The Kunuku Homes of Curacao
We’ve always been collectors. However, as long-term travelers we carry all our possessions with us and our collections are now confined to friends and experiences, memories and digital pictures. And what fun we have as we find the things that make each place we visit unique. On Curacao, we’ve explored many roads around the island and we’ve noticed simple homes with slanted sides scattered about the countryside. As we’ve hopped out of the car for a better look and perchance a photograph we’ve occasionally been met by the family dog, for the most part in good humor, or occasionally by the proprietor perhaps curious as to the workings of the foreign mind. And we’ve been counting, notating and reading about these houses as collectors are wont to do.
To our great delight we saw that one of these structures, called Kunuku houses, has been lovingly restored and is now a proposed UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Kas di Pal’i Maishi (Sorghum Stalk House) has been turned into a small museum dedicated to educating people about the lives of the slaves following their emancipation on July 1, 1863 and the homes in which they dwelt. During our tour of the grounds and house our guide was extremely patient and answered all of our questions as we struggled to assimilate this intriguing information.
Prior to gaining their freedom the slaves lived in makeshift shelters on the land near the plantation manors using native materials for their crude dwellings. Posts, poles and stalks provided the walls while a hipped roof covered with thatch provided protection from the scorching sun and torrential downpours during the rainy season. After the abolition of slavery some of the 7,000 people previously held in bondage were given plots of land upon which they could build a permanent home and raise a few staple crops. For many of the former slaves, emancipation was just a word; a sharecropper system soon developed which tied them to the land and left them indebted to their previous owners. However, from these private holdings grew the Kunuku homes, some of which survive and are still in use throughout the island.
The permanent homes retained the same basic style as the improvised shelters. They were symmetrically rectangular with a centered doorway, a style recalling dwellings in West Africa from which many of the slaves had been abducted. Windows on each side and the high hipped roof took advantage of the frequent island winds to cool the home. The measurements were not exact but homes commonly would provide roughly 500 square feet of living space. The daub and wattle walls were tapered on the outside to provide greater stability. The interior of the walls were filled with compacted rubble and covered with a plaster made of clay, crushed coral rock and aloe vera which gave it a whitened and durable finish. The dirt floors were treated with a mixture of cow dung and clay which, over time, developed a reliably sealed surface. The peaked roof with rafters and supports provided a stable platform for the thatched roof composed of five layers of sorghum leaves.
The cooking was performed in a separate small building to reduce the chance of fire and the homes were divided into two rooms. The larger room was used by all the family for their daily gatherings, meals and, at night, by the children. The parents slept in the much smaller room which many times contained a bed with sloping sides and a patchwork quilt.
Outside might be an open aired privy screened by a cactus hedge and the house could also be surrounded by a pillar cactus fence of two to three rows to keep out roaming animals and define the property boundaries.
Many of the Kunuku homes still in existence are occupied although, of course, in the 21st century the floors are tiled or finished concrete and modern amenities have been installed. The roofs, while still steeply pitched, are no longer made of hand-hewn logs with covered thatch but are corrugated metal or synthetic roof tiles. Some of the dwellings have additions or have been joined together but the original tapered walls and distinct symmetrical shape remains.
Here and there throughout the countryside are crumbling ruins and abandoned or damaged houses and these allowed us to view the interior of the walls showing the compacted rubble that lent strength to these structures.
The history of Curacao is not solely in the Dutch architecture of Willemstad, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, or its centuries old, imposing plantation houses. The simple and time-tested Kunuku homes with traces of their African roots have also been recognized, reclaimed and preserved as part of the rich heritage of the island and give an additional depth of character to the people who live here.
By Richard and Anita
No Particular Place To Go 
Dear Anita and Richard,
So exciting to discover and read your findings on the kunuku homes in Curaçao!
