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local Friday 7 February 2025
Dining in? Try making a local favorite

How to make “pan bati”

(Oranjestad)—If you’re ever up for an Aruban Instructions:
snack, try making another Aruban classic Add all the dry ingredients in a bowl first, and
appetizer called Pan Bati. Similar to a pancake stir until well mixed. Then add the milk and beat
both in appearance and cooking, this is a super until reached a pancake-like consistency. If
easy meal that adults and children will both more moister is needed, add some water until
enjoy. Here’s how to make it! reached desired consistency.

Ingredients: In a hot pan with oil, pour in enough batter to
2 cups of all purpose flour cover the bottom of the pan. Just like pancakes,
1 cup grams of fine cornmeal (we recommend flip the pan bati when one side turns golden
the Harina PAN brand) brown. When your pan bati is ready, place on
2 tbsp baking powder a plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel.
1 1/3 cup of milk
1 pinch of salt Traditionally, pan bati is cut in triangle pieces,
2 tbsp of granulated sugar and is often eaten as a side dish with soup, fried
Oil for cooking fish or stews. However, it is also casually enjoyed
with some butter and cheese on top! q

Meet Aruba’s biggest hero

Boy Ecury

lands by his father when he
was 15 years old to contin-
ue his studies abroad. This
was in 1937, three years be-
fore WWII broke out.

During the war, he actively
participated in the rebel-
lion in The Netherlands
against the Nazi regime,
but his rebellious streak and
constant drive to fight for
justice began even before
(Oranjestad)—This past the war broke out. Being a would join throughout his as a rebel. However, stub- was only 22 years old.
May 4th, Aruba as well as person of color with a Hai- 4-year service to the resis- born and naturally rebel-
The Netherlands commem- tian heritage living in The tance. lious as he was, he always Ecury was buried with mili-
orated those who sadly Netherlands made him vul- tried to join in on the opera- tary honor. In 1949, the Aru-
perished during the Sec- nerable to discrimination, Boy’s primary task as mem- tions regardless. ban Government erected
ond World War. As is known and this inspired him to be ber of the group was to dis- a monumental bust of him
around the globe, this an activist, to stand up and tract the German soldiers In 1944, after his friend Luis in front of what is now the
chapter in world history is fight against discrimination while others ran into hiding de Lannoy, a fellow rebel linear park trail, and in 1984
one of the most tragic yet, and oppression. into alleyways. This he was from Curacao, was ar- he received the Resistance
and many soldiers and reb- able to do because of his rested and executed, he Memorial Cross postmor-
els have died on the front- After seeing the horrific skin color and confronting moved to Delft, where he tem.
line during this time. bombings of Rotterdam demeanor. Boy also partici- joined his third and last
first-hand, he decided to pated in the multiple sabo- group in Rotterdam. During Boy’s life motto was this: “In
One of those rebels who join the resistance. At the taging operations against this time, he wrote a good- my father’s house, there is
have fought against the same time, he was still the German military oc- bye letter for his family, pos- no place for a traitor.” q
Nazi regime, was an Aru- studying and living with cupying The Netherlands. sibly knowing the risks of
ban named Segundo Jorge family in Tilburg. It was there These included bombings him being active again in Source: “De Kolibrie op de
Adelberto “Boy” Ecury. where he met people who on German military trucks the big cities. Rots (en meer over the ge-
Born in Aruba on April 23rd, printed and distributed the and trains. The group also Eventually, he proved him- schiedenis van Aruba)” by
1922, Boy spent his child- rebellion newspaper. This helped people go into hid- self right. On November Evert Bongers.
hood on the island, before would be the first of three ing, as well as opened fire 5th, 1944, Boy Ecury was
being sent to The Nether- rebellion group that he against allies of the Nazi re- arrested by German sol-
gime. In these operations, diers. He was placed in
Boy really stood out for his the “Oranjehotel” prison in
cold bloodedness. Scheveningen, The Hague,
where he was questioned.
In 1943, he received a no- Despite being given away
tice to be placed for work by an acquaintance, he
in Germany. This he re- himself never gave away
fused, of course, and went the names of his comrades.
into hiding using multiple Famously, he told his cell
addresses in multiple cities. mate: “I will die with a smile
Because he was a wanted on my face.”
man, he of course could On November 6th, 1944,
not continue to be active Ecury was executed. He