Page 11 - AHATA

A7
LOCAL Thursday 24 april 2025
Aruba Tourism Authority honored loyal visitors at Renaissance

Wind Creek Aruba Resort!

The Aruba Tourism Authority recently had the great
pleasure of recognizing Goodwill Ambassadors of Ms. Marouska Heyliger, representing the Aruba
Aruba. The honorees were respectively honored Tourism Authority, and staff members of Renais-
with a certificate for their years of visits, loyalty, sance Wind Creek Aruba Resort bestowed the
and love for the island of Aruba. certificate upon the honorees, presented them
with gifts, and thanked them for choosing Aruba
The honorary certification is presented on behalf as their favorite vacation destination, as their
of the Minister of Tourism as a token of apprecia- home away from home.
tion and to say “Masha Danki” to guests who
have visited Aruba 10, 20, or 35 years or more The top reasons for returning to Aruba provided
consecutively. by the Mr. and Mrs. Wargo were:
• “We fell in love with Aruba from the first
The three levels of honor are as follows: year visiting and spending time with our friends
Distinguished Visitor (10>years consecutively visit- Ray and Judy Hughes at Divi Dutch Village”
ing Aruba) • “We purchased our time share at Harbor
Goodwill Ambassador (20>years consecutively town Aruba August 1990”
visiting Aruba) • “We love the people of Aruba/ started
Emerald Ambassador (35>years consecutively going to the Driftwood from 1990 until now, they
visiting Aruba) have great seafood”
• “SCUBA opens water diver 1991 Charlie
The honorees were: Buddies” On behalf of the Aruba Tourism Authority, we
Goodwill Ambassadors • “Safe island for Irene to go to Casino’s at would like to express our sincere gratitude and
Mr. Glenn and Mrs. Irene Wargo from San Marcos, night” appreciation to Mr. and Mrs. Wargo for their con-
California, United States. tinued visits to the “One Happy Island”.q

Ever heard of the cah’i orgel?

A key instrument in Aruban folklore music

he started his own cah’i find someone playing the tumba, mazurka and more.
orgel business along with triangle alongside the cah’i Source: “E Cilinder Magico
his brother Luis. In Aruba, it orgel and wiri. In Aruba, the Fun fact: another name for entre Aruba y Curaçao” by
Marilyn Alcalá-Wallé, Herta
is said that the cah’i orgel cah’i orgel and wiri is used the cah’i orgel is the “tin- Parabirsing-Balentina and Ni-
was introduced by Rufo for traditional music genres, gilingi box.”q dia Rosaria-Wallé.
Wever, who later in his ca- such as the Aruban waltz,
reer became one of the
composers for the Aruban
national anthem.
(Oranjestad)—The cah’i or- Rufo Wever was a young
gel music box is an impor- musician in 1937 when he
tant and unique instrument established his own cah’i
that is used on the ABC is- orgel business on the island.
lands in the Dutch Carib- Before that he experiment-
bean. This instrument is a ed with his uncle’s cah’i or-
staple in our folklore music, gel, and he over the years
and its significance in the he learned to build and re-
traditions of Aruba has and pair the instrument. In fact,
continues to bring together he was incredibly skilled in
the old and young. this, and he was one of the
few to have recognized
The origin of the cah’i or- from the start that the cah’i
gel is said to have come orgel is an instrument that
from Europe around 150 needs preserving.
years ago. A cross breed As mentioned, the cah’i
between the barrel piano orgel is a music box. made
and the organ, the most from mahogany wood, it
popular stories said that the contains a cylinder with a
instrument came from ei- maximum of eight music
ther England or Germany, pieces. By rotating the lever
but made its way to Italy on the front side of the box,
down to Venezuela, where the cah’i orgel produces
in 1881, Mr. Horatio Sprock music similar to that of a pi-
(1866-1949) from Curacao ano, and is accompanied
was first introduced to it. often by someone else
After that, Sprock made his playing the “wiri”, a percus-
own cah’i orgel “Josefina”, sion instrument made out
and successfully debuted of steel and reminiscent
it on the streets of Barqui- to the Spanish guiro. Back
simeto. Back in Curacao, then, you would often also