The baptism of dolls used to be a very well-known tradition on Bonaire. When a child got a new doll, it was baptized in a unique way. There was a godmother, a godfather, a nanny and even a person dressed as a priest who baptized the doll in the name of the needle, the pin, the thread, the thimble, etc. Just like any celebration, a person was recruited to verbally convey the invitation to those invited to the party. The woman who delivered the invitation was called 'makumben'.
Most of the dolls of the past were made by the children themselves. Many people were poor and could not buy an imported doll for their children. The children made dolls from rope and bottles or from cloth.