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local Friday 19 July 2024

PSA: Rock scribbling not acceptable!

In a series of photos pub- shared with us. Something ed Minister Arends, where
lished by the minister in absolutely unacceptable! he assured that such acts
charge of Nature, Ursell Ar- We need to encourage are not tolerable when it
ends, on his social media, tourists to respect our na- comes to nature in Aruba.
Facebook, it is evident that ture. Tour guides, whether The photos were taken at
individuals have written on land or sea, taxi drivers, Arashi, but it is not known
with what appears to be a everyone who works direct- if there are more rocks that
marker pen on large rocks ly with tourists, and if you have also been similarly
in nature, an act that the see something like this be- marked with marker pens.
minister considers “unac- ing done as well. We can “The idea is to bring more
ceptable.” all lend a hand to preserve awareness in the commu-
our nature. Stop stacking nity, with tour companies
On his Facebook page, rocks and stop writing on and with the tourists them-
the official wrote a post: them!” selves, to neither support
“The following images were Aruba Today also contact- nor commit such acts. This is
vandalism against nature,”
the official affirmed.
The call is to any citizen
or tourist to consider that
what might be consid-
ered a “custom” in certain
countries can ultimately
have a negative environ-
mental impact and reflects
a need to express oneself
with meaningless content,
besides affecting the land- It is for this reason that we our beautiful nature by
scape. implore our beloved visi- maintaining it clean and
tors to respect and honor healthy. q

Alto Vista chapel and its link to Aruba’s origins

Bernardino Silvester, one of ger see much of the town cording to Nooyen. About
Antonio’s sons with his wife of Alto Vista from 1750. With 50 meters near the chapel
Anna Cathalina Tromp, a lot of work they found there are still the markings
“neighbors and naturals of the old foundations of the of an old house, where
the island Aruba” and thus Church of the Queen of Antonio and Bernardino
they became natives. the Holiest Rosary to build Silvester would have lived.
a new chapel on the same About 200 meters from the
At the end of the eighteen place. The entire surround- chapel there is a water
century many inhabitants ing area was empty and tank which the locals call
According to Etnia Nativa, appointed Domingo Anto- the island died as a result of desolated, making it hard Tanki Cacique. In the past
in the 18th century most of nio Silvester as the island’s the black fever epidemic to imagine that Alto Vista this tank was closed. But
the inhabitants of Aruba first prosecutor in the name and since people believed was a town at all. A hun- mostly water was brought
were indigenous who lived of the Spanish crown and that the Alto Vista area was dred years later, people out from the Poz di Noord,
on the north coast, one of Rome. In 1752 the prosecu- the most infected, they be- can see the remains of a well dug in the sand.
the largest communities tion passed into the hands gan to build their homes around twenty houses,
lived in Alto Vista. of Antonio Silvester’s son- further south within the some made of stone and The chapel can be viewed
in-law, Miguel Álvarez, who Noord area, so the town of others of clay. Nowadays, from basically any point in
As they were very religious, continued to guide the pa- Noord began to grow into only around six of these the north side, even from
they had a chief with the rishioners in their prayers. a community till getting its houses remain. Paradera and Sero Plat.
name of Antonio Silvester own Church. However re- All the historical remains
who guided them in the According to the book, ligious festivals continued South of the chapel in the around the chapel provide
Christian life and it was he The History of Alto Vista by to be celebrated at this sa- yard two graves can be us with an idea on how the
who decided to build a R.H. Nooyen, it is not known cred native place, with the observed, there was the old people of Alto Vista
stone chapel with a roof when Domingo Antonio Sil- custom of arriving in pro- cemetery which father used to live. Don’t miss the
of corn rods, which would vester came to Aruba from cession to Alto Vista. Pablo de Algemesi blessed. opportunity to visit a place
serve as a place of prayer. Venezuela. The elders be- It is not certain, but it is be- of historical significance
In 1750 it was blessed by Fa- lieve Antonio was a Span- Two-hundred years after lieved that the two graves with a window to Aruba’s
ther Algamesi who came iard. In 1780, father Joseph the beautiful time of Alto belong to Antonio Silvester past.q
from Coro-Venezuela and Antonio de la Vegal called Vista, people can no lon- and Miguel Alvares, ac-