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local Thursday 16 May 2024

Aruba is going to celebrate the 4th Multicultural Encounter in San Nicolas

Once again this year, San creating a space where art-
Nicolas will be the epicenter ists of all genres can demon-
of art and culture in Aruba, strate their talent and express
where on Sunday, May 19th, to the present audience, all
it will start with a gastronomic the artistic potential that ex-
fair and multicultural show, ists in Aruba.
and on May 21st, there will
be a Peace and Unity pa- Through the "Aruba Multi-
rade. cultural Encounter", the De-
partment of Culture of Aru-
This encounter is related to ba pushes to stimulate the
the "World Day for Cultural people of Aruba to continue
Diversity for Dialogue and working, living, feeling, and
Development" declared by preserving the cultural heri-
UNESCO, the Ministry of Cul- tage, both material and non-
ture of Aruba together with material. Protect the cultural
the Department of Culture of heritage and legacy of each
Aruba, the Consular Corps, nationality and thus create
UNESCO Aruba, Artisa, and a space to share the cultural
artistic groups, Cultural Folk- richness of all the people liv-
lore established in Aruba ing in Aruba.
from different countries such
as Colombia, the Nether- of unity, generate integra- lumbus Day'. peaceful coexistence en- The central theme this year
lands, India, Italy, Jamaica, tion, and share with each Moreover, it is a platform vironment, where respect, is: "Elevate the Aruban to
Peru, the Philippines, Santo other the greatest richness where every country has the tolerance, and freedom of the height of his culture
Domingo, Suriname, Ven- of Aruba, which is our multi- opportunity to celebrate its artistic and cultural expres- and learn about others, the
ezuela, and others besides culturalism. In the past, it has culture in a spirit of gratitude sion are highlighted, to then richness of our country is our
Aruba, will bring their unique already been celebrated for and meet each other in unity continue promoting this, pre- multiculturalism."q
presentations. 15 consecutive years under and harmony contributing to sented in combination with
the name of 'Multicultural the peace and unity of all a multidisciplinary cultural Photo courtesy of the De-
This project, created in Fair', which took place on the peoples of the world. exchange show, a gastro- partment of Culture's Face-
2021, aims to create bonds October 12th, which is 'Co- Likewise, it is to create a nomic and craft exhibition, book Page.

Lessons from our elders:

Plants and fruits for medicinal use (part 2)

(Oranjestad)—In last week’s edition, we shared with our readers some
medicinal use for plants and fruits, passed down from our elders through
generations. This week, we present two more uses of fruits and plants for
medicinal use.

Sweet potato

Pomegranate
Pomegranates are also one of the easier fruits to plant and harvest.
Originated from Persia, this plant can grow almost everywhere. In Aru-
ba, there are many homes that have a tiny or big pomegranate tree.
You may be wondering what the difference is between a small and big
pomegranate tree, for which the answer is based on harvest time. Tiny
According to our elders, sweet potato is mostly useful for low blood pres- trees produce tinier pomegranates that can be harvested early on. Con-
sure. People who suffer from low blood pressure were advised to eat trarily, big trees produce bigger pomegranates, but they need enough
sweet potato 2 to 3 times a week. However, if you have high blood pres- time to fully ripen before harvesting, otherwise you might end up with
sure, it is best not to eat too much sweet potato, as this raises blood pres- bitter seeds. Pomegranate trees are also very easy to plant. In essence,
sure. Sweet potatoes are also great for people who work hard labor jobs, if you just throw the seeds on the ground, they could grow into a tree.
and it’s been said to be aid blood circulation in the body, as well as help
those with hemorrhoids or diarrhea. In terms of medicinal use, pomegranate skins are said to have a few
Many of our elders opted to plant sweet potatoes themselves, mostly benefits for our health. According to customs, pomegranate skin tea can
because of how easy it was to do so. Cut the end of a sweet potato help those that suffer from diarrhea. Dried pomegranate skin tea is also
let it sit in shallow water until it starts to sprout. Then you may plant it in good for people who have worms. Pomegranate flowers can be boiled
the ground. Sweet potatoes need plenty of water to grow, especially in to make a drink and this can be used for irritated gums; just take a swig
the first week in the ground. It was said that once you start to notice the and let the tea sit in your mouth for a couple minutes. q
ground crack underneath the flowers, it is time to harvest. This should
happen around month 3. Source: Remedi i Kustumber di nos Bieunan (Medicine and Customs of our El-
derly) by Dinah Veeris