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local Monday 9 deceMber 2024
Aruban legends:

Frenchman’s Pass

(Oranjestad)—If you ever The French colonizers tried needed a ride real bad,
plan on taking a group to smoke them out of the he didn’t think twice and
tour of the island, you may caves, but the indigenous jumped in. But to his horror,
pass through the French- settlers ended up inhal- he noticed that the there
man’s Pass in Balashi. The ing too much smoke and was no driver in the front.
Frenchman’s pass (known most died in those caves. Paralyzed with fear, he
to locals as “Franse Pas”) From then on, this passage didn’t dare to get out, and
remains a mysterious—and was known as Frenchman’s the car started to move.
spooky—road of which its Pass, and there have been
legend is told from genera- many accounts of spirits When approaching a
tion to generation. roaming the area of Span- sharp turn, the hitch hiker
ish Lagoon. braced for impact, but just
The history of the French- when he though the car his experience. Everyone
man’s pass—and how it got There are many ghost sto- might drive straight off the grew quiet, because they French man’s pass is one
its name—dates back to ries surrounding this area, road and crash, he saw a realized he wasn’t some of the few sites on the is-
the colonization era, when but one of the most famous hand appear out the win- drunk messing around; he land that keeps the locals
the French tried to colo- one involves a lonely hitch- dow and turn the wheel. was telling the truth. on their toes. While most
nize the island, but were hiker, trying to find a ride For the next few turns, the ghost stories may not have
met with an angry mob of back home in the dark hand appeared again. Af- Sometime later, two men real grounds—or some may
indigenous settlers, refusing rainy night. ter having had enough, the walked into the bar and even be a set up story for a
to give up their land. How- man decided to jump out one of them noticed the joke, this pass contributes a
ever, as the French were Sometime after trying to and he ran to Santa Cruz. hitchhiker. He called out to lot to our culture of folkloric
heavily equipped with fire hitchhike, the man saw a his buddy and said: “Look, story-telling.
arms, the indigenous set- car approaching, appear- Arriving at a nearby bar, there’s the idiot who sat
tlers began to retreat, and ing almost ghost-like in the he ordered a drink and be- in our car when we were Source: visitaruba.com
hid away in nearby caves. rain. However, since he gan to tell everyone about pushing it!”

Create museum memories

ORANJESTAD — Museums are an integral part preserved as one of Aruba's monuments. The the soon-to-be exhibition space. In December
of conserving and honoring cultures, and Aruba Museum of Industry is part of Aruba Museum 2007, the key to the complex was delivered and
is no exception. Our Island has a wide selection Foundation (Fundacion Museo Aruban), which the museum’s employees moved to the new lo-
of various museums for our locals and visitors is a foundation set to maintain, preserve, and cation. The final design for the exhibit was com-
to see. Take this opportunity to learn about our protect the Aruban cultural sector, history, and pleted in November 2007 and the permanent
island and experience a different day beyond nature. The museum of Industry is open daily exhibit, financed by the Aruban Government
the beach. Let us introduce to you these muse- from 9 am till 6 pm. and the Union of Cultural Organizations (UN-
ums. For more information, check out their Facebook OCA), opened in July 2009.
page Museum of Industry Aruba.
At the new location, the National Archaeologi-
Archaeological Museum of Aruba cal Museum Aruba disposes of approximately
The Archaeological Museum of Aruba is lo- 500 m2 for its permanent exhibit. This exhibit
cated at Schelpstraat 42 in downtown Oran- conveys information on the origin and culture
jestad. The renovated historic Ecury complex of the first inhabitants of the island through ar-
in the area has been transformed from a fam- chaeological objects and modern exhibition
ily home to a modern museum that preserves techniques. The new permanent exhibit gives
Aruba’s Amerindian cultural heritage. This 21st the visitor an insight into the cultures that in-
century museum is especially designed to pre- habited the island in Pre-Historical and Early His-
serve valuable artifacts dating back to the Pre- torical times. The museum also hosts attractive
Ceramic period of 2500 BC. public programs, including lectures, education-
al projects, temporary exhibits and workshops.
In the late 1980’s, AMA identified its need for
an adequate housing for its collection and ac- The museum is open daily from 9:30 am till 4:30
tivities. After studying various options, a project pm. For more information check out the Face-
proposal was drawn up, including the acqui- book page Museo Arqueologico Nacional
sition and restoration of historical buildings in Aruba.q
Museum of Industry Aruba downtown Oranjestad.
The Museum of Industry is located in San Nico-
las—better known as the art capital of Aruba. These historical buildings were formerly the
This museum exhibits the industrial history of property of the Ecury family. The “Ecury Com-
gold, aloe, phosphate, oil and tourism through plex”, is a cluster of single and two-story historic
elaborated displays and multimedia installa- buildings, mainly Dutch colonial architecture
tions. from the late 19th and 20th century on a plot of
The Museum of Industry is situated in the Wa- approximately 1.700 m2.
ter Tower in San Nicolas and narrates Aruba's
industrial history, which began in the 19th cen- In 1997, the Aruban Government bought the
tury. The Water Tower was built in 1939 and con- complex for the National Archaeological Mu-
sists of three sections: the substructure, the high- seum project. In 2004, a financial agreement
rising vertical shaft, and the tank at the top. was signed with the European Development
The Water Tower was purchased by the Monu- Fund and in 2006, restoration and construction
ments Fund in 2003 so it can be restored and work began on the monumental buildings and