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Thursday 16 May 2024 LOCAL
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Enjoy one of the best views on Aruba at the top of the Hooiberg Hill

above sea level (or about newer staircase with only
540 feet above sea level). 587 steps. However, don’t
The highest point is Ja- be fooled—it may still be
manota Hill at 189 meters a work out to get on top.
(620 feet), located in the In addition, there is now a
Arikok National Park. gazebo placed halfway up
The staircase that run on the stair for a little rest. The
the side of the hill was first view at this resting stop is
built in 1951, when Mr. Edu- also a sight to see.
ardo Tromp constructed it. The best time to climb the
At that time, the staircase hill would be early in the
consisted of 900 steps. morning or right before
Over time, as the steps sunset, as it may not be as
faced erosion, the govern- hot. However, the hill is of
ment decided to renovate course open all day, every
these stairs in 1991. This day.q
new project delivered the
(Oranjestad)—If you are times even the Santa Anna
a regular hiker, or may- mountain located in the
be want to spice up your coastal state of Falcon in
morning work out session, Venezuela, providing one
then you might enjoy one of the best views you can
of the most popular climb- get on Aruba.
ing sites on the island: The
Hooiberg Hill. Accompa- located at the center dis-
nied with a 600-step stair- trict of the island, Santa
case, this hill overlooks a Cruz, the Hooiberg Hill is
great part of the island, the the second highest point
Caribbean sea, and some- on the island at 165 meters

Ever heard of the cah’i orgel?
A key instrument in Aruban folklore music

(Oranjestad)—The cah’i orgel mu- After that, Sprock made his own recognized from the start that the
sic box is an important and unique cah’i orgel “Josefina”, and suc- cah’i orgel is an instrument that
instrument that is used on the ABC cessfully debuted it on the streets needs preserving.
islands in the Dutch Caribbean. of Barquisimeto. Back in Curacao,
This instrument is a staple in our he started his own cah’i orgel busi- As mentioned, the cah’i orgel is a
folklore music, and its significance ness along with his brother Luis. In music box. made from mahogany
in the traditions of Aruba has and Aruba, it is said that the cah’i or- wood, it contains a cylinder with a
continues to bring together the old gel was introduced by Rufo Wever, maximum of eight music pieces.
and young. who later in his career became By rotating the lever on the front
one of the composers for the Aru- side of the box, the cah’i orgel pro-
The origin of the cah’i orgel is said ban national anthem. duces music similar to that of a pi-
to have come from Europe around ano, and is accompanied often by
150 years ago. A cross breed be- Rufo Wever was a young musician someone else playing the “wiri”, a tumba, mazurka and more.q
tween the barrel piano and the in 1937 when he established his percussion instrument made out of
organ, the most popular stories own cah’i orgel business on the is- steel and reminiscent to the Span- Fun fact: another name for the
said that the instrument came land. Before that he experimented ish guiro. Back then, you would of- cah’i orgel is the “tingilingi box.”
from either England or Germany, with his uncle’s cah’i orgel, and he ten also find someone playing the
but made its way to Italy down over the years he learned to build triangle alongside the cah’i orgel Source: “E Cilinder Magico en-
to Venezuela, where in 1881, Mr. and repair the instrument. In fact, and wiri. In Aruba, the cah’i orgel tre Aruba y Curaçao” by Marilyn
Horatio Sprock (1866-1949) from he was incredibly skilled in this, and and wiri is used for traditional music Alcalá-Wallé, Herta Parabirsing-
Curacao was first introduced to it. he was one of the few to have genres, such as the Aruban waltz, Balentina and Nidia Rosaria-Wallé.

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