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local Friday 4 July 2025
Visit the Museum of Industry in San Nicolas!

ORANJESTAD — Museums are Aruba. This museum exhibits er was purchased by the
an integral part of conserving the industrial history of gold, Monuments Fund in 2003 so
and honoring cultures, and aloe, phosphate, oil and it can be restored and pre-
Aruba is no exception. Our tourism through elaborated served as one of Aruba's
Island has a wide selection displays and multimedia in- monuments. The Museum
of various museums for our stallations. of Industry is part of Aruba
locals and visitors to see. The Museum of Industry is Museum Foundation (Funda-
Take this opportunity to learn situated in the Water Tower cion Museo Aruban), which
about our island and experi- in San Nicolas and narrates is a foundation set to main-
ence a different day beyond Aruba's industrial history, tain, preserve, and protect
the beach. Let us introduce which began in the 19th the Aruban cultural sector,
to you these museums. century. The Water Tower history, and nature. The mu-
was built in 1939 and con- seum of Industry is open daily
Museum of Industry Aruba sists of three sections: the from 9 am till 6 pm.
The Museum of Industry is lo- substructure, the high-rising For more information, check
cated in San Nicolas—better vertical shaft, and the tank out their Facebook page
known as the art capital of at the top. The Water Tow- Museum of Industry Aruba.q

The Aruban way of life

Creating community with Cas di Torto

For roofing, corn stalks,
palm fonds and straws were
used, allowing air to flow
freely through the house.
This method of roofing was
known throughout the ABC
islands (Aruba, Curacao,
Bonaire), but the use of
cornstalks in Aruba eventu-
ally got replaced with use of
mud and white plaster for
the roofs. The white plaster
all around made the houses
looks like cake, hence the
(Oranjestad)—The Aruban Torto is said to date back name “Torto” (Spanish for
people understand that a to the early 19th century in “cake”).
happy life is spent in great the Paraguana Peninsula in
ambience with your loved Venezuela. Refugees who Building community
ones. Passed down from sought sanctuary on Aruba Building Torto houses was
one generation to the oth- introduced this building often a community effort.
er, building community has method to the island. Young couples who were
been a key aspect in forging about to get married had to
our traditions and customs. The uprights of the walls were have their house built before
The Cas di Torto (mud house) made with sturdy and straight they could tie the knot and older children of the family called “paga lomba”: You
played a big role in cultivat- wayaca or kwihi wood, or start their own family. This is usually helped with collect- help me today; I’ll help you
ing community, bridging from thin mangrove struts. where the help of the com- ing water and mixing the tomorrow.
families together and form- Then, the wattle walls were munity comes into play. mud.
ing close bonds with your weaved in using branches Nowadays, traditional Cas
neighbors—something we and twigs from the warero Neighbors, extended family The average duration of con- di Torto are rare, especially
highly value today. and sisal plant, daubed with and friends would all help in structing a Cas di Torto was those that are still inhabited.
a mixture of grass and mud. the construction of a Torto 4 months. Houses that do exist prob-
Cas di Torto: History and con- Finally, the walls got a coat House. And everyone had a ably date back more than
struction of white plaster to seal ev- role: The men oversaw the At the end of a long day of a century.q
The origin of the Cas di erything in. building of the house, and work, everyone would gath- Picture credits: Aruba Na-
the women were tasked with er around and enjoy a feast tional Library (BNA) and the
collecting wood and straws, of hearty food. This type of Monumentbureau archive on
cooking and taking care of help from friends and family Coleccion.aw
the little ones. became a tradition and was

The couple’s family were pri-
marily responsible for feeding
everyone who helped build
the house. Before construc-
tion, someone usually had
the task to prepare the
meal; going fishing or slaugh-
ter farm animals like goats,
chicken or sheep. Even the
older kids had their tasks; the