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a8    local
                      Friday 1 august 2025
             Aruba: The island of Aloes


             ORANJESTAD – Aloe vera, a
             succulent  plant  species,  is
             renowned for its incredible
             properties  for  the  skin.  It  is
             widely distributed and usu-
             ally grows in tropical, semi-
             tropical  and  arid  climates
             on the planet. But this plant
             also had a very prominent
             role in the history of Aruba,
             and  its  significance  to  the
             island’s  economy  endures                                                                                         oil  industry  arrived  on  Aru-
             to this day.                                                                                                       ba,  it  changed  the  labor
                                                                                                                                market  on  Aruba,  shifting
             The  leaves  of  Aloe  vera                                                                                        away  from  agriculture.  It
             contain a good amount of  Van Raders introduced the                                                                would  be  after  World  War
             gel which when used topi-   plant  after  it  had  been  in-                                                       II  that  aloe  would  make  a
             cally,  is  great  for  the  skin.  troduced in other islands of                                                   comeback.  And  eventu-
             Traditionally,  Arubans  use  the Caribbean to cultivate                                                           ally,  as  science  learned
             this gel to treat minor burns  and  harvest  the  aloe  to                                                         about the amazing proper-
             and  other  skin  ailments,  produce the laxative.                                                                 ties  of  aloe  gel,  the  indus-
             or  just  to  keep  skin  supple                                                                                   try  shifted  from  producing
             and  looking  bright  and  Around  1920,  about  two-                                                              laxative  to  producing  skin
             nourished.  Aside  from  the  thirds  of  Aruba  was  aloe                                                         care.  An  interesting  fact  is
             gel, aloe contains a bitter,  fields,  earning  our  island                                                        that in 1951, the production
             yellow  substance  (called  the  nickname  “The  Island                                                            of Aruban aloe amounted
             aloin) which is a gentle but  of Aloes.”                                                                           to around 30 percent of the
             powerful  laxative,  and  it  is                                                                                   total global production!
             also the origin of the indus-  Under  Commander  Jan
             try of aloe in Aruba.       Helenus  Ferguson  (1866-                                                              The impact and relevance
                                         1871),  aloe  experienced  a                                                           of aloe is visible all around
             History  reveals  that  Aloe  boom,  which  is  why  there                                                         Aruba.  While  most  homes
             vera  was  introduced  in  is a road named after him,                                                              will  have  a  few  plants  for
             Aruba  around  1840,  when  which  goes  through  the                                                              personal  use  and  decora-
             most  of  the  island’s  inhab-  aloe fields. In the 19th cen-                                                     tion, houses are also deco-
             itants  were  farmers  of  little  tury,  Aruba  was  the  main                                                    rated with aloe motifs, and
             means.  Dutch  Governor  supplier  of  aloin  for  laxa-                                                           at  some  point,  aloe  even
                                                                                                                                featured  on  post  stamps.
                                                                                                                                Around  1920,  about  two-
                                                                                                                                thirds  of  Aruba  was  aloe
                                                                                                                                fields, earning our island the
                                                                                                                                nickname “The Island of Al-
                                                                                                                                oes.”  And in 1955, the aloe
                                                                                                                                became a part of Aruba’s
                                                                      tive,  which  was  imported  more    expensive,   which  coat  of  arms,  symbolizing
                                                                      abroad to the United States  meant  that  at  the  time,  it  prosperity for the island. q
                                                                      and Europe. The aloin from  had  significant  economic
                                                                      Aruba  and  Curaçao  was  impact, particularly for the     Images from the archive
                                                                      known  to  be  one  of  the  local farmers.                of the National Library of
                                                                      best  in  the  world  and  was  However,  by  the  time  the        Aruba.


            Aruba to me



            ORANJESTAD  —  You  are  Please do note: By submit-
            back  or  still  enjoying  your  ting photos, text or any oth-
            vacation?...  we  would  like  er materials, you give per-
            to  portrait  you!  By  inviting  mission to The Aruba Today
            you to send us your favor-   Newspaper,      Caribbean
            ite  vacation  picture  while  Speed  Printers  and  any  of
            enjoying our Happy Island.  its  affiliated  companies  to
                                         use  said  materials,  as  well
            Complete  the  sentence:  as names, likeness, etc. for
            Aruba  to  me  is  …….  Send  promotional purposes with-
            your  picture  with  that  text  out compensation.
            (including  your  name  and  Last  but  not  least:  check
            where  you  are  from)  to:  out our website, Instagram
            news@arubatoday.com  and            Facebook     page!
            and  we  will  publish  your  Thank  you  for  supporting
            vacation  memory.  Isn’t  our  free  newspaper,  we
            that a special way to keep  strive to make you a happy
            your  best  moments  alive?  reader every day again.q
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