Otrabanda means 'the other side' in Papiamentu, the Caribbean's oldest and largest creole language, spoken by the natives of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao and Dutch Antillean immigrant communities in the Netherlands.
It also is the name of the famous district in Curaçao's capital, Willemstad, that is home to one of the Caribbean's liveliest creole music communities.
The photo: Left, in the foreground, the 'barrio' Otrabanda, in the middle the so-called "Pontjesbrug", the floating bridge. On the right side Punda, in the foreground the "Waterfort", the fortress. In the background the "mountains" Seroe Pretoe, Veeris Berg and Jack Evertszberg. In the middle, behind the "Pontjesbrug" the old Dutch fortress Nassau. To the far right, the "Tafelberg".
Links op de voorgrond de wijk Otrabanda, midden de "Pontjesbrug", rechts de wijk Punda met op de voorgrond het "Waterfort", het Nederlands bestuurscentrum. Op de achtergrond de "bergen" Seroe Pretoe, Veeris Berg en Jack Evertszberg (links). Midden, achter de Pontjesbrug, het fort Nassau. Uiterst rechts, in nevelen: de Tafelberg. ( Historic photograph/Historische opname: Soublette et fils, circa/about 1910. © 1999 Stichting Monumentenzorg Curaçao / Kit Press Amsterdam)
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