Diaspora is Gold

Diaspora is Gold

22 November 2025

What Curaçao’s qualification for the World Cup once again proves is that the diaspora is literally gold. You win the grand prize with it. The current squad consists entirely of boys born in the Netherlands to parents with Curaçaoan roots. And we have known that the diaspora can deliver gold ever since sprinter Churandy Martina shone under the Dutch flag and even carried that flag at the 2021 Games.

Diaspora is not a widely used term on the island. But what does it mean? Simply this: the diaspora is the community of people living outside their country of origin who still maintain a connection to their roots — family, culture, identity. In our case, all Curaçaoans residing in the Netherlands, the US, elsewhere in the Caribbean, and around the world.

It is probably no coincidence that interest in those who have left has always been low. This becomes clear, for example, from the disregard shown toward job applications from young professionals living in the Netherlands. The bright minds who left on scholarships to study at top institutions — and who often want to return — rarely get a response. But they are not even the largest group. That consists of people who can no longer make ends meet here, cannot find opportunities, or seek a better future for their children in the Netherlands. And increasingly, retirees leave for better services. In practice, they are written off here: removed from our human capital balance sheet and added to the Netherlands' balance sheet.

When the diaspora expresses an opinion about the island, they are often told to mind their own business. Even the idea of granting this group voting rights provokes outrage. In doing so, we systematically dismiss an enormous pool of knowledge, experience, expertise, skills, and networks. And their value is not only economic — it is also social and cultural. Think of the Summer Carnival created by this community. Think of the athletes and artists who represent the Netherlands internationally.

Fortunately, the diaspora has never accepted this exclusion. And now, through World Cup qualification, they have shown just how valuable they truly are. They demonstrate that they are part of us — our society, our culture — and that language is not even the most essential factor. Let us hope that we begin to recognize and leverage the other assets of our diaspora as well.

Ta nos hendenan.

Miguel Goede