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             Building Aruban Education                                                                                 Episode CCXII - 212



             Etnia Nativa writes Island-Insight, focusing on various
             aspects of native knowledge, transcendental wisdom,
             and the importance of upholding cultural identity. This
             column  aims  to  educate  its  readers  and  encourage
             them to embrace a genuine island state of mind. In this
             episode, Etnia Nativa shares the beginnings of educa-
             tion in Aruba.

              The first inhabitants of Aruba were animists and prac-
              ticed  various  forms  of  worship  and  belief  systems.
              When the Spanish conquerors arrived, the native in-
              habitants were subjected to colonization and efforts
              to Christianize them. The exact timeline of the con-
              version  process  is  not  well  documented,  but  histori-  Vista  was  eventually  abandoned,      tad. These included one government/
              cal evidence suggests that Juan Manuel Martinez de        and  a  new  church  was  constructed      public  school,  one  for  girls,  and  one
              Manzanillo,  bishop  of  Caracas,  Curacao,  Bonaire,     in North (Noord), which later became       for  boys,  providing  education  up  to
              and Aruba, visited our island around 1593 to perform      known  as  St.  Anna.  It  is  worth  noting   the  6th  grade.  After  1916,  two  more
              the Sacrament of Confirmation. This indicates that the    that around 1780, a shipwreck caused       grades  were  added  (U.L.O.),  and  in
              conversion had already started before this period.        an epidemic known as the black fever       1938,  MULO  (a  10-grade  program)
                                                                        or death, resulting in the loss of a signifi-  became  the  standard  for  Oranjestad
                                                                        cant part of the settlement’s popula-      schools.
              However, there was no permanent church building in
              Aruba until the arrival of the Dutch in 1636. The Dutch   tion. Both the Church and the Govern-
              occupation  complicated  matters  further,  as  they      ment believed that the people should       In  1924,  the  oil  industry  arrived,  with
              forbade visits from priests from the continent, and in    relocate to a healthier area.              companies  like  Eagle  and  Lago  Pe-
              1639, the Dutch West Indian Company formally insti-                                                  troleum Corporation. Lago started an
              tuted a prohibition on the Roman Catholic religion.       The present Alto Vista chapel was built    apprentice program in 1935 to teach
              Overall,  a  combination  of  Spanish  and  Dutch  influ-  close  to  the  same  site  where  the  first   young  men  English  and  trade  skills  in
              ence  marked  the  history  of  religious  conversion  in   church  stood.  The  chapel  houses  an   preparation  for  work  within  the  refin-
              Aruba, alongside the persistence of Catholic priests      authentic  and  original  cross  that  was   ery. Aruba’s first trade school was es-
              who  maintained  contact  with  the  local  population    saved from the first church. A descen-     tablished in 1952.
              despite official prohibitions.                            dant of a former church member do-
              During 1700s, the descendants of Spaniards and in-        nated the cross. Additionally, there are   Prior  to  the  arrival  of  the  oil  industry,
              digenous people formed a settlement in an area that       a couple of graves in the chapel yard,     Aruba  was  predominantly  Catholic,
              is now known as Alto Vista. They conducted their re-      where the first fiscals were buried short-  with  a  presence  of  Dutch  Reformed
              ligious services in different houses until a chapel, was   ly after the opening of the first church   Protestants  and  Jews  who  did  not
              constructed in 1750.                                      in North.                                  have an official place of worship. How-
                                                                                                                   ever, with the establishment of refiner-
              Since there were no permanent priests available, fis-     By 1825, there were two schools on the     ies  immigrants  from  approximately  40
              cals (lay officials) were appointed to oversee the re-    island. The public school offered Prot-    different  nationalities  settled  on  the
              ligious affairs of the community. The first known fiscal   estant teaching in Dutch, while the Ro-   island.  Churches  of  various  denomi-
              was  Domingo  Antonio  Silvestre,  followed  by  Miguel   man Catholic school provided educa-        nations  were  established,  particularly
              Enrique Alvarez. The mention of their ability to read     tion in Spanish. In the late 1800s, nuns   in and around San Nicolas. However,
              and  write  is  significant  because  it  indicates  the  be-  arrived  and  took  on  teaching  duties   these denominations did not introduce
              ginning of education during that time. They had the       until 1909.                                their own schools or schooling systems.
              responsibility to teach others. This suggests that edu-                                              Lago, on the other hand, constructed
              cation has started to emerge in the community.            By  1875,  there  were  schools  in  Oran-  a school following American standards
                                                                        jestad, North, and Santa Cruz. Interest-   for the children of its employees.
              Under the leadership of the fiscal, the church at Alto    ingly, only Dutch was taught in Oran-
                                                                        jestad, both in the public and Roman       We  highly  recommend  visiting  Etnia
                                                                        Catholic  schools.  In  North  and  Santa   Nativa on site if you have a keen inter-
                                                                        Cruz, Papiamento, the local language,      est in experiencing Aruban native cul-
                                                                        replaced  Spanish.  By  the  turn  of  the   ture. The owner’s first-hand knowledge
                                                                        century, a school in Sabaneta taught       and explanations add authenticity to
                                                                        in Papiamento. In 1899, a small Protes-    the experience, immersing you in Aru-
                                                                        tant school in Piedra Plat had already     ba’s rich history and cultural heritage.
                                                                        been  established,  although  it  did  not   The place is an incredible “cabinet of
                                                                        expand significantly. In the 20th centu-   curiosities.”
                                                                        ry, education began to firmly establish
                                                                        itself, and parish schools received ade-   To  arrange  a  visit,  contact  etniana-
                                                                        quate subsidies and legal recognition.     tiva03@gmail.com or WhatsApp (mes-
                                                                                                                   sages only) at +297 592 2702. Appoint-
                                                                        By  1916,  there  were  schools  in  North,   ments are necessary to ensure a per-
                                                                        Santa  Cruz,  Sabaneta,  and  Oranjes-     sonalized and immersive experience.q
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