Page 10 - AHATA

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local Wednesday 26 February 2025

Aruba: The island of Aloes

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

Around 1920, about two-
thirds of Aruba was aloe
fields, earning our island
the nickname “The Island
of Aloes.”

Under Commander Jan