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a8 local
Friday 5 January 2024

Aruba to me

ORANJESTAD — You are sation.
back and we would like to Last but not least: check out
portrait you! By inviting you our website, Instagram and
to send us your favorite va- Facebook page! Thank you
cation picture while enjoy- for supporting our free news-
ing our Happy Island. paper, we strive to make
you a happy reader every
Complete the sentence: day again.
Aruba to me is ……. Send For today we received a
your picture with that text lovely message from Norma
(including your name and and Ron Rubin from Swamp-
where you are from) to: scott, MA, USA.
news@arubatoday.com
and we will publish your va- They wrote to us saying:
cation memory. Isn’t that a “Aruba to me is family.
special way to keep your
best moments alive? Please We first came to Aruba 37
do note: By submitting pho- years and have not missed
tos, text or any other ma- a year since. We fell in love
terials, you give permission with the people, the climate,
to The Aruba Today News- the beaches. As much as our 6 grandchildren ages look forward to seeing. The Aruba is our Happy Place.
paper, Caribbean Speed Aruba has developed, none 7-19. They love it as much 3rd, but not the least part is We are beyond grateful.”
Printers and any of its affili- of that has changed. as we do & cannot wait our family of the incredible
ated companies to use said When it was just the two of to return every year. It is a staff at Costa Linda. They Thank you for sending us this
materials, as well as names, us, we never could have joyous gift. The 2nd part of always make us feel like we wonderful message sharing
likeness, etc. for promotional imagined being here with our family are the wonderful are home again. what Aruba means to you
purposes without compen- our entire family including friends we have made and with us and our readers!q

Alto Vista chapel and its link to Aruba’s origins

Venezuela. The elders be- Two-hundred years after belong to Antonio Silvester
lieve Antonio was a Span- the beautiful time of Alto and Miguel Alvares, ac-
iard. In 1780, father Joseph Vista, people can no lon- cording to Nooyen. About
Antonio de la Vegal called ger see much of the town 50 meters near the chapel
Bernardino Silvester, one of of Alto Vista from 1750. With there are still the markings
Antonio’s sons with his wife a lot of work they found of an old house, where
Anna Cathalina Tromp, the old foundations of the Antonio and Bernardino
“neighbors and naturals of Church of the Queen of Silvester would have lived.
the island Aruba” and thus the Holiest Rosary to build About 200 meters from the
they became natives. a new chapel on the same chapel there is a water
place. The entire surround- tank which the locals call
At the end of the eighteen ing area was empty and Tanki Cacique. In the past
According to Etnia Nativa, ther Algamesi who came century many inhabitants desolated, making it hard this tank was closed. But
in the 18th century most of from Coro-Venezuela and the island died as a result of to imagine that Alto Vista mostly water was brought
the inhabitants of Aruba appointed Domingo Anto- the black fever epidemic was a town at all. A hun- out from the Poz di Noord,
were indigenous who lived nio Silvester as the island’s and since people believed dred years later, people a well dug in the sand.
on the north coast, one of first prosecutor in the name that the Alto Vista area was can see the remains of
the largest communities of the Spanish crown and the most infected, they be- around twenty houses, The chapel can be viewed
lived in Alto Vista. Rome. In 1752 the prosecu- gan to build their homes some made of stone and from basically any point in
tion passed into the hands further south within the others of clay. Nowadays, the north side, even from
As they were very religious, of Antonio Silvester’s son- Noord area, so the town of only around six of these Paradera and Sero Plat.
they had a chief with the in-law, Miguel Álvarez, who Noord began to grow into houses remain. All the historical remains
name of Antonio Silvester continued to guide the pa- a community till getting its around the chapel provide
who guided them in the rishioners in their prayers. own Church. However re- South of the chapel in the us with an idea on how the
Christian life and it was he ligious festivals continued yard two graves can be old people of Alto Vista
who decided to build a According to the book, to be celebrated at this sa- observed, there was the used to live. Don’t miss the
stone chapel with a roof The History of Alto Vista by cred native place, with the cemetery which father opportunity to visit a place
of corn rods, which would R.H. Nooyen, it is not known custom of arriving in pro- Pablo de Algemesi blessed. of historical significance
serve as a place of prayer. when Domingo Antonio Sil- cession to Alto Vista. It is not certain, but it is be- with a window to Aruba’s
In 1750 it was blessed by Fa- vester came to Aruba from lieved that the two graves past.q