Page 9 - AHATA

Tuesday 15 July 2025 LOCAL
A10

The legend of the Kibrahacha tree

(Oranjestad)— Known locally for closed flowers at the very top. Ku-
its bright, yellow flowers, this spe- dawecha, experienced veteran in
cial tree only blooms for three to all things Aruban flora and fauna,
four days only. Scientifically known told Aretima to start plucking the
as Tabebuia billbergii, and in Eng- thorns of the tree to climb to the
lish as the Yellow Poui, this tree is top where the flowers are. Aretima,
native to the Caribbean islands of just as determined to save her fa-
Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, and ther, didn’t hesitate to start.
is considered among locals as one
of the most spectacular trees on To her surprise, every time she
the island. But did you also know plucked a thorn of the tree, a
that the beautiful yellow flowers bright, yellow flower bloomed in
have a story behind them? its place. The thorns were hard
to pluck out, but Aretima contin-
The Kibrahacha is said to have ex- ued plucking with enthusiasm and
tremely hard wood—so hard that wonder at the unfolding sight be-
it can break an axe. In fact, that’s fore her. Not too long after she was
what its name means in Papia- able to fill her entire satchel with
mento: “kibra” (break) “hacha” the yellow flowers. Kudawecha,
(axe). The flowers bloom around satisfied to see Aretima so happy
April and May, but this only last for and encouraged to help her fa-
about three to four days, as the ther, took her back to her hut.
flowers start to fall off and the tree Kibrahacha is especially particu- to go fetch Kudawecha. Upon
starts growing its green leaves. The lar, as it’s the only one among its telling Kudawecha that her father Upon arriving back at the hut,
neighboring trees to start blooming was sick, he immediately accom- Aretima’s mother quickly made a
first. panied Aretima back to her hut, tea out of the flowers and gave it
where he encountered her father to her sick husband. Miraculously,
The legend of the Kibrahacha in a bad state. Not willing to waste after just one sip of the tea, the
Written by Hubert (Lio Booi) any time, he told Aretima that the father’s fever left his body imme-
only thing that can cure her father is diately, and he opened eyes and
One day Aterima, who lived west a home-made potion made out of sprung up feeling new.
of the hill Sero Warawara, woke up the Kibrahacha flower. At the time
one day to find her father sleeping the Kibrahacha was not yet in her The next morning, they all visited
in his hammock, suffering a bout of blooming season, but the stubborn the same Kibrahacha tree that
terrible fever. Her mother was very Kudawecha was determined to saved the life of Aretima’s father
worried, and as was the custom in bring back Aretima’s father back and they saw another miracle.
the olden days, asked Aterima to to health, and so off they went to The tree was covered again in the
go fetch Kudawecha, who was a the nearest Kibrahacha tree. same bright, yellow flowers, with
epistemophile, to come see his fa- not a thorn in sight. And as the leg-
ther. When they arrived at the tree, end goes, from that day on, the
they saw that it was covered head Kibrahacha tree no longer pro-
Aterima wasted to time and went to toe in thorns, with only a few duced any more thorns.q

Birds of Aruba

ORANJESTAD — On May 11th, 2010, dation publishes the most beautiful things start happening in nature. Cabochon
the Aruba Birdlife Conservation pictures of local birds on their so- In its living form of so much more
was founded with the aim of pro- cial media that show us the beauty Canadian in the house value than any gemstone. Aruba’s
tecting the biodiversity in general of Aruba’s birds and nature in gen- The breeding season is over and it’s smallest and most master of flight.
and birds in and around Aruba in eral. Aruba Today gives you a little getting pretty cold in North Ameri- A top pollinator. A hovering Blenchi
particular. peek with the following pictures ca. Shore birds have started mov- inspecting the human who just en-
and descriptions from the founda- ing southwards as early as July. This tered his territory.
tions Facebook page. wetland beauty wants to keep its
Among other things, the founda- toes warm. Our Canadian friends English: Blue-tailed Emerald (male)
tion will focus on increasing the The Great Egret know exactly where they can do Dutch: Blauwstaartsmaragdkolib-
survival chances of species of wild Serenity in Aruba’s National Park, a so best. A Greater Yellowlegs redis- rie (mannetje).
birds by promoting their preserva- Great Egret flying in peace. When covering Aruba’s Bubali Wetlands. Aruba’s to enjoy. Aruba’s to
tion and conservation. The foun- it is peaceful and quite, beautiful protect.q