Bonaire Nights Rincon Renaissance

Island scene

Island scene

Rincon Renaissance

by Susan Campbell

The humble kadushi cactus has spawned a new spirit that’s rejuvenating the little town that time forgot.

Bonaire is a diver’s paradise and so it’s not surprising that most visitors spend as much time as they can by the sea. But the island’s first town, Rincon (established by the Spanish in the 1500s), was purposely founded inland in order to escape detection by passing pirates, and, because of its location far from the island’s most popular tourist draws, hasn’t typically received a lot of visitor interest. For locals, however, Rincon is the heart and soul of Bonaire. This is where the island’s most important cultural festivals take place, events like the feast days of San Juan and San Pedro, Bari (a traditional beating-of-the drums bash), and Simadan, the harvest festival that culminates with Dia di Rincon, held each April 30. But there are other reasons to visit this charming little outpost, especially now that the kadushi cactus of the region is providing an innovative new product that promises to infuse Rincon with a refreshing new spirit!

2009. They had been here many times on holiday and noticed that there were few choices of souvenirs made from local pro­ ducts. In an attempt to develop one they began extensive research into Bonaire’s past and discovered that the kadushi cac­ tus that grows so abundantly all over the island is used as a base for a traditional soup; they figured, if it can make soup, why not try and distill it as a unique spirit?

After much experimentation, they found a way to make a refreshing alcoholic drink using the cactus peels and the tradition­ al Bonairean beverage awa di lamoenchi (water with lime). They named it Cadushy of Bonaire Liqueur and began selling it on the island to tremendous response. But the Gietmans did not stop there; in fact, the development of the new spirit was only the beginning. E

A fresh idea for an ancient plant

It all started with Eric and Jolande Gietman, a Dutch couple who fell in love with Bonaire and decided to move here in 44 Nights

Photos courtesy of Eric Gietman / The Cadushy Distillery

Photo by Pierre Arsenault

Nights 45

Island scene Digging into Rincon

Their exploration into the past kept leading them back to Rincon, so that is where they decided to establish their home base. They also discovered that though the island’s nature is very well protected, the cultural and historic buildings could use some help. They bought land in Rincon where a handful of centuryold buildings – including the island’s oldest movie theater – had been left to the elements and decided to restore them. Then they founded the Bonaire Heritage Foundation and dedicated a portion of the sales of Cadushy to help fund it. The Gietmans also opened a tasting garden and welcome visitors to come and tour the distillery, sample the unique liqueur, and see just how it’s made.

experience with others.” In 2010, they invited the UNESCO delegation to tour Rincon and hopefully include it on their list. Unfortunately, it did not make the cut, but they did express interest in Simadan, Rincon’s unique harvest festival, for possible inclusion in a special list of cultural heritage. As for the liqueur, it’s now sold all over Bonaire and is used in cocktails, cakes, and cooking. The Gietmans also produce liqueurs that highlight the cultural heritage of other islands like Aruba and Curaçao, and are even using the cactus peels to make flavorful teas and dehydrated soup mixes. Ask your local bar or restaurant for their list of special cocktails that use Cadushy of Bonaire Liqueur – it’s a delicious way to help fund the renaissance of Rincon. K

More new developments

The Gietmans want visitors to discover the town as well, so they helped produce a guided walking tour booklet and maps and a new website that showcases its interesting history. They also offer guided tours on Friday afternoons.

Eric says, “We love our new home here so much we want to share the unique Rincon

For more information, visit cadushy.com. For more about Rincon, visit rincon.nl.

46 Nights

Middle photo by Pierre Arsenault. Other photos courtesy of Eric Gietman / The Cadushy Distillery