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LOCAL Thursday 1 February 2024

Alto Vista chapel and its link to Aruba’s origins

According to Etnia Nativa, appointed Domingo Anto-
in the 18th century most of nio Silvester as the island’s
the inhabitants of Aruba first prosecutor in the name
were indigenous who lived of the Spanish crown and
on the north coast, one of Rome. In 1752 the prosecu-
the largest communities tion passed into the hands
lived in Alto Vista. of Antonio Silvester’s son-
in-law, Miguel Álvarez, who
As they were very religious, continued to guide the pa-
they had a chief with the rishioners in their prayers.
name of Antonio Silvester
who guided them in the According to the book,
Christian life and it was he The History of Alto Vista by
who decided to build a R.H. Nooyen, it is not known
stone chapel with a roof when Domingo Antonio Sil-
of corn rods, which would vester came to Aruba from
serve as a place of prayer. Venezuela. The elders be-
In 1750 it was blessed by Fa- lieve Antonio was a Span-
ther Algamesi who came iard. In 1780, father Joseph
from Coro-Venezuela and Antonio de la Vegal called

Bernardino Silvester, one of ger see much of the town cording to Nooyen. About
Antonio’s sons with his wife of Alto Vista from 1750. With 50 meters near the chapel
Anna Cathalina Tromp, a lot of work they found there are still the markings
“neighbors and naturals of the old foundations of the of an old house, where
the island Aruba” and thus Church of the Queen of Antonio and Bernardino
they became natives. the Holiest Rosary to build Silvester would have lived.
a new chapel on the same About 200 meters from the
At the end of the eighteen place. The entire surround- chapel there is a water
century many inhabitants ing area was empty and tank which the locals call
the island died as a result of desolated, making it hard Tanki Cacique. In the past
the black fever epidemic to imagine that Alto Vista this tank was closed. But
and since people believed was a town at all. A hun- mostly water was brought
that the Alto Vista area was dred years later, people out from the Poz di Noord,
the most infected, they be- can see the remains of a well dug in the sand.
gan to build their homes around twenty houses,
further south within the some made of stone and The chapel can be viewed
Noord area, so the town of others of clay. Nowadays, from basically any point in
Noord began to grow into only around six of these the north side, even from
a community till getting its houses remain. Paradera and Sero Plat.
own Church. However re- All the historical remains
ligious festivals continued South of the chapel in the around the chapel provide
to be celebrated at this sa- yard two graves can be us with an idea on how the
cred native place, with the observed, there was the old people of Alto Vista
custom of arriving in pro- cemetery which father used to live. Don’t miss the
cession to Alto Vista. Pablo de Algemesi blessed. opportunity to visit a place
It is not certain, but it is be- of historical significance
Two-hundred years after lieved that the two graves with a window to Aruba’s
the beautiful time of Alto belong to Antonio Silvester past.q
Vista, people can no lon- and Miguel Alvares, ac-