Page 7 - AHATA

A8 LOCAL
Tuesday 21 November 2023
Visit the island’s popular cave sites!

(Oranjestad)—Among the the Fontein Cave further cave, with a staircase lead-
endless sea of dark brown up north, provides a better ing to the exit on the other
sand and cacti, there are glimpse in prehistoric Amer- side. In one of the cham-
two caves hidden in the indian paintings. bers, there used to be the
outskirts of San Nicolas, in Fontein Cave carving of the Virgin Mary,
the north-eastern area of Longer than the Quadirikiri put there for the protection
the island. These caves, Cave, the Fontein Cave of the cave.
The Quadiriki cave and The contains pathways that
Fontein Cave are open to stretch to the limestone However, the Huliba Cave
visitors of the Arikok Na- walls further down. Here has been permanently
tional Park, so if you ever is also where prehistoric closed for a few years now,
decide to take an “off- drawings can be seen. as a way to preserve the
road” tour in the park, be Though this cave does not bat population that lives
sure to visit these prehis- have its own legend, this in the cave. These Long
toric caves…and be sure to was speculated to have Tongue Fruit Bats and In-
bring a flashlight! been occupied—or at sect Eater Bats are very im-
least used by prehistoric Ar- portant to the ecosystem of
Quadirikiri Cave the chief’s daughter and derneath the Tunnel of awak settlers on the island the island. Though this cave
Known for its two cham- her beloved. As legend Love running up to the for rituals and other spiritual is no longer accessible to
bers accompanied by a would have it, the chief Quadiriki cave, the two ceremonies. the public, it surely is inter-
skylight, the Quadikiri Cave disapproved of his daugh- love bird found each other,
is the most popular cave ter’s choice of lover, as and refused to let each
among locals and tourists, he thought him unworthy. other go. Because of their
as it is easy to walk through Stubborn and filled with an- stubbornness, they both
and provides great lighting ger, the daughter refused died in the Quadiriki Cave,
for pictures. to turn away her beloved. their ascending spirits burn-
ing two holes in the ceiling
As with all prehistoric or an- So, the chief decided to of the cave. This is why the
cient sites, there is always lock her up in the Quadirikiri cave has two holes through
a folk legend that adds to Cave, in hopes that she which sunlight passes
the lore and mystery of the would soon calm down through to illuminate the
site. The Quadirikiri cave and turn away her lover. chamber.
is no different. The most Her beloved, in turn, was
well-known legend behind locked away in the Tunnel Though there have been
the cave could be consid- of Love (Now known as the discoveries of Amerindian
ered as Aruba’s first love Huliba Cave). drawing on the wall, these
story, as it tells the tale of have mostly been ruined
the undying love between Through the pathways un- by vandalism. However,

esting to learn more about
The Huliba Cave/ Tunnel of the history of these caves
Love and the Awarak tribes that
The Huliba Cave, formerly resided or utilized them.
known as the Tunnel of
Love, was once open to Do note that these caves
the public, and was the are very dark, humid, hot,
biggest and most acces- and are inhabited by bats.
sible of all three caves. This Do wear comfortable
cave had five chambers, clothing and shoes, as the
including one that is heart- pathways in these caves
shaped. This cave had nar- may be rough and bumpy,
row stairs that led to long and don’t forget to bring a
pathways deep into the flashlight!