ILLEMSTAD – On International Mother Language Day, the Future Language Innovation (FLI) project was launched. This initiative focuses on the development, protection, and institutionalization of Creole languages. The project brings together sixteen artists from various linguistic backgrounds to create new work that reflects the blending and evolution of languages.
The project is a collaboration between Wintertuin Netherlands, Escuela de Escritores from Spain, and Escrever Escrever from Portugal. The participating artists work in pairs and come from language communities such as Papiamento, Sranantongo, Cape Verdean Creole, Guinea-Bissau Creole, Forro, Spanglish, Catañol, Lingala, Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch. Among them are Curaçaoan language and culture experts Nataly Burgzorg, Percy Pinedo, Sorandy Sint Jacobs, and Sheedia Jansen.
Joeri Oltheten of Wintertuin Curaçao highlights the diversity of the project: “We are working with speakers and innovators who are exploring the boundaries of language and experimenting with new forms of expression.”
The artists are developing their work through workshops, masterclasses, and creative labs in the partner countries. The results will be presented during the Wintertuin Curaçao Festival in 2026. Leading up to the festival, an online platform will be launched to share the project’s progress, guided by teachers, researchers, and language specialists.
According to the initiators, creolization symbolizes connection and resilience in a world that is both globalized and divided. “The acronym FLI refers to the Papiamento word for ‘kite’ – a symbol of flexibility, freedom, and creativity,” says Oltheten. “We celebrate, create, and protect the future of language, today and every day.”