Page 9 - AHATA

a7
local Friday 11 July 2025
Aruba: the legend behind its name

(Oranjestad)—Most folkloric themselves near a fairly tall called for his family on his
tales and legends in Aruba hill and decided to climb it death bed. In his hammock,
revolve around our indige- for a better view of a village. he said: “My children, many
nous ancestors, who came This hill was called Pan Dushi years have passed, and I’ve
from mainland Venezuela, or Orcuyo, which today we asked my warrior to bring me
and discovered the island call Hooiberg. back to the island so I can
and made it into their new laid to rest. The God of living
home. This particular legend The next morning, they could has given me the gift of life
tells the story of the birth of clearly see that they have to see my son, grandchildren
the Aruba name. landed on an island, but and great grandchildren. But
an unfamiliar one at that. now he is calling me home.
The legend follows the life of When Corobori went back Corobori, my torch is now
Arua, an indigenous Caci- to where his father was wait- passed to you. Guide our
que originally from Aroa in ing, he told him the news: people, and be the leader live, they built the Paradera and Malmok, the 13-year-
the Falcon state in Venezu- “Father Arua, you have just you were always meant to Church. old boy who alerted the
ela in the year 50 AD. Arua discovered an island, but it become. If one day you And that is the tale of what Cacique when the Caribes
had a son around the year is not Curacao or Bonaire. leave my island, do not for- inspired the Aruba name. In attacked.
70 AD with his wife Shira, who Far in the south, we saw the get that it is also yours. This is the generations that lived or
they named Corobori. When big mountains of our home- my last wish: When I die, bury travelled back and forth to Familiar names: all these
Corobori was old enough, land Venezuela, which we me in our maize plantation.” the island, there were many names are familiar to Aru-
he joined his father on the could have never seen on familiar names*, like Guadiri- bans, as these are the names
usual boat trip to the islands the other island. This leads And so when the Cacique ki, a warrior who was there of places and plants on the
of Curacao and Bonaire to us to believe we are on a passed away, his wishes when the island got discov- island. q
gather salt. new island. But that’s not all. were granted and he was ered and his son, whom he
When the sun came up, we laid to rest in the area we called Huliba; Corobori and Source: Un storia di e Indjan
On their way back to Main- saw in the distance a glow- now know as the Paradera his children, Corodori, Cama- Arua (A story of the Indian
land Venezuela, they were ing plain, which we think Cemetery. Where he used to curi and Turibana, Masiduri; Arua) by Adolf (Dufi) Kock
caught up in a heavy rain may be salt.”
storm—a side effect from a
passing, but far away, hur- The Cacique was pleased
ricane. Of course, because to hear of his son’s findings.
of the lack of motors and sail, He decided to stay a cou-
their boat was left in the mer- ple days on the newly-dis-
cy of the heavy winds. After covered island in search for
a while, the storm started to salt. The next morning they
pass, and the clouds began ascended Hooiberg again
to clear up. Finally able to and stayed to see if they
see around them, the Ca- could find nearby smoke,
cique spotted land approx- indicating an inhabitant vil-
imately an hour away. So, lage. But they found noth-
they started to row in that ing. So they went back to
direction until they reached their initial arrival settlement,
the coast. now known as Santo Largo in
Savaneta. The next morning
Once they arrived on what they hiked along the Spaans
they thought was Venezu- Lagoen near the Mangel
ela, they decided to stay the Halto Beach and reached
night and fix their kayak. The the area of Bushiri. There,
next morning, the Cacique they boarded they kayaks
ordered his son and a few and heading to what we
warriors to go find any sign know now as Malmok, where
of population in the area: they found rocks of salt. After
"Corobori,” Arua said. “Don't a couple days of exploring
come back without news. It’s the island and gathering
in your hands how long we some salt rocks, they left for
stay here till we find our fam- Venezuela, where they were
ily. So, if you need to take a reunited with their families.
week to gather information,
we will wait for you." Throughout the year, they
travelled back and forth to
"Don't worry,” Corobori re- Aruba, collecting salt. After
plied. “As soon as we have a while they settled on the is-
any information, we will land, generations of families
let you know." Armed with living along the coast. Coro-
arrows and spears, back- bori was the first indigenous
packs filled with food and inhabitant in our history to
water containers, they set explore the entirety of the
off. They climbed several island.
small hills, but no sign of a
village. They crossed differ- Arua, after decades as the
ent dry riverbeds, but no sign leader of his tribe, spent his
of anything. When the sun fi- last days on the island. Hav-
nally descended, they found ing reached 80 years old, he