Page 8 - AHATA

Tuesday 28 OcTOber 2025 locAl
A10

Aruba’s neighborhoods; the meaning behind their names

Just like any other coun- The name is not an official
try, Aruba has unique and name, but the name of the
beautifully named neigh- development proyect that
borhoods that all form a took place. It is hoped that
part of its culture and de- the original and ‘old’ name
velopment. Many of these of Anabui is never lost and
names have a historical now it will be remembered
background and meaning by both locals and tourists.
that teaches us about the
island and its rich culture Angochi
every day. This name can be seen
on the Werbata map with
With this series, we want little and cursive letters. It is
to take you on a journey the unofficial name for the
of discovery, where you’ll area given by a tenant to
learn not only the beautiful the land that was rented to
names but the history be- him.
hind it that gives it life and
meaning. The biggest probability that
historians believe is that
Anabui/Tierra Del Sol it comes from native de-
This neighborhood can be scent, during the time in
seen on Van Raders map the 19th century where
and Werbata as Anna is the origin that has been Mestizos still lived on Aruba.
Boei. Anna Boei is a name more or less speculated The name can’t really be
of which there isn’t much and assumed for the word explain and according to
information about its origin. Anabui and it’s meaning. books on its history seems
to be more of a sign of cor-
The best historians were During the second world ruption.
able to deduce is that this war and later, this area was
name came to be be- used as a terrain for training However, it seems to come
cause of a miscommunica- of shooting by militia and from combining A(n), which
tion between Van Spengler latero n Korps Mariniers (the is a generalizing prefix and
and the natives who were marines of Aruba). By the Goeiza, which means ‘the
living on the island. In the end of the previous century spirit of a living man’. An-
Arawak/Taino language a large part of Anabui was gochi remains more of a
one can find the word would mean “the best juice boio instead, consisting of developed to have luxuri- guess.
Anaiboa, which consists of of a cassava”. Ana meaning the best and ous villas and a golf course,
Ana meaning flower or the Boio (bohio); house, the it- which lead to it getting the This neighborhood’s abbre-
best and Iboa; the juice of If one assumes that the ac- eration of Anabui would name Tierra Del Sol, Span- viation is; An.q
a cassava, which together tual word heard was Ana- mean “the best house.” This ish for Land of the Sun.

Planning on snorkeling? Get to know our Picuda!

(Oranjestad)—If you’re This reflects the hunting
ever planning on snorkel- style of the Picuda. It needs
ing during your vacation to be able to accelerate
on Aruba, you may spot quickly when the prey gets
fish that you can’t recog- close.
nize. One of these may be
the “Picuda”, a very com- In Aruba:
mon fish that swims all year Picuda can be found in our
long in the waters of Aruba. waters around our island
Here’s some information throughout the year. Picu-
about the beloved Picuda. da, in our waters, is edible
without any problem. Picu-
Let’s talk about the names da is also a highly sought-
of fish. Do you know your after fish by sports fishermen
fish? This is an informative or recreational fishermen
article that illustrate some because it puts up a good
fish and their names in Pa- on the island—Barracuda fishermen, especially for with shiny black stripes. fight once hooked. It can
piamento, which the De- in English. Its scientific name its white flesh in fish soup. Below, that is, the belly, is be caught via trolling from
partment of Agriculture, is Sphyraena barracuda. It In fishing culture, there are whiter, while the top part a boat, casting from shore
Livestock and Fisheries, is a widely caught fish. It is many other names, such as is darker. Its snout is very with a line or rod, or by jig-
known as “Santa Rosa”, found throughout the year Pecho blanco, Blekito, Ba- pointed, and the lower jaw ging, casting the lure (ar-
wants to share and also in our waters, where it is a nana, or Bleki. The names is longer than the upper tificial bait) and moving it
obtain information from the so-called “ambush preda- vary according to size. one. Its peduncle, where with certain rod motions.q
public. tor” that stays still or floats the body meets the tail,
in the water waiting for Description is thick, while the tail also Picture courtesy of the
Picuda, Sphyraena barra- its prey to approach so it The Picuda is a long fish, forms a crescent but in this Department of Agriculture,
cuda, Greater Barracuda can attack it with lightning with a round body like a case one more “full” than Livestock and Fisheries.
Well known is the Picuda speed. It is well known for torpedo and silver in color that of mullet or conefish.