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local Saturday 2 december 2023

Aruba: the legend behind its name

(Oranjestad)—Most folkloric tales and
legends in Aruba revolve around our The Cacique was pleased to hear of his
indigenous ancestors, who came from son’s findings. He decided to stay a cou-
mainland Venezuela, and discovered ple days on the newly-discovered island
the island and made it into their new in search for salt. The next morning they
home. This particular legend tells the ascended Hooiberg again and stayed
story of the birth of the Aruba name. to see if they could find nearby smoke,
indicating an inhabitant village. But they
The legend follows the life of Arua, an in- found nothing. So they went back to
digenous Cacique originally from Aroa their initial arrival settlement, now known
in the Falcon state in Venezuela in the as Santo Largo in Savaneta. The next
year 50 AD. Arua had a son around the morning they hiked along the Spaans
year 70 AD with his wife Shira, who they Lagoen near the Mangel Halto Beach
named Corobori. When Corobori was and reached the area of Bushiri. There,
old enough, he joined his father on the they boarded they kayaks and head-
usual boat trip to the islands of Curacao ing to what we know now as Malmok,
and Bonaire to gather salt. where they found rocks of salt. After a
couple days of exploring the island and
On their way back to Mainland Venezu- gathering some salt rocks, they left for
ela, they were caught up in a heavy rain Venezuela, where they were reunited
storm—a side effect from a passing, but with their families.
far away, hurricane. Of course, because
of the lack of motors and sail, their boat Throughout the year, they travelled
was left in the mercy of the heavy winds. back and forth to Aruba, collecting salt.
After a while, the storm started to pass, After a while they settled on the island,
and the clouds began to clear up. Fi- generations of families living along the
nally able to see around them, the Ca- coast. Corobori was the first indigenous
cique spotted land approximately an inhabitant in our history to explore the
hour away. So, they started to row in that entirety of the island.
direction until they reached the coast.
Arua, after decades as the leader of his
Once they arrived on what they thought tribe, spent his last days on the island.
was Venezuela, they decided to stay Having reached 80 years old, he called
the night and fix their kayak. The next for his family on his death bed. In his
morning, the Cacique ordered his son hammock, he said: “My children, many
and a few warriors to go find any sign of years have passed, and I’ve asked my
population in the area: "Corobori,” Arua warrior to bring me back to the island so
said. “Don't come back without news. I can laid to rest. The God of living has
It’s in your hands how long we stay here given me the gift of life to see my son,
till we find our family. So, if you need to grandchildren and great grandchildren.
take a week to gather information, we But now he is calling me home. Corobo-
will wait for you." ri, my torch is now passed to you. Guide
our people, and be the leader you were
"Don't worry,” Corobori replied. “As always meant to become. If one day
soon as we have any information, we you leave my island, do not forget that
will let you know." Armed with arrows it is also yours. This is my last wish: When
and spears, backpacks filled with food I die, bury me in our maize plantation.”
and water containers, they set off. They
climbed several small hills, but no sign of And so when the Cacique passed away,
a village. They crossed different dry river- his wishes were granted and he was laid
beds, but no sign of anything. When the to rest in the area we now know as the
sun finally descended, they found them- Paradera Cemetery. Where he used to
selves near a fairly tall hill and decided live, they built the Paradera Church.
to climb it for a better view of a village.
This hill was called Pan Dushi or Orcuyo, And that is the tale of what inspired the
which today we call Hooiberg. Aruba name. In the generations that
lived or travelled back and forth to the
The next morning, they could clearly see island, there were many familiar names*,
that they have landed on an island, but like Guadiriki, a warrior who was there
an unfamiliar one at that. When Coro- when the island got discovered and his
bori went back to where his father was son, whom he called Huliba; Corobori
waiting, he told him the news: “Father and his children, Corodori, Camacuri
Arua, you have just discovered an is- and Turibana, Masiduri; and Malmok,
land, but it is not Curacao or Bonaire. Far the 13-year-old boy who alerted the Ca-
in the south, we saw the big mountains cique when the Caribes attacked.
of our homeland Venezuela, which we
could have never seen on the other is- Familiar names: all these names are fa-
land. This leads us to believe we are on miliar to Arubans, as these are the names
a new island. But that’s not all. When the of places and plants on the island.q
sun came up, we saw in the distance a
glowing plain, which we think may be Source: Un storia di e Indjan Arua (A story of
salt.” the Indian Arua) by Adolf (Dufi) Kock