SINT MAARTEN (PHILIPSBURG – By Loekie Morales) – Casa Manita, the boarding home for girls up to 15 years old, located in the American Camp, in Curaçao, was founded by Aura Winkel Winkel more than 50 years ago. Nowadays boys up to 8 years old also live there. The vision and dream of the founder inspired Loekie Morales, a former pupil of Casa Manita, to develop a 40-minutes documentary of Casa Manita for its 50th anniversary, to make the boarding home life visible, in and outside our kingdom.
“A few years ago I wondered what happened to the girls who grew up with me in Casa Manita, and whom I lost sight of. During a vacation on Curaçao I visited Casa Manita to bring some books written by me. I had the idea to record the history and experiences of the residents of Casa Manita. Casa Manita was to experience its 50th anniversary within 2 years and I saw the opportunity to make an educational documentary for that occasion. The management thought the idea was fantastic and would cooperate. “
The aim of making such a documentary about the origin, history and functioning of a boarding home is first of all necessary, to record all of this from the eyes of those who have experienced the institute. Either as a pupil, as a leader, as a manager, or as a minister responsible for such institutions in Curaçao.
“Most people don’t grow up in a boarding home. Yet institutions such as these are necessary for our society. The founder and the political authorities have understood this very well, “said Morales.
Morales contracted documentary maker Zeilan Lamp Cisneros and together they have discussed the concept of “The Legacy of Casa Manita”, narrated by a general narrator and another one from a pupil’s perspective. History and experiences are encapsulated in interviews and by actors. They give a good idea of the significance of Casa Manita for the community. The impact of such an institute on so many lives of women in particular over the years, the challenges of the directors and leaders in the education of children, are shown in an annual and daily course. An “insight” is given into the boarding home life and the way in which Casa Manita is managed. At the end, Minister Hensley Koeiman of public health and social development, responsible for boarding homes, also speaks about the future plans.
For the founder of the late Aura Winkel Winkel, children and their development are central, and we must do everything to give them every opportunity that contributes to a healthy development in good care and love. She has not experienced the 50th anniversary of Casa Manita, but has long planted her seed to create stable women in our community. “Casa Manita, E legasía” is an ode to her.
The documentary is in Papiamentu with English subtitles.
Morales has paid for the documentary from its own resources, because her Beyond Kultura Events Foundation received no subsidies from subsidiaries. Their reason is that BKE is located on Sint Maarten and Casa Manita on Curaçao and the documentary has a “social purpose” and not a cultural one.
Morales gives this documentary to Casa Manita, so that it can be used to generate “funds” and thus subsidize Casa Manita projects.
In recent days, Morales Radio has visited Radio stations and TV programs on Curacao, to reveal the background of “Casa Manita, Its legacy”.
