Page 10 - aruba-today-20220202

Wednesday 2 February 2022 locAl
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Respect & Solidarity Episode CXL - 140

Our goal at Etnia Nativa is to raise cultural awareness, the demand for product quality and
promoting education and to safeguard our heritage as services higher. As a consequence, it
the sacred mother seed for renewal and reinvention, requires a greater effort to remain com-
guiding you to become the next and a new guardian petitive in the market. So our officials
of Aruba. should roll theirs sleeves and put heads
together in order to mitigate all eco-
A happy island needs each visitor to get involved in nomic endeavors which cause nega-
tourist activities where what is prioritized is respect for tive impacts to the environment and
the natural, cultural and social environment to define the inhabitants of Aruba as on pristine
and understand the values of our community. With this destination.
type of tourism there is a positive exchange of experi-
ences between visitors and residents, establishing a fair The European Alliance for Responsible
and equitable relationship in terms of the benefits that Tourism and Hospitality (EARTH) project
this activity can generate. defines Responsible Tourism as: “Any
In Aruba, more and more people are aware and con- specific tourism product or tourism pro-
cerned about environmental issues and the tourism duction system in which tourists, actors
market is also beginning to realize the negative impact and local providers assume responsi-
on the environment generated by unsustainable tourist bility for host destinations from the star,
activities. Our society is becoming increasingly aware involving environmental, cultural, social
of the need to preserve our flora, fauna, soil and sea and economic viability point of view.
and heritage. In recent times, different environmental Aruba needs to raise awareness of its still
defense groups have emerged that exert pressure on unfathomable assets that could be lost under rocks boulders that are part of
public opinion in relation to the effects of tourist activi- without even knowing they exist. It is in our garden. however we must be vigi-
ties with the sole purpose to generate revenue regard- the hands of its inhabitants to request lant since occasionally we must prevent
less of the environmental impact it is causing. legislative protection, safeguards and them going inside. We catch them on a
Our small beautiful island, like the entire planet Earth, guaranteed protection of the existence shovel or in a carton box and transport
is going through a decisive moment and our tourism in of our ecosystem for our next genera- them to safer place.
general should be governed by the principles of sus- tion and our future visitors.
tainability, in order to minimize the impact on the envi- As locals we must involve each visitor in In our gallery art we also display his-
ronment and local culture. the Aruba experience, share with them torical as well as native Aruban art and
To achieve this and generate benefits for the local our reality and our concern. artifacts. Follow our guided tours con-
population, we need our tourism to be aware of the Etnia Nativa is a small recycled build- ducted by its founder and curator, in-
existing socio-political reality. ing that has beautiful gardens and oc- corporating works of art, archaeologi-
Aruba and the planet need responsible and support- cupies an area of 880 m2 in Westpunt. cal objects, tools and weapons to tell
ive tourism and all types of tourism should currently as- Ten years ago it was surrounded by land the story of Aruba. Discover nature and
pire to this responsibility and solidarity, but the current of wild vegetation and inhabited by a island culture, through an educational
reality of tourism has little to do with these objectives diverse and varied fauna. Today, as a and mind-opening session for the curi-
we are advocating for. result of the excessive housing growth in ous and bohemian soul, the adventur-
Visitors are no longer satisfied with little and that makes the area, our home museum and sanc- ous spirit and those interested in acquir-
tuary houses different species in danger ing island knowledge. Interact and get
of extinction as an natural sanctuary for: infected with a good predisposition to
hummingbirds, doves, chuchubi; trupial; share our concern for preserving your
pecho gel, bats, lizards, totekis, geccos, fragile travel destination.q
crabs, beatles, mantis, santaneros, spi-
ders. They are our daily dwellers and Did you say that you love Aruba its origins
endemic fauna, even the invasive boa and cultural heritage? Than this private en-
and the cane toad are casual visitors counter with our columnist anthropologist is
just as you. Sessions created in a gorgeous
we wish no to see. On picture below, setting for visitor with special interests. Ap-
is our dreaded centipede who loves to pointment is required. etnianativa03@gmail.
scavenge and wander around for small com or Whatsapp us 297 592 2702 for a pri-
insects, frogs and small rodents that lives vate reservation.