Page 3 - AHATA

A7
LOCAL Saturday 7 September 2024
Dining in? Try making a local favorite

How to make “pan bati”

(Oranjestad)—If you’re 1 1/3 cup of milk enough batter to cover the
ever up for an Aruban 1 pinch of salt bottom of the pan. Just like
snack, try making another 2 tbsp of granulated sugar pancakes, flip the pan bati
Aruban classic appetizer Oil for cooking when one side turns golden
called Pan Bati. Similar to a brown. When your pan bati
pancake both in appear- Instructions: is ready, place on a plate
ance and cooking, this is a Add all the dry ingredients and cover with a clean
super easy meal that adults in a bowl first, and stir un- kitchen towel.
and children will both en- til well mixed. Then add
joy. Here’s how to make it! the milk and beat until Traditionally, pan bati is cut
reached a pancake-like in triangle pieces, and is
Ingredients: consistency. If more moister often eaten as a side dish
2 cups of all purpose flour is needed, add some water with soup, fried fish or stews.
1 cup grams of fine corn- until reached desired con- However, it is also casually
meal (we recommend the sistency. enjoyed with some butter
Harina PAN brand) and cheese on top! q
2 tbsp baking powder In a hot pan with oil, pour in

Meet Aruba’s biggest hero

Boy Ecury

(Oranjestad)—This past May 4th,
Aruba as well as The Netherlands
commemorated those who sadly
perished during the Second World
War. As is known around the globe,
this chapter in world history is one
of the most tragic yet, and many
soldiers and rebels have died on
the frontline during this time.

One of those rebels who have
fought against the Nazi regime,
was an Aruban named Segundo
Jorge Adelberto “Boy” Ecury. Born helped people go into hiding, as acquaintance, he himself never
in Aruba on April 23rd, 1922, Boy well as opened fire against allies gave away the names of his com-
spent his childhood on the island, of the Nazi regime. In these oper- rades. Famously, he told his cell
before being sent to The Nether- heritage living in The Netherlands ations, Boy really stood out for his mate: “I will die with a smile on my
lands by his father when he was made him vulnerable to discrimi- cold bloodedness. face.”
15 years old to continue his stud- nation, and this inspired him to be On November 6th, 1944, Ecury was
ies abroad. This was in 1937, three an activist, to stand up and fight In 1943, he received a notice to be executed. He was only 22 years
years before WWII broke out. against discrimination and oppres- placed for work in Germany. This old.
sion. he refused, of course, and went
During the war, he actively partici- into hiding using multiple address- Ecury was buried with military hon-
pated in the rebellion in The Neth- After seeing the horrific bomb- es in multiple cities. Because he or. In 1949, the Aruban Govern-
erlands against the Nazi regime, ings of Rotterdam first-hand, he was a wanted man, he of course ment erected a monumental bust
but his rebellious streak and con- decided to join the resistance. At could not continue to be active of him in front of what is now the
stant drive to fight for justice began the same time, he was still study- as a rebel. However, stubborn and linear park trail, and in 1984 he re-
even before the war broke out. Be- ing and living with family in Tilburg. naturally rebellious as he was, he ceived the Resistance Memorial
ing a person of color with a Haitian It was there where he met people always tried to join in on the opera- Cross postmortem.
who printed and distributed the tions regardless.
rebellion newspaper. This would Boy’s life motto was this: “In my fa-
be the first of three rebellion group In 1944, after his friend Luis de Lan- ther’s house, there is no place for
that he would join throughout his noy, a fellow rebel from Curacao, a traitor.”
4-year service to the resistance. was arrested and executed, he
moved to Delft, where he joined Source: “De Kolibrie op de Rots (en
Boy’s primary task as member of his third and last group in Rotter- meer over the geschiedenis van
the group was to distract the Ger- dam. During this time, he wrote a Aruba)” by Evert Bongers.
man soldiers while others ran into goodbye letter for his family, pos-
hiding into alleyways. This he was sibly knowing the risks of him being
able to do because of his skin active again in the big cities.
color and confronting demeanor. Eventually, he proved himself right.
Boy also participated in the multi- On November 5th, 1944, Boy Ecury
ple sabotaging operations against was arrested by German soldiers.
the German military occupying He was placed in the “Oranje-
The Netherlands. These included hotel” prison in Scheveningen, The
bombings on German military Hague, where he was questioned.
trucks and trains. The group also Despite being given away by an