Elizabeth Francisco
Get to know Levi!
Levi Silvanie, 31, is a father, an independent artist, musical artist, writer, and creative entrepreneur. Additionally, he is the co-author of Hearty the Book, and founder of Open House Concert and the #GsMeMiss movement. Levi is a creative individual who had to change his life and his career after experiencing a car accident. “I turned to songwriting and storytelling as sources of self-development and motivation. My work is inspired by my passion for helping individuals, communities, and [help] brands optimize themselves; music and storytelling are my tools”. In the past, in 2016, Levi had to face a massive financial setback, “which was exactly what I needed to take my life to a whole new level. I had to break the cycle of bad habits and become the best version of myself”. In 2017, he moved back to the Netherlands, he worked multiple jobs and only focused on happiness and his family. He had a lot of time to think about life, which helped him focus and prioritize things that kept him moving. Due to his many experiences, Levi now knows that true success means to heal yourself.
Meet Rosabelle!
Rosabelle Illes, 31, is a daughter, a sister, and an aunt who is also a writer, an artist, and a performer from Aruba. She is a social psychologist and a teacher at the Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism Management Studies at the University of Aruba. “I’d like to think of myself as someone who is continuously seeking to fill her space within the cosmos”. Three years ago, Rosabelle released her third book ‘TITLE’, which contains her short stories, poems, and thoughts. Last year, she was invited to participate in the Formosa International Poetry Festival in Taiwan, which was a milestone. “The most significant moment for me was when I saw an installation of my poem on the wall of a subway station in Taiwan. That was truly special and it was one of the few moments when I stopped to reflect on everything poetry has done for me throughout the years”. Over the years, she learned that she has so much more to learn.
The inspiration
This story was created to bring forward two important elements on the Caribbean islands, where both Levi and Rosabelle come from, which are self-confidence and self-love. Metaphorically, “Hearty [the character] represents Curaçao, a little heart in a big world struggling with its own identity”. In 2008, the first time Levi thought of the idea of creating stories was when he was a part of a theater tour for kids, during which he told stories about Kompa Nanzi. “I realized that some of the messages found in the stories of Nanzi were questionable”. That is when Levi decided to create a positive character for kids from all over the world. “A character that serves as a role model, not the type you look up to, but one you can look into: your heart”.
The collaboration
Levi and Rosabelle were introduced by their mutual friend, a poet from Curaçao, Hemayel Martina (1990-2011). In 2010, Levi emailed Rosabelle concerning a book he wanted to write based on an interactive theatrical performance he had created for kids. Rosabelle completely fell in love with Hearty and his journey and agreed to be a part of this project, which is how they became the creators of Hearty, the book. Both Levi Silvanie and Rosabelle Illes are co-authors and Jowy Maasdamme is the illustrator. Throughout this project, Levi learned to trust his heart and trusting others, as this experience was all about teamwork. Meanwhile, Rosabelle learned more about pace and having patience.
Title explanation
Hearty, the title of the book, is also the name of the heart-shaped protagonist of the story. In the current version of the book, the story is in various languages: Papiamento (Curasonchi), Papiamentu (Kurasonchi), English (Hearty), Spanish (Corazoncito), and Dutch (Hartje) — all in one book. On the front cover of the book, there is no title nor the authors’ names, which was a conscious decision made “to enable our readers to refer to Hearty in the language that is closest to their hearts”. So, on the cover one can see “Hearty’s courageous and energetic self, gracing the entire cover”.
Book description
Hearty is “a multilingual story that follows the journey of Hearty, a passionate and energetic heart who no longer wishes to be just a simple heart. In pursuit of a higher purpose, he makes a journey around the body to see what it’s like to be an eye, smell what it’s like to be a nose, feel what it’s like to be a hand and a foot, taste what it’s like to be a mouth, and hear what it’s like to be an ear. During his adventure […] [he] realizes the importance of a small heart in a big world”. The book is about self- discovery, self-love, self-awareness, and it has “a strong educational aspect”, which is language. “Each language has been given a distinctive color”. So, significant words in the story are highlighted in the color of the respective language. “This way, children can instantly identify and learn words in different languages”.
Levi and Rosabelle wanted to create stories that children, who are living on the islands, could identify with. They are both hoping to translate the book in more languages. Recently, the Mandarin translation was completed and they are expecting to receive the Japanese translation. Additionally, they are working on introducing Hearty to the United States. Hearty’s message should reach all homes as Levi and Rosabelle want children and adults to live from their hearts and know that you are everything you need.
Hearty is now available at the Children’s Museum in Curaçao, open Tue-Sat from 9 AM – 5 PM and on Sundays from 12 PM – 5 PM. Follow Hearty’s journey on Facebook and Instagram: @heartythebook. For a complete overview of the project please visit www.heartythebook.com
