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local Wednesday 18 June 2025

Planning on snorkeling? Get to know our Candelchi!

(Oranjestad)—If you’re ever planning on snor- with pink or red hues and often show heart-
keling during your vacation on Aruba, you may shaped streaks between the scales along the
spot fish that you can’t recognize. One of these body. They have hard fins and are always
may be the “Candelchi” (Squirrelfish), a com- armed. Over at our sister island Curaçao, they
mon, yet shy fish that swims all year long in the are called "bari di clabo" (nail barrel) for that
waters of Aruba. reason.

Let's talk about the names of fish. Do you know In our waters, there are 7 to 8 types or species
your fish? The Department of Department of present and they are sometimes caught and
Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries, known as seen occasionally. They can be distinguished
Santa Rosa, offers this informative article that by different marks such as color on the dorsal
illustrate some fish and their names in Papia- spine or marks on the body.
mento.
In Aruba:
Candelchi, Squirrelfish, Holocentrus adscensio- scensionis. Candelchi are found on reefs or areas with
nis: structure in the water where they can hide.
Candelchi actually refers to the entire squir- Under candelchi, we in Aruba generally refer to Although they prefer to hunt for food at night,
relfish family or, as some say, when we say can- all the different species of squirrelfish. They all they are also active during the day. They are
delchi, we mean several different species but look alike and it's really difficult to distinguish be- edible and delicious when prepared dry and
without distinguishing them by species. In this tween them. crispy with lime. It is particularly challenging to
picture, we are showing the most common one scale the fish, which is why it is not one of the
in our waters, which is called squirrelfish in Eng- The squirrelfish family is distinguished by the fol- favorites among fishermen. They often live in
lish or scientifically known as Holocentrus ad- lowing characteristics. They are heart-shaped groups.q

Food culture in Aruba

(Oranjestad) - Like many pie), arepas and empana- of a whole (warm) meal. In-
other cultures, an important das early in the morning. stead, the evening “meal”
aspect of the Aruban cultural can typically consist of some-
identity is our connection to Main Meal thing lighter, like a sandwich,
food and food traditions. The The main meal is typically though it is not uncommon to
local food traditions consist eaten in most households see leftovers from the main
of a melting pot of different around noon or in the af- meal reheated and eaten
cultural and religious eating ternoon. This can consist of again. Tea and coffee are
habits and dishes. meat, fish, and chicken— often also served with the
stewed or fried—with funchi evening snack.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner (polenta) or rice with stewed (pistachio cake), bolo di side of the road and often
The routine of breakfast, vegetables. Often, fried or (Religious) Holidays cashupete (cashew cake), open until late at night—of-
lunch and dinner on the boiled plantain or pan bati Christmas is probably the big- quesillo (flan), bolo preto fering tasty and filling snacks
island is one that does not (Aruban pancake) is in- gest global holiday, and ev- (dark fruit cake), drigidek post night-life fun.
completely follow a Euro- cluded. Stews are a staple ery culture has its own spin on (gingerbread), pan boyo
pean or American routine, in Aruban cuisine and can what their Christmas cuisine (bread cake) and more.
despite the major influences are largely influenced by Lat- entails. In Aruba, our Christ- *ABC Islands: Aruba, Bonaire
from these parts of the world in-American and Latin/Afro- mas cuisine is again largely Snacks and tasty delights and Curacao
on our culture and way of Caribbean Stews. Some of based on Latin-American in- Besides meals and dishes *Pan di ham: Derived from
living. When it comes to the the more unique stews and fluences, most notably form that are eaten on the dinner the Venezuelan Pan de
three important meals of soups from the ABC Islands* Venezuela. Ayacas and the table, Aruba also has a food Jamon (rolled up bread with
the day, most of the Aruban include sopi di bonchi cora famous pan di ham* are two tradition that includes snacks ham, raisins and olives)
population follows a Latin- (red kidney bean soup with crucial holiday dishes, along and other tasty delights that *Saco: Saco literally means
American influenced routine. pig tail), sopi mondongo with stuffed turkey, roasted you may easily find around “bag”. Saco contains fried
(tripe soup), carni stoba glazed ham topped with the island. These include, potatoes, plantains, chick-
Breakfast (beef stew), comcomber pineapples, arroz con pollo Saco*, basket, pastechi, en (and ribs) and a Johnny
Breakfast in Aruba is quite stoba (West Indian gherkin (rice and chicken) and po- kroket, deditos, Johnny cake cake, served in a paper
simple: a cup of coffee or stew) and much more. tato salad, among other and more. These snacks are bag.q
tea, some bread, and some- items. Traditional drinks in- usually sold at local snack
times an egg. Sometimes, Dinner Time clude ponche crema (Aru- trucks and cafes, often lo- Source: Voeding, voedings-
due to the need of a quick Dinner time can vary signifi- ban eggnog), chuculati cated on the side of the gewoonten en gerechten op
Aruba (Nutrition, Food Tradi-
“to-go” breakfast, you may cantly from household to pinda (hot chocolate with road. In the area of Tanki tions and Dishes on Aruba) by
also find many snack trucks household. Unlike the U.S. peanut butter), and home- Leendert and Tanki flip, for Biblioteca Nacional Aruba
and cafes that sell sand- or in Europe, dinner time made fruit punch. Desserts example, there are many of
wiches, pastechis (meat typically does not consist include, bolo di pistachio these trucks parked on the