Page 12 - AHATA
P. 12
Wednesday 11 May 2022 locAl
A10
Our Beloved Rock Episode CLIII - 153
Etnia Nativa facilitates cultural awareness, education
and safeguards Aruba’s heritage by elevating each
reader into an island keeper state of mind. Be encour-
aged to discover in every episode the true native ef-
fect, live it, get more reasons to love Aruba behind the
beaches and liven up your stay in an incredibly won-
derful way.
Our island is a tiny tourist destination with a fragile eco-
system but thousands of years of history but for us “the
native people” Aruba is our beloved rock or “Nos Ba-
ranca Stimá” in our local language Papiamento.
Yes, you read that right: this small island has thousands
of years of history since approximately 2,500 or 3,000
years ago, agro-potters from the Amazon-Orinoco riv-
er basins began their journey to our region, some by
land, others by through the rivers and settled along the
Atlantic coast, gradually entering the open sea per-
fecting their canoes and thus reaching the Caribbean
Sea.
These were agro-pottery, Arawak-speaking rainforest
hunters and farmers who colonized the northern and
coastal areas of the South American continent, includ- into flour for the production of their main territorial influence, (our episode 143).
ing almost all the islands of the Caribbean Sea. They staple such as arepas, cachapas and
displaced the former Paleolithic people who presided ayacas, pan bati, funchi etc. The Caquetios had a sociocultural units
them. During the Paleolithic era, these islands, includ- based on kinship and structured ac-
ing Aruba, were covered with vegetation, Prosopis for- These Arubans, the descendants of cording to age and sex, without many
ests and the coastline had a dense mangrove jungle. tropical forests farmers of South Ameri- economic, political or religious reasons
Aruba was an island that provided abundant hunting can who reached our islands, who be- for the differentiation of social status. So-
and fishing possibilities. came the legendary Caquetio tribe. cial controls were based on inheritance
rights and obligations except in cases
It was these first agro-potter inhabitants who had in- It was the Caquetios who received the of military activities that were under the
troduced an agricultural technique of slash-and-burn Spaniards upon their arrival, who by temporary leadership of special chiefs.
tropical forests farming. Method known as land clear- then had already constituted an or-
ing for agricultural purposes, associated with the culti- ganized society that responded to the Their well of technology and agricul-
vation of roots and tubers such as cassava, yams, sweet main chief or cacique who lived on Aru- tural surplus productions allowed the vil-
potatoes and some varieties of bananas and plantains ba and the mainland. The story men- lages to remain in the same place for
etc. There were also many seeds that could be ground tions his frequent visits to this part of his many years. They were sustained by a
more adequate and reliable food sup-
ply, including potatoes beans, peanuts
tail corn, maize, squash, cassava, veg-
etables and fruits, as well as the riches
of the mangrove forests and the Ca-
ribbean Sea. Our beloved Rock is how
the Caquetios referred to Aruba in their
language. If you love Aruba its origins
and its cultural heritage, be part of the
exclusive visitors of Etnia Nativa: a cozy
museum/home.q
Etnia Nativa a private residential houses
collections of native art, archaeological
artifacts and historic furniture, while the
facilities themselves are the result of the
transformation of recycled materials.
Meet Anthony Croes, our columnist at
his home! Book your visit Whatsapp +
297 592 2702- or mail: etnianativa03@
gmail.com
