Page 17 - AHATA

A10
Monday 2 deceMber 2024

Ayo & Casibari: Aruba’s famous rock formations

(Oranjestad)—The Ayo and south. Right in front of the
Casibari Rock Formations entrance, there is the Casi-
are known locally as one bari Café and Grill, a great
of the crucial sites to have place to get refreshments
in your “off-road” trip itiner- and snack before continu-
ary. These naturally formed ing your off-road adven-
rock formations as just one ture!
of the few places on the is- Both sites are open free to
land that hold a rich history the public, 24 hours a day.
of our culture and of our However, unless you are
ancestors. Caption Ayo 1&2: The Ayo Rock Formation taking a trip with a profes-
Caption Casibari pic: The Casibari Rock Formation sional tour guide, there are
Ayo surrounding “mondi”*. This However, this is just anoth- no guides at the sites to
The Ayo Rock Formation is also one of the few sites er charm of the site: the help you climb the rock.
is located in the northern to contain prehistoric mark- quiet area and the refresh- is a fenced area contain- So, do be careful when
part of the island, right on ings of our indigenous an- ing breeze offer a sense of ing several boulders that trudging on the boulders,
the road that leads you to cestors. The Ayo Rock for- comfort and peace. lay on top or lean on each and make sure to befriend
the Black Stone Beach, and mation contains stairs that Casibari other. The best aspect of any roaming goats you see
close to the Natural Bridge. lead you to the top of the Probably the busier rock the Casibari Rock Forma- along the way!
The Ayo is a fenced terrain highest boulder, offering a formation site, the Casi- tion is the accompanying
that consists of several giant breath-taking view of the bari is situated more in the view when you climb up *Mondi: what we call our
boulders, resting neatly on Aruban backyard. The Ayo center of the island, much the top of the round, flat Aruban wilderness. We
top of or side by side each is usually quiet, as it is situ- closer—and more acces- bolder. For this position, you don’t have forests, or des-
other, adding gorgeous ated farther away from the sible—to the general pub- can see the majority of the erts, but we do have mon-
natural architecture to the busier parts of the island. lic. Just like Ayo, Casibari island and the ocean in the di!
Meet Aruba’s biggest hero

Boy Ecury

(Oranjestad)—This past tract the German soldiers
May 4th, Aruba as well as while others ran into hiding
The Netherlands commem- into alleyways. This he was
orated those who sadly able to do because of his
perished during the Sec- skin color and confronting
ond World War. As is known demeanor. Boy also partici-
around the globe, this pated in the multiple sabo-
chapter in world history is taging operations against de Lannoy, a fellow rebel Ecury was buried with mili-
one of the most tragic yet, the German military oc- from Curacao, was ar- tary honor. In 1949, the Aru-
and many soldiers and reb- cupying The Netherlands. rested and executed, he ban Government erected
els have died on the front- the war broke out. Being a These included bombings moved to Delft, where he a monumental bust of him
line during this time. person of color with a Hai- on German military trucks
tian heritage living in The and trains. The group also joined his third and last in front of what is now the
One of those rebels who Netherlands made him vul- helped people go into hid- group in Rotterdam. During linear park trail, and in 1984
he received the Resistance
this time, he wrote a good-
have fought against the nerable to discrimination, ing, as well as opened fire bye letter for his family, Memorial Cross postmor-
Nazi regime, was an Aru- and this inspired him to be against allies of the Nazi re- possibly knowing the risks of tem.
ban named Segundo an activist, to stand up and gime. In these operations, him being active again in
Jorge Adelberto “Boy” fight against discrimination Boy really stood out for his the big cities. Boy’s life motto was this: “In
Ecury. Born in Aruba on and oppression. cold bloodedness. Eventually, he proved him- my father’s house, there is
April 23rd, 1922, Boy spent self right. On November no place for a traitor.”
his childhood on the is- After seeing the horrific In 1943, he received a no- 5th, 1944, Boy Ecury was
land, before being sent to bombings of Rotterdam tice to be placed for work arrested by German sol- Source: “De Kolibrie op de
The Netherlands by his fa- first-hand, he decided to in Germany. This he re- diers. He was placed in Rots (en meer over the ge-
ther when he was 15 years join the resistance. At the fused, of course, and went the “Oranjehotel” prison in schiedenis van Aruba)” by
old to continue his studies same time, he was still into hiding using multiple Scheveningen, The Hague, Evert Bongers.
abroad. This was in 1937, studying and living with addresses in multiple cities. where he was questioned.
three years before WWII family in Tilburg. It was there Because he was a wanted Despite being given away
broke out. where he met people who man, he of course could
printed and distributed the not continue to be active by an acquaintance, he
During the war, he actively rebellion newspaper. This as a rebel. However, stub- himself never gave away
the names of his comrades.
participated in the rebel- would be the first of three born and naturally rebel- Famously, he told his cell
lion in The Netherlands rebellion group that he lious as he was, he always mate: “I will die with a smile
against the Nazi regime, would join throughout his tried to join in on the opera- on my face.”
but his rebellious streak and 4-year service to the resis- tions regardless. On November 6th, 1944,
constant drive to fight for tance. Ecury was executed. He
justice began even before Boy’s primary task as mem- In 1944, after his friend Luis
ber of the group was to dis- was only 22 years old.