Page 13 - HOH

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local Tuesday 4 February 2025
Ayo & Casibari: Aruba’s famous rock formations

natural architecture to the
surrounding “mondi”*. This
is also one of the few sites
to contain prehistoric mark-
ings of our indigenous an-
cestors. The Ayo Rock for-
mation contains stairs that
lead you to the top of the
highest boulder, offering a
breath-taking view of the
Aruban backyard. The Ayo
(Oranjestad)—The Ayo and Ayo is usually quiet, as it is situ-
Casibari Rock Formations The Ayo Rock Formation ated farther away from the
are known locally as one is located in the northern busier parts of the island.
of the crucial sites to have part of the island, right on However, this is just anoth-
in your “off-road” trip itiner- the road that leads you to er charm of the site: the
ary. These naturally formed the Black Stone Beach, and quiet area and the refresh-
rock formations as just one close to the Natural Bridge. ing breeze offer a sense of bari is situated more in the ing your off-road adven-
of the few places on the is- The Ayo is a fenced terrain comfort and peace. center of the island, much ture!
land that hold a rich history that consists of several giant closer—and more acces-
of our culture and of our boulders, resting neatly on Casibari sible—to the general pub- Both sites are open free to
ancestors. top of or side by side each Probably the busier rock lic. Just like Ayo, Casibari the public, 24 hours a day.
other, adding gorgeous formation site, the Casi- is a fenced area contain- However, unless you are
ing several boulders that taking a trip with a profes-
lay on top or lean on each sional tour guide, there are
other. The best aspect of no guides at the sites to
the Casibari Rock Forma- help you climb the rock.
tion is the accompanying So, do be careful when
view when you climb up trudging on the boulders,
the top of the round, flat and make sure to befriend
bolder. For this position, you any roaming goats you see
can see the majority of the along the way!
island and the ocean in the
south. Right in front of the *Mondi: what we call our
entrance, there is the Casi- Aruban wilderness. We
bari Café and Grill, a great don’t have forests, or des-
place to get refreshments erts, but we do have mon-
and snack before continu- di! q

The legend of the Kibrahacha tree

(Oranjestad)—The Kibraha- among its neighboring trees that can cure her father is
cha is a famous tree known to starts blooming first. a home-made potion made
locally for its bright, yellow out of the Kibrahacha flower.
flowers that blooms for just The legend of the At the time the Kibrahacha
three days. Scientifically Kibrahacha was not yet in her blooming
known as Tabebuia billbergii, season, but the stubborn Ku-
and in English as the Yellow Written by Hubert (Lio Booi) dawecha was determined
Poui, this tree is native to the to bring back Aretima’s fa-
Caribbean islands of Aruba, One day Aterima, who lived ther back to health, and so
Bonaire and Curacao, and west of the hill Sero War- off they went to the nearest
is considered among locals awara, woke up one day to Kibrahacha tree.
as one of the most spectac- find her father sleeping in his
ular trees on the island. But hammock, suffering a bout When they arrived at the
did you also know that the of terrible fever. Her mother tree, they saw that it was thorns were hard to pluck just one sip of the tea, the
beautiful yellow flowers have was very worried, and as was covered head to toe in out, but Aretima continued father’s fever left his body im-
a story behind them? the custom in the olden days, thorns, with only a few closed plucking with enthusiasm mediately, and he opened
asked Aterima to go fetch flowers at the very top. Ku- and wonder at the unfold- eyes and sprung up feeling
The Kibrahacha is said to Kudawecha, who was a dawecha, experienced ing sight before her. Not too new.
have extremely hard wood— epistemophile, to come see veteran in all things Aruban long after she was able to
so hard that it can break an his father. flora and fauna, told Aretima fill her entire satchel with the The next morning, they all
axe. In fact, that’s what its to start plucking the thorns yellow flowers. Kudawecha, visited the same Kibraha-
name means in Papiamen- Aterima wasted to time and of the tree to climb to the satisfied to see Aretima so cha tree that saved the life
to: “kibra” (break) “hacha” went to go fetch Kudawe- top where the flowers are. happy and encouraged of Aretima’s father and they
(axe). The flowers bloom cha. Upon telling Kudawe- Aretima, just as determined to help her father, took her saw another miracle. The
around April and May, but cha that her father was sick, to save her father, didn’t back to her hut. tree was covered again in
this only last for about three he immediately accompa- hesitate to start. the same bright, yellow flow-
days, as the flowers start to nied Aretima back to her hut, Upon arriving back at the ers, with not a thorn in sight.
fall off and the tree starts where he encountered her To her surprise, every time hut, Aretima’s mother quickly And as the legend goes, from
growing its green leaves. father in a bad state. Not will- she plucked a thorn of the made a tea out of the flow- that day on, the Kibrahacha
The Kibrahacha is especially ing to waste any time, he told tree, a bright, yellow flower ers and gave it to her sick tree no longer produced any
particular, as it’s the only one Aretima that the only thing bloomed in its place. The husband. Miraculously, after more thorns.q