Yesterday, someone I know well told me that I was making the same mistake as Dutch writers by calling Frank Martinus “Arion.” I apologized. I had never intended to change anyone’s name. I had always known the writer as Frank Martinus Arion, with Arion at the end.
That conversation made Nos Ke Sa pause and look more closely: when, and why, did Arion become part of the name by which Frank Martinus is known?
We investigated the record. What emerged is that “Arion” was not simply added to his name by others. Frank Martinus himself adopted it as part of his literary identity. The name carried a family connection and became an intentional choice in the way he presented himself as a writer.
Frank Martinus was born Frank Efraim Martinus. In 1957, he debuted as a poet with Stemmen uit Afrika, using the name Frank Martinus Arion. A literary account says he adopted Arion in tribute to his grandfather, shortly after his death. The name had a family history: his grandfather had been denied the surname because of the circumstances of his birth, and Frank’s father later used it too. As a boy, Frank avoided the name because he wanted distance from his father. Later, in the Netherlands, he chose it for his literary identity.
The name therefore tells a more layered story than a simple mistake in attribution. Frank Martinus connects to his birth name; Frank Martinus Arion is the name he chose and established as a writer. One literary account also points to an allusion to the ancient Greek poet Arion. The available accounts differ in how they explain the name, but they support the central point: Frank himself used Arion.
The public record reflects that choice. In 2012, Curaçao’s public library was officially renamed Nationale Bibliotheek Curaçao prof. dr. Frank Martinus Arion. According to Amigoe, the new name was unveiled at a ceremony attended by Arion, who was recognized for his contributions to literature, language, and culture. The library today carries his literary name.
In 2026, Arion was honored posthumously with a writers’ stone at De Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam, recognizing his place in Dutch and Caribbean literature.
So, should we call him Frank Martinus or Frank Martinus Arion? Both names matter, but they do not mean the same thing. He was born Frank Efraim Martinus. As an author, he chose and became known as Frank Martinus Arion. Calling him by that name is not changing his name. It is recognizing the literary identity he claimed for himself.
By Tico Vos
Nos Ke Sa | RAIS