We want to share with you that in the same year that you posted this blog, an internship program has been set up to collect information, tell the story and raise awareness about these kunuku homes. Our findings are gathered in the books ‘Kas di Kunuku – Een blik op Curaçaos cultureel erfgoed’ (Kas di Kunuku – A view on Curaçao cultural heritage) and ‘Kas di Kunuku – Cultureel erfgoed dat niet verloren mag gaan’ (Kas di Kunuku – Cultural heritage which cannot be lost). In the meantime, we are working on publishing the third book. When working on the first and second book, we have discovered about 175 kunuku homes, and we are still discovering many more for the third book! We continue to be stunned by the rich history and design of these homes.
We started with this project mainly to raise awareness for the kunuku homes and for them to be more appreciated and valued by the locals. Our ultimate goal is to have the kunuku homes become UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
If you are interested, we would love to share much more about the kunuku homes with you. You can reach us at the e-mail address filled in the comment form.
Sunny greetings from Curaçao!
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I am from Curacao, Thank you for painting a other picture of our beautiful island.
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We’re so glad you enjoyed this post Belinda.We enjoyed the two months we spent on your lovely island and had fun delving into the history which gets missed by the average tourists who usually visit for only a few days. Learning about both the Landhuizen and the Knuku houses was fascinating.
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Incredible architecture. So simple, yet so sturdy. I’ll bet the tapered walls were thick and kept the inside of the house cool. This is so fascinating to me. Plus, the cactus fences…what a great idea. That’s the way to keep the wandering cattle out of the yard. Thanks for the history of the Kunuku house construction. I had never heard of it.
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We thought the houses were fascinating and, because of the extremely thick walls, they are both sturdy and surprisingly cool. The high ceilings, windows and doors allow the sea and island breezes to sweep through the house. And the cactus fences were extremely clever – neither animal or human would want to run into them!
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How interesting! I’ve been to Curacao but was totally clueless as to the existence of the Kunuku homes! That next to last picture is so charming I feel like I want to live in that house! This is the type of post I really enjoy so thanks for putting it together and sharing it!
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We found out that the Kunuku house you admired so much (which is actually our favorite, too) belongs to one of the security guards at the gated community we’re staying at. We love driving past his home which is surrounded by a beautiful yard of flowers and bushes and it’s obvious that he and his family take great pride in it.
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How interesting! Though I’ve visited Curacao, I didn’t know anything about these slave houses. I enjoyed seeing your collection.
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Most of the Kunuku houses are on the western part of the island and require some time devoted to wandering and exploring to find them Luckily, we’ve had several weeks to find these little houses that probably get overlooked by most visitors who are here for the beaches, diving and seeing Willemstad and have much less time.
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This post was fascinating. Never heard of the Kunuku homes or the slavery of people in Curacao. Thanks for sharing the story~
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So much of our travel has been a learning experience. We love digging into the geography, history and culture of the places we visit and then sharing what we think are interesting stories and pictures. We’re so glad you enjoyed this!
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What an interesting article. I especially love the bright color of the homes! You see I am a xanthophile! Thanks so much for the photos and the information!
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Ah, another new word to add to my vocabulary! I also love the bright color of the deep yellow hues, especially against the amazing blue sky of Curacao.
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It’s amazing how well many of these houses have held up over the years. A tribute to their construction and offers us a look back in time. Thanks for a fascinating post.
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These homes are amazingly sturdy and, like many other things, if taken care of and maintained, definitely built to last. We’re assuming that there must have been several hundred of the more permanent structures built over the years but, perhaps because they were small and simple, they might have not been appreciated until recently for the valuable insight into Curacao’s heritage that they offer.
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Fascinating read, thank you. I know little about Curacao so this introduction to the Kunuku homes is most interesting – I hope they do get listed as a UNESCO site. I would love to visit and tour around the island of Curacao to learn more about the culture and history.
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We, too, arrived in Curacao knowing very little about the country. Luckily the Dutch lady that we are housesitting for shared several books and, with a map and the use of her car, we’ve had a great time exploring the island. There’s so much to see and do here and we’re lucky to have some time to spend in this very interesting place.
