A legendary evening, right next door

Sometimes you receive an invitation you never saw coming. A few days ago, I met our neighbor, a truly special and sociable woman from Curaçao. She spoke about loss, but mostly about celebrating life, even when it hurts. Her words stayed with me.

Last night, an unexpected invitation came our way. Would we like to join her? She had invited a few musicians over. A well-known Cuban band is on Bonaire for a performance and was going to stop by. You don’t pass up an opportunity like that.

It turned out to be no ordinary band. It was Anacaona di Cuba, the oldest and most legendary all-female salsa and son orchestra in Cuba. They are on Bonaire for a major performance as part of the 40th anniversary of the Federashon Trahadónan di Korsou (FTV).

A bit of history
Anacaona was founded in Havana in 1932 by the Castro sisters. At the time, it was revolutionary, and to some even scandalous, for women to play son, a genre dominated by men. When the founders retired, they passed the name on to a new generation of exceptional female talent. Today’s members combine that rich tradition with an energetic, modern Latin and salsa sound, and they have been performing around the world in theaters and at major festivals for decades.

And all of it just a stone’s throw away
What made it even more special: they had all brought their instruments and made music together. No concert hall, no stage, just a tropical evening, warm light, and a band with ninety years of history playing as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Our neighbor has a large social network, so besides the Cuban guests, there were also musicians from Bonaire and Curaçao. There was playing, laughter, stories shared, and before you knew it, everyone felt like old friends.

It proves once again: the best moments aren’t planned. They find you, sometimes right where you least expect them.