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                                                                                                           local Saturday 1 June 2024

            Lessons from our elders:

            Plants and fruits for medicinal

            use (part 2)
















                                                                                    in  the  first  week  in  the  ground.  It  bitter  seeds.  Pomegranate  trees
                                                                                    was said that once you start to no-  are also very easy to plant. In es-
                                                                                    tice the ground crack underneath  sence,  if  you  just  throw  the  seeds
                                                                                    the flowers, it is time to harvest. This  on  the  ground,  they  could  grow
                                                                                    should happen around month 3.       into a tree.

                                                                                               Pomegranate              In  terms  of  medicinal  use,  pome-
                                                                                    Pomegranates are also one of the  granate  skins  are  said  to  have  a
            (Oranjestad)—In  last  week’s  edi-  too  much  sweet  potato,  as  this  easier  fruits  to  plant  and  harvest.  few  benefits  for  our  health.  Ac-
            tion,  we  shared  with  our  readers  raises blood pressure. Sweet pota-  Originated  from  Persia,  this  plant  cording to customs, pomegranate
            some medicinal use for plants and  toes are also great for people who  can  grow  almost  everywhere.  In  skin tea can help those that suffer
            fruits, passed down from our elders  work hard labor jobs, and it’s been  Aruba,  there  are  many  homes  from  diarrhea.  Dried  pomegran-
            through generations. This week, we  said to be aid blood circulation in  that have a tiny or big pomegran-  ate skin tea is also good for people
            present two more uses of fruits and  the body, as well as help those with  ate  tree.  You  may  be  wondering  who  have  worms.  Pomegranate
            plants for medicinal use.           hemorrhoids or diarrhea.            what the difference is between a  flowers  can  be  boiled  to  make  a
                                                                                    small  and  big  pomegranate  tree,  drink  and  this  can  be  used  for  ir-
                       Sweet potato             Many of our elders opted to plant  for  which  the  answer  is  based  on  ritated gums; just take a swig and
            According to our elders, sweet po-  sweet potatoes themselves, mostly  harvest  time.  Tiny  trees  produce  let  the  tea  sit  in  your  mouth  for  a
            tato is mostly useful for low blood  because of how easy it was to do  tinier  pomegranates  that  can  be  couple minutes. q
            pressure.  People  who  suffer  from  so. Cut the end of a sweet potato  harvested early on. Contrarily, big
            low  blood  pressure  were  advised  let it sit in shallow water until it starts  trees  produce  bigger  pomegran-  Source: Remedi i Kustumber di nos
            to eat sweet potato 2 to 3 times a  to sprout. Then you may plant it in  ates,  but  they  need  enough  time   Bieunan (Medicine and Customs of
            week.  However,  if  you  have  high  the ground. Sweet potatoes need  to  fully  ripen  before  harvesting,          our Elderly) by Dinah Veeris
            blood pressure, it is best not to eat  plenty of water to grow, especially  otherwise  you  might  end  up  with


            The Bushiribana Gold Mill Ruins and its history



            (Oranjestad)—The  Bushiri-   found  some  gold,  it  was
            bana Gold Mill Ruins is one  enough  to  motivate  a  fur-
            of  the  most  visited  places  ther search, and the assign-
            by  tourists  on  the  island,  ment was  discontinued by
            as  it  lies  along  the  north-  Printz himself.
            ern coast line near the mini
            pool and on the way to the  It wasn’t until 100 years lat-
            Natural  Bridge.  Despite  its  er,  in  1824,  when  a  young
            seemingly  plain  appear-    boy  found  a  lump  of  gold
            ance,  this  ruin  represents  while  out  herding  his  fa-
            one  of  the  most  important  ther’s sheep. His father took
            histories  of  the  island:  The  it to a local merchant who
            Aruban Gold Rush.            then sold the lump for $70.
                                         Unbeknownst  to  the  boy
            Built in 1872 by English com-  and  his  father,  they  quite
            pany  Aruba  Island  Gold  literally  struck  gold,  and
            Mining  Company  Ltd,  the  as  word  got  out,  a  gold
            gold  mill  at  Bushiribana  fever  spread  among  the
            was  constructed  in  the  locals  who  started  search-
            area where most gold was  ing for more gold. About 25  government  decided  to  Island Gold Mining Compa-           processes  were  done  at
            found  by  locals.  The  story  pounds worth was found.   implement stricter rules and  ny Ltd. was no different, but  the Bushiribana Gold Mill.
            of  gold  on  Aruba  actually                             banned  local  search  par-  used a unique method that
            dates  back  to  1725,  when  At the same time, the Aru-  ties.                        involved grinding the rocks  The  gold  mill  itself  had  a
            a  first  exploration  for  gold  ban   government   took                              and  letting  the  dust  be  short life-span: only 10 years
            on the island was commis-    immediate  actions,  and  Over  the  years,  conces-      blown  away  by  the  strong  in  service,  but  its  structure
            sioned  by  the  Dutch  West  informed  Curacao  that  sion-holding  had  seen  dif-   northeast  wind,  leaving  remained relatively solid till
            India Company. Under the  gold  was  found.  At  first,  ferent   companies     from  clumps of gold behind. The  this  day,  and  is  now  a  his-
            leadership  of  Mr.  Paulus  everyone  could  look  for  around  the  world,  all  of  next  step  was  melting  the  torical remnant.
            Printz,  a  three-year  search  gold,  as  long  as  they  sold  which used primitive meth-  gold  and  letting  it  attach
            was conducted on Aruba,  it to the government. How-       ods  to  dig  and  carve  out  to  quicksilver  in  order  to   Sources: Etnia Nativa & gold-
            to  no  avail.  Though  they  ever,  after  some  time,  the  gold from the rocks. Aruba  obtain pure gold. All these           mineranch.com.
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