Richenel Ansano: Critical Thinking in Curaçao and the Construction of Forgetting

On Tuesday 3 April, Richenel Ansano will give a public lecture 'Critical Thinking in Curaçao and the Construction of Forgetting'. Herein, he will explore the landscape of 20th century critical thought in Curaçao in relation to regional, Kingdom and global developments, its own unique traditions, and how this vital thought-action culture is forgotten by a society marked by a history of slavery, colonialism and rapid industrialization.

On Friday 6 April, Richenel Ansano will give a masterclass in which various concepts of opposition, repression, romanticization, decontextualization and appropriation in the Curaçaoan context will be discussed, alongside the contentious relationships amongst critical Curaçaoan thinkers. Additionally, the active construction of forgetting in Curaçao will be taken into account.

Richenel Ansano is the UNESCO Facilitator on Intangible Heritage in Curaçao and an expert on heritage and memory. As former director of the National Museum of Archaeological and Memory Management in Curaçao, he was key in steering cultural policy and facilitating heritage practices. He also is a transcultural healer working with collaborative and narrative medicine and ancestral core somatics.

The lecture is open to everyone and will take place on Tuesday 3 April, 16-18hrs at the Belle van Zuylenzaal, Singel 421-427, Amsterdam. The masterclass -registration necessary- will take place on 6 April 2018, 14-17 hrs at OMHP C.105, Oudemanhuispoort 4-6, Amsterdam. 

Credits: RMA Students can acquire 2 EC if they attend both the lecture and masterclass, complete the preparatory readings and write a short written assignment related to the topic of the masterclass. Kindly register beforehand by sending an email to: g.s.j.r.kowsoleea@uva.nl.

We acknowledge with gratitude the support of the Amsterdam Centre for Globalisation Studies, the Amsterdam School for Cultural Analysis, the Netherlands Institute for Cultural Analysis and the NWO funded project ‘Cultural Practices of Citizenship under fragmented Sovereignty: Gendered and Sexual Citizenship in Curaçao and Bonaire’.