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                                                                                                           local Friday 28 June 2024
            Aruba: the legend behind its name


            (Oranjestad)—Most  folkloric  tales  and
            legends  in  Aruba  revolve  around  our  The  Cacique  was  pleased  to  hear  of
            indigenous  ancestors,  who  came  from  his son’s findings. He decided to stay a
            mainland  Venezuela,  and  discovered  couple  days  on  the  newly-discovered
            the  island  and  made  it  into  their  new  island in search for salt. The next morn-
            home.  This  particular  legend  tells  the  ing they ascended Hooiberg again and
            story of the birth of the Aruba name.    stayed to see if they could find nearby
                                                     smoke, indicating an inhabitant village.
            The  legend  follows  the  life  of  Arua,  an  But  they  found  nothing.  So  they  went
            indigenous Cacique originally from Aroa  back  to  their  initial  arrival  settlement,
            in the Falcon state in Venezuela in the  now known as Santo Largo in Savaneta.
            year 50 AD. Arua had a son around the  The next morning they hiked along the
            year 70 AD with his wife Shira, who they  Spaans Lagoen near the Mangel Halto
            named  Corobori.  When  Corobori  was  Beach and reached the area of Bushiri.
            old enough, he joined his father on the  There,  they  boarded  they  kayaks  and
            usual boat trip to the islands of Curacao  heading to what we know now as Mal-
            and Bonaire to gather salt.              mok, where they found rocks of salt. Af-
                                                     ter a couple days of exploring the island
            On  their  way  back  to  Mainland  Vene-  and gathering some salt rocks, they left
            zuela, they were caught up in a heavy  for Venezuela, where they were reunit-
            rain storm—a side effect from a passing,  ed with their families.
            but far away, hurricane. Of course, be-
            cause of the lack of motors and sail, their  Throughout  the  year,  they  travelled
            boat was left in the mercy of the heavy  back and forth to Aruba, collecting salt.
            winds.  After  a  while,  the  storm  started  After a while they settled on the island,
            to pass, and the clouds began to clear  generations  of  families  living  along  the
            up. Finally able to see around them, the  coast. Corobori was the first indigenous
            Cacique  spotted  land  approximately  inhabitant  in  our  history  to  explore  the
            an  hour  away.  So,  they  started  to  row  entirety of the island.
            in that direction until they reached the
            coast.                                   Arua, after decades as the leader of his
                                                     tribe,  spent  his  last  days  on  the  island.
            Once they arrived on what they thought  Having reached 80 years old, he called
            was  Venezuela,  they  decided  to  stay  for  his  family  on  his  death  bed.  In  his
            the  night  and  fix  their  kayak.  The  next  hammock, he said: “My children, many
            morning,  the  Cacique  ordered  his  son  years have passed, and I’ve asked my
            and a few warriors to go find any sign of  warrior to bring me back to the island so
            population in the area: "Corobori,” Arua  I can laid to rest. The God of living has
            said.  “Don't  come  back  without  news.  given me the gift of life to see my son,
            It’s in your hands how long we stay here  grandchildren and great grandchildren.
            till we find our family. So, if you need to  But now he is calling me home. Corobo-
            take a week to gather information, we  ri, my torch is now passed to you. Guide
            will wait for you."                      our people, and be the leader you were
                                                     always  meant  to  become.  If  one  day
            "Don't  worry,”  Corobori  replied.  “As  you leave my island, do not forget that
            soon  as  we  have  any  information,  we  it is also yours. This is my last wish: When
            will  let  you  know."  Armed  with  arrows  I die, bury me in our maize plantation.”
            and spears, backpacks filled with food
            and water containers, they set off. They  And so when the Cacique passed away,
            climbed several small hills, but no sign of  his wishes were granted and he was laid
            a village. They crossed different dry riv-  to rest in the area we now know as the
            erbeds, but no sign of anything.  When  Paradera Cemetery. Where he used to
            the  sun  finally  descended,  they  found  live, they built the Paradera Church.
            themselves near a fairly tall hill and de-
            cided to climb it for a better view of a  And that is the tale of what inspired the
            village. This hill was called Pan Dushi or  Aruba  name.  In  the  generations  that
            Orcuyo, which today we call Hooiberg.    lived or travelled back and forth to the
                                                     island, there were many familiar names*,
            The next morning, they could clearly see  like  Guadiriki,  a  warrior  who  was  there
            that they have landed on an island, but  when the island got discovered and his
            an unfamiliar one at that. When Coro-    son,  whom  he  called  Huliba;  Corobori
            bori went back to where his father was  and  his  children,  Corodori,  Camacuri
            waiting,  he  told  him  the  news:  “Father  and  Turibana,  Masiduri;  and  Malmok,
            Arua,  you  have  just  discovered  an  is-  the  13-year-old  boy  who  alerted  the
            land,  but  it  is  not  Curacao  or  Bonaire.  Cacique when the Caribes attacked.
            Far in the south, we saw the big moun-
            tains of our homeland Venezuela, which  Familiar names: all these names are fa-
            we could have never seen on the other  miliar to Arubans, as these are the names
            island. This leads us to believe we are on  of places and plants on the island.
            a new island. But that’s not all. When the
            sun came up, we saw in the distance a  Source:  Un  storia  di  e  Indjan  Arua  (A
            glowing  plain,  which  we  think  may  be  story of the Indian Arua) by Adolf (Dufi)
            salt.”                                   Kockq
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