s son told me that every night at bedtime, a cricket would be heard making sounds under their house, making it impossible for anyone to sleep. The house had wooden flooring. It was during one of these sleepless nights that Brigido came up with the idea for the lyrics of this song. The original musical arrangements were done by Rufo Odor (1935-2017).

Gary Hollander: lead vocal. Kris Berry and Juliana Martina: vocals. Mariana Hutchinson Siemers: violin. Jean-Jacques Rojer: Cuban tres, accordion synth and small percussion. Hershel Rosario: bass. Javier “Yuchi“ Córdoba: tambora. Alex Figueira: güira.

18.Mama, tenémi na kas! / Saliendo fo’i Kòrsou / Shon Felecí (Mother, keep me home / Leaving Curaçao / Shon Felecí) - traditional. The first of the 3 tumba’s on this track is about a girl who believes she is being chased by a lizard. Upon telling this to her mother she gets the response that it’s probably a young man who is chasing her. The second tumba in the medley is about a group of workers from Curaçao who went to Suriname to work as lumberjacks. They all got stung by mosquitos upon arrival and some even ended up getting yellow fever from the bites The third song is about a lady called Shon Felecí who one night, as she was sleeping, heard a noise upstairs in her daughter’s room. She went to check it out, suspecting foul play, and when she got there she saw a young man jumping out of the window and fleeing into the night. She must have given chase or yelled at him because the incident woke up

the whole street. When later questioned about it she answered saying that it was just a cat. The neighbors of course knew that she was lying through her teeth and wrote a tambú song about the whole incident. Tambú is a genre played mostly around December and January and is used as a vehicle to deliver social commentary and to gossip. It was later made into a tumba by “Orkesta Concordia”.

Kris Berry: lead and backgrounds vocals. Urvin” Luwi” Jano: lead vocals. Juliana Martina and Gary Hollander: vocals. Igort Rivas: trumpet. Angelo Ursini: clarinet and flutes. Jean- Jacques Rojer: Cuban tres and mandoline. Hershel Rosario: bass. Javier “Yuchi“ Córdoba: bougarabou and clave. Pernell Saturnino: timbales, campana and wiri.

19.Ta kon nos ta balia / Nos ta bai Hulanda / Turtuga (How do we dance? / We are going to Holland / Turtle) - traditional

The first of these 3 folkloric tunes is a call-response song about walking, sleeping and dancing. The second one parodies the Venezuelan national anthem. The diplomatic relationship between Curaçao and Venezuela was very tense during the 2nd half of the 19th century due to heavy taxes and sanctions imposed by Venezuela on Curaçao by Venezuela’s president of the time, Antonio Guzmán Blanco (1829-1899). Blanco’s enemies would hide and plot against him on the Dutch ABC islands and because of this, all ties between Venezuela and the islands were broken. Blanco also stopped paying back the depth that Venezuela had with The Netherlands and even went so far as to mobilize his troops on the Caribbean coast. The people of Curaçao, who were and still are very dependent on trade with Venezuela, wrote this song as a protest against the crushing sanctions. The French boat, mentioned in the lyrics, used to sail from Curaçao, via La Guaira in Venezuela, to The Netherlands. The last song,Turtuga, uses turtles as a metaphor for persons with different skin colours and features. It mentions the Caret turtle (hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata) which is different in color and features than the Cagauma turtle (Loggerhead,Caretta caretta). The exact meaning of the song is not clear but the djaka (rat), is again mentioned here (see no.6). Also interesting to note is the fact that the Caguama turtle is called a “fake” Caret turtle in Dutch. (Onechte karet schildpad). So it may also be a reference to illegitimate children.

Shaun Limon, Kayle Mena, Victoria Pinto, Alexia Stopa, Kisha Meijer and Evanthe Jandroep: vocals. Christine Corsen: additional lead vocals. Angelo Ursini: clarinet and flute. Jean- Jacques Rojer: guitars, bass, accordion synth, hand claps and small percussion. Javier “Yuchi“ Córdoba: gome drum. Pernell Saturnino: wiri.