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local Tuesday 14 OcTOber 2025
Planning on snorkeling? Get to know our Picuda!

(Oranjestad)—If you’re ever plan- is longer than the upper one. Its
ning on snorkeling during your va- peduncle, where the body meets
cation on Aruba, you may spot fish the tail, is thick, while the tail also
that you can’t recognize. One of forms a crescent but in this case
these may be the “Picuda”, a very one more “full” than that of mullet
common fish that swims all year or conefish. This reflects the hunting
long in the waters of Aruba. Here’s style of the Picuda. It needs to be
some information about the be- able to accelerate quickly when
loved Picuda. the prey gets close.

Let’s talk about the names of fish. In Aruba:
Do you know your fish? This is an Picuda can be found in our waters
informative article that illustrate around our island throughout the
some fish and their names in Pa- year. Picuda, in our waters, is ed-
piamento, which the Department ible without any problem. Picuda
of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisher- is also a highly sought-after fish by
ies, known as “Santa Rosa”, wants sports fishermen or recreational
to share and also obtain informa- fishermen because it puts up a
tion from the public. good fight once hooked. It can
“ambush predator” that stays still vary according to size. be caught via trolling from a boat,
Picuda, Sphyraena barracuda, or floats in the water waiting for casting from shore with a line or
Greater Barracuda its prey to approach so it can at- Description rod, or by jigging, casting the lure
Well known is the Picuda on the tack it with lightning speed. It is well The Picuda is a long fish, with a (artificial bait) and moving it with
island—Barracuda in English. Its known for fishermen, especially for round body like a torpedo and sil- certain rod motions.q
scientific name is Sphyraena bar- its white flesh in fish soup. In fish- ver in color with shiny black stripes.
racuda. It is a widely caught fish. ing culture, there are many other Below, that is, the belly, is whiter, Picture courtesy of the Department of
It is found throughout the year in names, such as Pecho blanco, Ble- while the top part is darker. Its snout Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries.
our waters, where it is a so-called kito, Banana, or Bleki. The names is very pointed, and the lower jaw

Lessons from our elders: Plants and fruits for medicinal use

(Oranjestad)— Though too much sweet potato, as
western medicine is now this raises blood pressure.
widely used for common Sweet potatoes are also
illnesses and to keep our great for people who work
bodies healthy and happy, hard labor jobs, and it’s
it is still very common in been said to be aid blood
every household in Aruba circulation in the body,
(and around the world) to as well as help those with
have staple home rem- hemorrhoids or diarrhea.
edies that is passed on
through generations. Here Many of our elders opted to
are some tips that our el- plant sweet potatoes them-
ders have passed on to us selves, mostly because of
over the years. how easy it was to do so.
Cut the end of a sweet po-
Sweet potato tato let it sit in shallow wa-
According to our elders, ter until it starts to sprout.
sweet potato is mostly use- Then you may plant it in the
ful for low blood pressure. ground. Sweet potatoes
People who suffer from low need plenty of water to
blood pressure were ad- grow, especially in the first
vised to eat sweet potato 2 week in the ground. It was
to 3 times a week. Howev- said that once you start to
er, if you have high blood notice the ground crack time to harvest. This should produce tinier pomegran- for our health. According
pressure, it is best not to eat underneath the flowers, it is happen around month 3. ates that can be harvest- to customs, pomegranate
ed early on. Contrarily, skin tea can help those that
Pomegranate big trees produce bigger suffer from diarrhea. Dried
Pomegranates are also pomegranates, but they pomegranate skin tea is
one of the easier fruits to need enough time to fully also good for people who
plant and harvest. Origi- ripen before harvesting, have worms. Pomegranate
nated from Persia, this otherwise you might end flowers can be boiled to
plant can grow almost ev- up with bitter seeds. Pome- make a drink and this can
erywhere. In Aruba, there granate trees are also very be used for irritated gums;
are many homes that have easy to plant. In essence, just take a swig and let the
a tiny or big pomegranate if you just throw the seeds tea sit in your mouth for a
tree. You may be wonder- on the ground, they could couple minutes.q
ing what the difference is grow into a tree.
between a small and big Source: Remedi i Kustumber
pomegranate tree, for In terms of medicinal use, di nos Bieunan (Medicine and
which the answer is based pomegranate skins are Customs of our Elderly) by Di-
nah Veeris
on harvest time. Tiny trees said to have a few benefits