Page 15 - AHATA

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local Tuesday 1 July 2025
Alto Vista chapel and its link to Aruba’s origins

of Antonio Silvester’s son-
in-law, Miguel Álvarez, who
continued to guide the pa-
rishioners in their prayers.

According to the book,
The History of Alto Vista by
R.H. Nooyen, it is not known
when Domingo Antonio Sil-
vester came to Aruba from
Venezuela. The elders be-
lieve Antonio was a Span-
iard. In 1780, father Joseph
Antonio de la Vegal called
Bernardino Silvester, one of
Antonio’s sons with his wife
According to Etnia Nativa, Anna Cathalina Tromp,
in the 18th century most of “neighbors and naturals of
the inhabitants of Aruba the island Aruba” and thus
were indigenous who lived they became natives.
on the north coast, one of
the largest communities At the end of the eighteen
lived in Alto Vista. century many inhabitants
the island died as a result of ger see much of the town Tanki Cacique. In the past
As they were very religious, the black fever epidemic of Alto Vista from 1750. With South of the chapel in the this tank was closed. But
they had a chief with the and since people believed a lot of work they found yard two graves can be mostly water was brought
name of Antonio Silvester that the Alto Vista area was the old foundations of the observed, there was the out from the Poz di Noord,
who guided them in the the most infected, they be- Church of the Queen of cemetery which father a well dug in the sand.
Christian life and it was he gan to build their homes the Holiest Rosary to build Pablo de Algemesi blessed.
who decided to build a further south within the a new chapel on the same It is not certain, but it is be- The chapel can be viewed
stone chapel with a roof Noord area, so the town of place. The entire surround- lieved that the two graves from basically any point in
of corn rods, which would Noord began to grow into ing area was empty and belong to Antonio Silvester the north side, even from
serve as a place of prayer. a community till getting its desolated, making it hard and Miguel Alvares, ac- Paradera and Sero Plat.
In 1750 it was blessed by Fa- own Church. However re- to imagine that Alto Vista cording to Nooyen. About All the historical remains
ther Algamesi who came ligious festivals continued was a town at all. A hun- 50 meters near the chapel around the chapel provide
from Coro-Venezuela and to be celebrated at this sa- dred years later, people there are still the markings us with an idea on how the
appointed Domingo Anto- cred native place, with the can see the remains of of an old house, where old people of Alto Vista
nio Silvester as the island’s custom of arriving in pro- around twenty houses, Antonio and Bernardino used to live. Don’t miss the
first prosecutor in the name cession to Alto Vista. some made of stone and Silvester would have lived. opportunity to visit a place
of the Spanish crown and Two-hundred years after others of clay. Nowadays, About 200 meters from the of historical significance
Rome. In 1752 the prosecu- the beautiful time of Alto only around six of these chapel there is a water with a window to Aruba’s
tion passed into the hands Vista, people can no lon- houses remain. tank which the locals call past.q

Planning on snorkeling? Get to know our Candelchi!

(Oranjestad)—If you’re Livestock, and Fisheries, picture, we are showing
ever planning on snorkel- known as Santa Rosa, offers the most common one in
ing during your vacation on this informative article that our waters, which is called
Aruba, you may spot fish illustrate some fish and their squirrelfish in English or sci-
that you can’t recognize. names in Papiamento. entifically known as Holo-
One of these may be the centrus adscensionis.
“Candelchi” (Squirrelfish), Candelchi, Squirrelfish, Ho-
a common, yet shy fish that locentrus adscensionis: Under candelchi, we in Aru-
swims all year long in the Candelchi actually refers to ba generally refer to all the
waters of Aruba. the entire squirrelfish family different species of squir-
or, as some say, when we relfish. They all look alike
Let's talk about the names say candelchi, we mean and it's really difficult to dis-
of fish. Do you know your several different species tinguish between them.
fish? The Department of but without distinguishing
Department of Agriculture, them by species. In this The squirrelfish family is dis- can hide. Although they
tinguished by the following In our waters, there are 7 to prefer to hunt for food at
characteristics. They are 8 types or species present night, they are also active
heart-shaped with pink or and they are sometimes during the day. They are
red hues and often show caught and seen occa- edible and delicious when
heart-shaped streaks be- sionally. They can be distin- prepared dry and crispy
tween the scales along guished by different marks with lime. It is particularly
the body. They have hard such as color on the dorsal challenging to scale the
fins and are always armed. spine or marks on the body. fish, which is why it is not
Over at our sister island Cu- one of the favorites among
raçao, they are called "bari Candelchi are found on fishermen. They often live in
di clabo" (nail barrel) for reefs or areas with structure groups.q
that reason. in the water where they