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local Saturday 15 July 2023

Aruban legends:

Frenchman’s Pass

(Oranjestad)—If you ever most died in those caves.
plan on taking a group From then on, this passage
tour of the island, you may was known as Frenchman’s
pass through the French- Pass, and there have been
man’s Pass in Balashi. The many accounts of spirits
Frenchman’s pass (known roaming the area of Span-
to locals as “Franse Pas”) ish Lagoon.
remains a mysterious—and There are many ghost sto-
spooky—road of which its ries surrounding this area,
legend is told from genera- but one of the most famous
tion to generation. one involves a lonely hitch-
hiker, trying to find a ride
The history of the French- back home in the dark
man’s pass—and how it got rainy night.
its name—dates back to
the colonization era, when Sometime after trying to
the French tried to colo- hitchhike, the man saw a
nize the island, but were car approaching, appear- braced for impact, but just to tell everyone about his pushing it!”
met with an angry mob of ing almost ghost-like in the when he though the car experience. Everyone grew
indigenous settlers, refusing rain. However, since he might drive straight off the quiet, because they real- French man’s pass is one
to give up their land. How- needed a ride real bad, road and crash, he saw a ized he wasn’t some drunk of the few sites on the is-
ever, as the French were he didn’t think twice and hand appear out the win- messing around; he was land that keeps the locals
heavily equipped with fire jumped in. But to his horror, dow and turn the wheel. telling the truth. on their toes. While most
arms, the indigenous set- he noticed that the there For the next few turns, the ghost stories may not have
tlers began to retreat, and was no driver in the front. hand appeared again. Af- Sometime later, two men real grounds—or some may
hid away in nearby caves. Paralyzed with fear, he ter having had enough, the walked into the bar and even be a set up story for a
The French colonizers tried didn’t dare to get out, and man decided to jump out one of them noticed the joke, this pass contributes a
to smoke them out of the the car started to move. and he ran to Santa Cruz. hitchhiker. He called out to lot to our culture of folkloric
caves, but the indigenous his buddy and said: “Look, story-telling.q
settlers ended up inhal- When approaching a Arriving at a nearby bar, he there’s the idiot who sat
ing too much smoke and sharp turn, the hitch hiker ordered a drink and began in our car when we were Source: visitaruba.com

Create museum memories

sector, history, and nature. tion of historical buildings in Government and the Union
The museum of Industry is downtown Oranjestad. of Cultural Organizations
open daily from 9 am till 6 (UNOCA), opened in July
pm. These historical buildings 2009.
For more information, were formerly the proper-
check out their Facebook ty of the Ecury family. The At the new location, the
page Museum of Industry “Ecury Complex”, is a clus- National Archaeological
Aruba. ter of single and two-story Museum Aruba disposes of
historic buildings, mainly approximately 500 m2 for
Archaeological Museum of Dutch colonial architec- its permanent exhibit. This
Aruba ture from the late 19th and exhibit conveys information
The Archaeological Mu- 20th century on a plot of on the origin and culture of
ORANJESTAD — Museums media installations. seum of Aruba is located approximately 1.700 m2. the first inhabitants of the
are an integral part of con- The Museum of Industry is at Schelpstraat 42 in down- island through archaeo-
serving and honoring cul- situated in the Water Tower town Oranjestad. The reno- In 1997, the Aruban Govern- logical objects and mod-
tures, and Aruba is no ex- in San Nicolas and narrates vated historic Ecury com- ment bought the complex ern exhibition techniques.
ception. Our Island has a Aruba's industrial history, plex in the area has been for the National Archaeo- The new permanent exhibit
wide selection of various which began in the 19th transformed from a family logical Museum project. gives the visitor an insight
museums for our locals and century. The Water Tower home to a modern museum In 2004, a financial agree- into the cultures that in-
visitors to see. Take this op- was built in 1939 and con- that preserves Aruba’s Am- ment was signed with the habited the island in Pre-
portunity to learn about our sists of three sections: the erindian cultural heritage. European Development Historical and Early Histori-
island and experience a substructure, the high-rising This 21st century museum Fund and in 2006, restora- cal times. The museum also
different day beyond the vertical shaft, and the tank is especially designed to tion and construction work hosts attractive public pro-
beach. Let us introduce to at the top. The Water Tow- preserve valuable artifacts began on the monumen- grams, including lectures,
you these museums. er was purchased by the dating back to the Pre-Ce- tal buildings and the soon- educational projects, tem-
Monuments Fund in 2003 so ramic period of 2500 BC. to-be exhibition space. In porary exhibits and work-
Museum of Industry Aruba it can be restored and pre- December 2007, the key to shops.
The Museum of Industry is lo- served as one of Aruba's In the late 1980’s, AMA the complex was delivered
cated in San Nicolas—bet- monuments. The Museum identified its need for an and the museum’s employ- The museum is open daily
ter known as the art capital of Industry is part of Aruba adequate housing for its ees moved to the new lo- from 9:30 am till 4:30 pm.
of Aruba. This museum ex- Museum Foundation (Fun- collection and activities. cation. The final design for For more information check
hibits the industrial history of dacion Museo Aruban), After studying various op- the exhibit was completed out the Facebook page
gold, aloe, phosphate, oil which is a foundation set tions, a project proposal in November 2007 and Museo Arqueologico Na-
and tourism through elabo- to maintain, preserve, and was drawn up, including the permanent exhibit, fi- cional Aruba.q
rated displays and multi- protect the Aruban cultural the acquisition and restora- nanced by the Aruban