Page 14 - AHATA

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LOCAL Saturday 28 June 2025

Aruba: The island of Aloes

ORANJESTAD – Aloe vera, a try of aloe in Aruba.
succulent plant species, is
renowned for its incredible According to the website
properties for the skin. It is of Royal Aruba Aloe, Aloe
widely distributed and usu- vera was introduced in
ally grows in tropical, semi- Aruba around 1840, when
tropical and arid climates most of the island’s inhab-
on the planet. But this plant itants were farmers of little
also had a very prominent means. Dutch Governor
role in the history of Aruba, Van Raders introduced the
and its significance to the plant after it had been in-
island’s economy endures and other skin ailments, troduced in other islands of
to this day. or just to keep skin supple the Caribbean to cultivate
and looking bright and and harvest the aloe to
The leaves of Aloe vera nourished. Aside from the produce the laxative.
contain a good amount of gel, aloe contains a bitter, at some point, aloe even
gel which when used topi- yellow substance (called Around 1920, about two- However, by the time the featured on post stamps.
cally, is great for the skin. aloin) which is a gentle but thirds of Aruba was aloe oil industry arrived on Aru- Around 1920, about two-
Traditionally, Arubans use powerful laxative, and it is fields, earning our island ba, it changed the labor thirds of Aruba was aloe
this gel to treat minor burns also the origin of the indus- the nickname “The Island market on Aruba, shifting fields, earning our island the
of Aloes.” away from agriculture. It nickname “The Island of Al-
would be after World War oes.” And in 1955, the aloe
Under Commander Jan II that aloe would make a became a part of Aruba’s
Helenus Ferguson (1866- comeback. And eventu- coat of arms, symbolizing
1871), aloe experienced a ally, as science learned prosperity for the island.q
boom, which is why there about the amazing proper-
is a road named after him, ties of aloe gel, the indus- Images from the archive of
which goes through the try shifted from producing the National Library of Aruba.
aloe fields. In the 19th cen- laxative to producing skin
tury, Aruba was the main care. An interesting fact is
supplier of aloin for laxa- that in 1951, the production
tive, which was imported of Aruban aloe amounted
abroad to the United States to around 30 percent of the
and Europe. The aloin from total global production!
Aruba and Curaçao was
known to be one of the The impact and relevance
best in the world and was of aloe is visible all around
more expensive, which Aruba. While most homes
meant that at the time, it will have a few plants for
had significant economic personal use and decora-
impact, particularly for the tion, houses are also deco-
local farmers. rated with aloe motifs, and