Page 15 - AHATA

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local Saturday 5 OctOber 2024
The Bali Restaurant: a touristic hot spot and lost gem on the island

(Oranjestad)—Once lo- The restaurant was proba-
cated in what is now the bly most iconic for its Java-
Renaissance Marina, the nese-inspired exterior with
Bali Restaurant was once its pointy, slanted roofs.
both a touristic and local However, the first version of unstable pillars underneath enjoyed live music from it’s now considered a lost
hot spot, and nowadays Bali did not look like that at the foundation. However, legendary Aruban musi- monument.
it’s considered a forgotten all but was still considered the biggest change made cian and composer, Toti
gem on the island. as one of the most popu- to the restaurant happened Arends. Be apart of the conversa-
lar restaurants on the island in the year 1970—still under tion: if you or any family
Known as “the floating res- at the time. The restaurant the ownership of Schmand, After 1989, the restaurant member of yours have a
taurant”, Bali first opened saw three different owners when it got its iconic pointy was again handed over memory of the Bali restau-
in 1955 by Willem “Bill” during its existence, during roofs. The restaurant was to other owners, and since rant, whether it be a pic-
Strijland, who had experi- which it underwent various also expanded to host a then suffered from unstable ture or just a story, share it
ence in Javanese cuisine. renovations and rebrand- total of 85 guests. This was pillars underneath the foun- with us! We would love to
At the time, the restaurant ing. “The New Bali”, who had its dation, resulting in various see this legendary hot spot
was pretty exclusive— official (re)opening in 1972. leaks and overflowing of through the lens of our visi-
with space to host only 25 In 1964, the restaurant was water into the restaurant. tors! q
guests. Yet, 4 years later, it taken over by Karel “Carl” After 1972, when Ronny And as most great things
was named the best res- Schmand. Over the years, Schmand took over, the come to an end, so did the Source and pictures credit to:
“De Kolibrie op de Rots (en
taurant in the Caribbean the restaurant needed restaurant saw yet another survival and maintenance meer over de geschiedenis
by the Caribbean Tourist constant renovation and expansion; this time com- of the Bali Restaurant. van Aruba)” by Evert Bongers.
Association. repair, mainly due to its vul- plete with a long bar and However, folks today still
nerability to leaks and the dance floor, where guests reminisce its legacy, and

The legend of the Kibrahacha tree

(Oranjestad)—The Kibrahacha is telling Kudawecha that her father its place. The thorns were hard
a famous tree known locally for its The Kibrahacha is said to have ex- was sick, he immediately accom- to pluck out, but Aretima contin-
bright, yellow flowers that blooms tremely hard wood—so hard that panied Aretima back to her hut, ued plucking with enthusiasm and
for just three days. Scientifically it can break an axe. In fact, that’s where he encountered her father wonder at the unfolding sight be-
known as Tabebuia billbergii, and what its name means in Papia- in a bad state. Not willing to waste fore her. Not too long after she was
in English as the Yellow Poui, this mento: “kibra” (break) “hacha” any time, he told Aretima that the able to fill her entire satchel with
tree is native to the Caribbean is- (axe). The flowers bloom around only thing that can cure her father is the yellow flowers. Kudawecha,
lands of Aruba, Bonaire and Cura- April and May, but this only last for a home-made potion made out of satisfied to see Aretima so happy
cao, and is considered among lo- about three days, as the flowers the Kibrahacha flower. At the time and encouraged to help her fa-
cals as one of the most spectacu- start to fall off and the tree starts the Kibrahacha was not yet in her ther, took her back to her hut.
lar trees on the island. But did you growing its green leaves. The Kibra- blooming season, but the stubborn
also know that the beautiful yellow hacha is especially particular, as Kudawecha was determined to Upon arriving back at the hut,
flowers have a story behind them? it’s the only one among its neigh- bring back Aretima’s father back Aretima’s mother quickly made a
boring trees to starts blooming first. to health, and so off they went to tea out of the flowers and gave it
the nearest Kibrahacha tree. to her sick husband. Miraculously,
The legend of the Kibrahacha after just one sip of the tea, the
Written by Hubert (Lio Booi) When they arrived at the tree, father’s fever left his body imme-
they saw that it was covered head diately, and he opened eyes and
One day Aterima, who lived west to toe in thorns, with only a few sprung up feeling new.
of the hill Sero Warawara, woke up closed flowers at the very top. Ku-
one day to find her father sleeping dawecha, experienced veteran in The next morning, they all visited
in his hammock, suffering a bout of all things Aruban flora and fauna, the same Kibrahacha tree that
terrible fever. Her mother was very told Aretima to start plucking the saved the life of Aretima’s father
worried, and as was the custom in thorns of the tree to climb to the and they saw another miracle.
the olden days, asked Aterima to top where the flowers are. Aretima, The tree was covered again in the
go fetch Kudawecha, who was a just as determined to save her fa- same bright, yellow flowers, with
epistemophile, to come see his fa- ther, didn’t hesitate to start. not a thorn in sight. And as the leg-
ther. end goes, from that day on, the
To her surprise, every time she Kibrahacha tree no longer pro-
Aterima wasted to time and went plucked a thorn of the tree, a duced any more thorns. q
to go fetch Kudawecha. Upon bright, yellow flower bloomed in