Page 9 - AHATA

A9
LOCAL Monday 31 July 2023

Visit the island’s popular cave sites!

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