Page 14 - Binder1

a11
local Friday 19 august 2022
Tribute to Etty Toppenberg:

Etty loved his country of Aruba and his neighborhood

of Companashi

Recently, a big celebra-

tion was held in order to Etty and Trio Huasteca was
pay tribute to an exem- one of the pioneers in tour-
plary Aruban citizen, Etty ism, working very hard to
Toppenberg. During her promote Aruba abroad.
speech at the event, min- Also Trio Huasteca used to
ister of Culture, Xiomara receive a lot of invitations,
Maduro, said how “Etty local and international, to
loves his neighborhood of delight the public with their
Companashi, the neigh- songs and music. This is how
borhood that saw his birth, Etty represented our coun-
say him grow and develop try of Aruba many times
into one of the biggest tal- abroad, singing and enter-
ents in our country.” taining while at the same
time promoting our beauti-
Etty is very proud of his ful country.
neighborhood, Com-
panashi4ever and with Etty received various
pride, Etty writes on his awards, prizes and decora-
Facebook page that tions
Companashi, the smallest Another point on which the
neighborhood in Aruba, re- minister of Culture elabo-
ceived the most medals of rated during her speech
merit from the Royal House. was that Etty received
various awards, prizes and
As an artist of our country, decorations. For Etty’s ex-
Aruba, Etty won love and tremely valuable contribu-
appreciation from us all. tion on the cultural field,
His trajectory in the musi- he received a lo of awards
cal world is impressive. Etty and decorations. It’s no
is going down in history asn secret that his voice and
the first Aruban singer who music is well liked by, and
presented our national an- moves, members of the
them, “Aruba Dushi Tera” Dutch Royal Household.
during the inaugural cer-
emony of our Status Apar- Recently, Etty’s song ‘Nos
te, when Aruba became Isla’ (Our Island) was heard
a country, right after mid- in the park Magic Kingdom
night on the 1st of January, in Orlando, Florida, when
1986. Massive Brassband Inter-
national played for the first
Etty, together with his time at this park. This brass-
friends Eric Escalona and band paid a beautiful trib-
Max Hassel, formed the ute to Etty by presenting his
popular ‘Trio Huasteca’, song.
and together with this Trio,
Etty let his voice, and the Minister Maduro expressed
name of Aruba, resound that as Arubans, our heart
twice in the prestigious Fes- fills with pride when we
tival OTI de la Cancion, an hear this song presented
achievement of which Aru- by an Aruban brassband,
ba is still proud today. playing an Aruban’s song.