Elia Isenia

(Curaçao, 1957) is a singer, composer, cultural icon and story teller. She also writes poems and recites them. As a cultural agent, she receives a lot of information from the elderly about the traditional culture of Curaçao. It is from them that she has learned various work songs. Elia is often invited to schools and organizations to share her knowledge and experience with them. Besides all of the above, she is an expert in seú, tambú and tumba, the authentic rhythms of Curaçao. In 1991 Elia became the first Tumba Queen of Curaçao. In 2010 she was crowned for the third time as Tumba Queen for her winning tumba Mi pueblo a mandami (My People Have Sent Me), for which Elia herself wrote the lyrics and melody. On several occasions Elia represented Curaçao abroad, among others, in Cuba, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Suriname and the Netherlands.