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I loved Curacao! It is a combination of color, history, warm hearted people and beautiful architecture. We visited this area while were there. My heart fluttered a bit when I saw your post. Curacao is such a wonderful place. with so much fascinating, rich (and sad) history.
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Isn’t it fun to read a post about a place that you’ve traveled to and be able to revisit it for a second time? Curacao has proven to be a fabulous place to visit and we’re so lucky to have had the opportunity to spend several weeks here.
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How fascinating! The colorful houses are so appealing now despite their sordid history. It’s wonderful that UNESCO has thought to preserve. I would think twice about staggering out to the privy at night however. I’m sure I would have stumbled into that cactus wall!
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Ha-ha! I imagine that, if you tangled with the pillar cactus once you wouldn’t be staggering anywhere near it a second time. The pillar cactus really is amazing – it grows wild everywhere on the island and some plants that we’ve seen have been 20-25 feet tall.
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What lovely photos! And the information you provide makes the houses both interesting and beautiful. I actually have first hand experience of cow dung and clay floors – when I lived in Nepal on 1988 I had to maintain the floor of my rented house in exactly that way. If it wasn’t re-done regularly, the floor would turn to dust. Luckily my landlord had a buffalo that provided some of the raw material necessary…
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Thanks Yasha for your kind words but also for sharing some first-hand knowledge on a home maintenance method that most of us aren’t familiar with! And how interesting to think about being in a part of the world where your neighbor would just happen to have a buffalo… This is what makes traveling so great!
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I love how colorful these homes are in spite of what they symbolize, wonderful that they have been preserved for the visitors to see.
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We felt like we’d found a prize when we finally started noticing and researching these houses. Although originally built by former slaves it’s clear that they were valued for their ties to the island, their permanence and sense of home.
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I’d really be interested in seeing those Kunuku homes. What fascinating architecture with their tapered walls and sloped roofs. The Kas di Pal’i Maishi (Sorghum Stalk House) is especially interesting. Great post!
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It was fun to see inside the restored Kunuku house, Kas di Pal’i Maishi, and get a glimpse into the lives of the people who lived there. The thick walls, cross-ventilation and high peaked roofs made these structures quite pleasant even on a fairly warm day.
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Great pix, and fascinating story. Looks like you two have found yet another gem!
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Thanks, Dyanne. We’ve had fun (again!) digging into the history of another place that we’ve been lucky enough to land. And you’re right, Curacao as proven itself to be a jewel.
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That is great, that historic structures are being recognized and protected.
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It’s wonderful to see the Kunuku homes restored and the pride that many residents take in these structures even though they’re neither stately nor impressive. The people who built these homes play a huge part in Curacao’s history and it’s only right that they be acknowledged and respected.
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Very interesting houses and history. I really enjoyed reading about them. I too would have been fascinated with the Kunuku house if I’d seen them while driving about.
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The first house we photographed was the one with the cactus fence which, initially, was what interested us. However, once we noticed that the same homes with the slanted walls were scattered throughout the island we started reading, researching and actively looking for more. We love the unexpected things we stumble over in our travels!
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Another great entry. Curaçao looks very beautiful and intriguing. Love the blue skies. The Kunuku homes are very interesting.
Hope all is well.
Suzi
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You’d love everything about Curacao, Suzi. There are so many interesting places to go and things to learn. And, as if that’s not enough, there are the beautiful beaches, too!
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Thanks for sharing this. As usual, you entertain as well as educate. I very much admire your adventurous spirits.
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Thanks for your very kind words. We really enjoy learning about the different cultures and histories in the countries we visit and love to share (what we think are!) fascinating stories.
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wow that cactus wall is so cool! thanks for sharing your exotic adventures as always
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The pillar cactus grows wild in the countryside EVERYWHERE on the island up to heights of 20-25 feet. One local woman showed us the special tool that is used for placing it into a hole (it’s wicked sharp) and says that it can grow several feet in a very short period of time.
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