Page 11 - aruba-today-20231002

A11
LOCAL Monday 2 october 2023
Visit the island’s popular cave sites!

(Oranjestad)—Among the ceremonies.
endless sea of dark brown
sand and cacti, there are The Huliba Cave/ Tunnel of
two caves hidden in the Love
outskirts of San Nicolas, in The Huliba Cave, formerly
the north-eastern area of known as the Tunnel of
the island. These caves, Love, was once open to
The Quadiriki cave and The the public, and was the
Fontein Cave are open to biggest and most acces-
visitors of the Arikok Na- sible of all three caves. This
tional Park, so if you ever cave had five chambers,
decide to take an “off- including one that is heart-
road” tour in the park, be shaped. This cave had nar-
sure to visit these prehis- row stairs that led to long
toric caves…and be sure to pathways deep into the
bring a flashlight! cave, with a staircase lead-
ing to the exit on the other
Quadirikiri Cave side. In one of the cham-
Known for its two cham- bers, there used to be the
bers accompanied by a carving of the Virgin Mary,
skylight, the Quadikiri Cave put there for the protection
is the most popular cave of the cave.
among locals and tourists,
as it is easy to walk through However, the Huliba Cave
and provides great lighting has been permanently
for pictures. closed for a few years now,
as a way to preserve the
As with all prehistoric or an- bat population that lives
cient sites, there is always in the cave. These Long
a folk legend that adds to Tongue Fruit Bats and In-
the lore and mystery of the sect Eater Bats are very im-
site. The Quadirikiri cave portant to the ecosystem of
is no different. The most the island. Though this cave
well-known legend behind is no longer accessible to
the cave could be consid- the public, it surely is inter-
ered as Aruba’s first love esting to learn more about
story, as it tells the tale of the history of these caves
the undying love between and the Awarak tribes that
the chief’s daughter and resided or utilized them.
her beloved. As legend
would have it, the chief Do note that these caves
disapproved of his daugh- are very dark, humid, hot,
ter’s choice of lover, as and are inhabited by bats.
he thought him unworthy. Do wear comfortable
Stubborn and filled with an- clothing and shoes, as the
ger, the daughter refused pathways in these caves
to turn away her beloved. may be rough and bumpy,
and don’t forget to bring a
So, the chief decided to through to illuminate the been occupied—or at awak settlers on the island flashlight!q
lock her up in the Quadirikiri chamber. least used by prehistoric Ar- for rituals and other spiritual
Cave, in hopes that she
would soon calm down Though there have been
and turn away her lover. discoveries of Amerindian
Her beloved, in turn, was drawing on the wall, these
locked away in the Tunnel have mostly been ruined
of Love (Now known as the by vandalism. However,
Huliba Cave). the Fontein Cave further
up north, provides a better
Through the pathways un- glimpse in prehistoric Amer-
derneath the Tunnel of indian paintings.
Love running up to the
Quadiriki cave, the two Fontein Cave
love bird found each other, Longer than the Quadirikiri
and refused to let each Cave, the Fontein Cave
other go. Because of their contains pathways that
stubbornness, they both stretch to the limestone
died in the Quadiriki Cave, walls further down. Here
their ascending spirits burn- is also where prehistoric
ing two holes in the ceiling drawings can be seen.
of the cave. This is why the Though this cave does not
cave has two holes through have its own legend, this
which sunlight passes was speculated to have