Page 14 - AHATA
P. 14

Thursday 24 april 2025 locAl
                                      A10

            Aruba: The island of Aloes


            ORANJESTAD – Aloe vera, a                                                              In  the  19th  century,  Aruba
            succulent  plant  species,  is                                                         was the main supplier of aloin
            renowned for its incredible                                                            for laxative, which was im-
            properties  for  the  skin.  It  is                                                    ported abroad to the United
            widely distributed and usu-                                                            States and Europe. The aloin
            ally grows in tropical, semi-                                                          from  Aruba  and  Curaçao
            tropical  and  arid  climates                                                          was  known  to  be  one  of
            on the planet. But this plant                                                          the  best  in  the  world  and
            also had a very prominent                                                              was more expensive, which
            role in the history of Aruba,                                                          meant  that  at  the  time,  it
            and  its  significance  to  the                                                        had  significant  economic
            island’s  economy  endures                                                             impact, particularly for the
            to this day.                                                                           local farmers.

            The leaves of Aloe vera con-                                                           However, by the time the oil
            tain a good amount of gel                                                              industry arrived on Aruba, it
            which when used topically,                                                             changed the labor market
            is great for the skin. Tradition-                                                      on Aruba, shifting away from
            ally, Arubans use this gel to                                                          agriculture. It would be af-
            treat minor burns and other                                                            ter  World  War  II  that  aloe
            skin ailments, or just to keep                                                         would make a comeback.
            skin supple and looking bright                                                         And eventually, as science
            and  nourished.  Aside  from  duced the plant after it had  cultivate  and  harvest  the  learned about the amazing   houses are also decorated
            the gel, aloe contains a bit-  been introduced in other is-  aloe to produce the laxative.  properties of aloe gel, the in-  with aloe motifs, and at some
            ter, yellow substance (called  lands  of  the  Caribbean  to                           dustry shifted from produc-  point, aloe even featured on
            aloin) which is a gentle but                              Around  1920,  about  two-   ing laxative to producing skin   post  stamps.  Around  1920,
            powerful  laxative,  and  it  is                          thirds  of  Aruba  was  aloe  care.  An  interesting  fact  is   about  two-thirds  of  Aruba
            also the origin of the industry                           fields,  earning  our  island  that in 1951, the production   was aloe fields, earning our
            of aloe in Aruba.                                         the  nickname  “The  Island  of Aruban aloe amounted      island the nickname “The Is-
                                                                      of Aloes.”                   to around 30 percent of the   land of Aloes.”  And in 1955,
            According to the website of                                                            total global production!     the aloe became a part of
            Royal Aruba Aloe, Aloe vera                               Under  Commander  Jan                                     Aruba’s coat of arms, sym-
            was  introduced  in  Aruba                                Helenus  Ferguson  (1866-    The impact and relevance     bolizing  prosperity  for  the
            around 1840, when most of                                 1871), aloe experienced a  of aloe is visible all around   island.q
            the island’s inhabitants were                             boom, which is why there is a  Aruba. While most homes will
            farmers of little means. Dutch                            road named after him, which  have a few plants for per-    Images from the archive of
            Governor Van Raders intro-                                goes through the aloe fields.  sonal  use  and  decoration,   the National Library of Aruba.


            Create museum memories


            ORANJESTAD — Museums are  vertical shaft, and the tank  century museum is especially
            an integral part of conserving  at the top. The Water Tow-  designed to preserve valu-
            and honoring cultures, and  er  was  purchased  by  the  able  artifacts  dating  back
            Aruba is no exception. Our  Monuments Fund in 2003 so  to  the  Pre-Ceramic  period
            Island has a wide selection  it can be restored and pre-  of 2500 BC.
            of various museums for our  served  as  one  of  Aruba's
            locals  and  visitors  to  see.  monuments.  The  Museum  In  the  late  1980’s,  AMA
            Take this opportunity to learn  of Industry is part of Aruba  identified  its  need  for  an
            about our island and experi-  Museum Foundation (Funda-   adequate housing for its col-  a financial agreement was  permanent exhibit. This ex-
            ence a different day beyond  cion Museo Aruban), which  lection and activities. After  signed with the European De-  hibit conveys information on
            the beach. Let us introduce  is a foundation set to main-  studying  various  options,  a  velopment Fund and in 2006,  the origin and culture of the
            to you these museums.        tain, preserve, and protect  project proposal was drawn  restoration and construction  first inhabitants of the island
                                         the Aruban cultural sector,  up, including the acquisition  work began on the monu-    through archaeological ob-
             Museum of Industry Aruba    history, and nature. The mu-  and restoration of historical  mental  buildings  and  the  jects and modern exhibition
            The Museum of Industry is lo-  seum of Industry is open daily  buildings in downtown Oran-  soon-to-be exhibition space.  techniques. The new perma-
            cated in San Nicolas—better  from 9 am till 6 pm.         jestad.                      In December 2007, the key to  nent exhibit gives the visitor
            known as the art capital of  For more information, check                               the complex was delivered  an  insight  into  the  cultures
            Aruba. This museum exhibits  out  their  Facebook  page  These  historical  buildings  and the museum’s employ-     that inhabited the island in
            the industrial history of gold,  Museum of Industry Aruba.  were formerly the property of  ees  moved  to  the  new  lo-  Pre-Historical and Early His-
            aloe,  phosphate,  oil  and                               the Ecury family. The “Ecury  cation. The final design for  torical  times.  The  museum
            tourism through elaborated  Archaeological Museum of  Complex”,  is  a  cluster  of  the exhibit was completed in  also hosts attractive public
            displays and multimedia in-            Aruba              single and two-story historic  November 2007 and the per-  programs, including lectures,
            stallations.                 The  Archaeological  Muse-   buildings, mainly Dutch co-  manent exhibit, financed by  educational projects, tem-
            The  Museum  of  Industry  is  um  of  Aruba  is  located  at  lonial architecture from the  the Aruban Government and  porary  exhibits  and  work-
            situated in the Water Tower  Schelpstraat 42 in downtown  late 19th and 20th century  the Union of Cultural Orga-   shops.
            in San Nicolas and narrates  Oranjestad. The renovated  on a plot of approximately  nizations (UNOCA), opened
            Aruba's  industrial  history,  historic Ecury complex in the  1.700 m2.                in July 2009.                The  museum  is  open  daily
            which  began  in  the  19th  area has been transformed                                                              from 9:30 am till 4:30 pm. For
            century.  The  Water  Tower  from  a  family  home  to  a  In 1997, the Aruban Govern-  At  the  new  location,  the  more information check out
            was built in 1939 and con-   modern  museum  that  pre-   ment bought the complex  National       Archaeological  the Facebook page Museo
            sists  of  three  sections:  the  serves  Aruba’s  Amerindian  for the National Archaeologi-  Museum Aruba disposes of  Arqueologico   Nacional
            substructure, the high-rising  cultural  heritage.  This  21st  cal Museum project. In 2004,  approximately 500 m2 for its  Aruba.q
   9   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19