This simple steak knife shows how interconnected Curaçao always has been with the rest of the world.

“My mother gave me this knife before she passed away 50 years ago. I have barely used it ever since. I don’t eat steak that often anymore. Also you have to combine it with other utensils, but that usually doesn’t work because of its peculiar design.”

“This horn handle steak was made in Germany and is part of a set of six. My mother treated her knives like ancient relics. We, her children, weren’t allowed to touch them unless there was a social gathering. She used the knives at the many parties that she organized, especially whenever she had prepared lomito (tenderloin).”

“The lomito we ate was always imported from the United States or other countries since we didn’t have a lot of cows on the island. Once we ate a lomito that looked a bit different. My mother told me it was lomito di turtuga (turtle tenderloin) from Curaçao. It tasted delicious! Nowadays it would be unthinkable to eat turtle meat since it is a protected species.”