ORANJESTAD (AAN): The community is invited to attend the official presentation and launch of a new book by Ms. Olga van der Klooster, titled “Niets zal ik onbeproefd laten. De Caribische erfgoedcollecties van Anton van Koolwijk: dienaar van God, de wetenschap en de Nederlandse Staat.”
The event will take place on Thursday, January 22, 2026, at 5:00 p.m., at the National Archives of Aruba.
The publication is based on 12 years of research in architectural and cultural history. In addition to the book presentation, Ms. van der Klooster will give a lecture, and part of the research material will be exhibited.
The Van Koolwijk Collection is considered one of the most diverse cultural heritage collections of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. Father Anton van Koolwijk, who served as a priest on the ABC Islands between 1871 and 1886, recognized the importance of documenting daily life during that period. He collected objects and information which were later sent to the Rijksmuseum in Leiden and displayed at the International and Export Trade Exhibition in Amsterdam in 1883.
The collection includes a wide range of everyday objects, shells, plants, wood samples, and other archaeological and ethnographic materials. Van Koolwijk did not carry out this work alone but was supported by a network of local collaborators. Today, the collection is managed by several Dutch museums, with archaeological and ethnographic objects housed in storage and permanent exhibitions at the Wereldmuseum in Amsterdam and Leiden.
In her book, Ms. van der Klooster not only describes the collection and its objects, but also examines issues of provenance and destination, including the increasingly discussed topic of the return of cultural objects that were transferred to the Netherlands during the colonial period.
Prior to the author’s lecture, a short introduction will be given by the National Commission for Intangible Cultural Heritage, operating under the guidance of UNESCO Aruba. This introduction will address work completed to date and upcoming projects focused on documenting traditions, beliefs, and stories from the past that form part of Aruba’s cultural heritage.
The program will continue with a brief presentation by the National Archives of Aruba on the Kibaima project, which aims to develop into a center of knowledge and expertise for Aruba’s tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
The presentation will be held in Dutch and Papiamento.
Photo Credits : https://diario.aw/categories/noticia/general/diahuebs-venidero-lo-presenta-buki-nobo-di-olga-van-der-klooster
