Page 18 - AHATA

Thursday 15 May 2025 locAl
A10

Cas di Torto

ORANJESTAD - Cas di torto Existing houses date back
(also called cas di lodo or 150 years. Until 1925 many
cas di bara) is a traditional houses on Aruba were built
building technique from using this technique, after-
Aruba. It refers to a type of wards it fell into disuse. In
houses made of mud with 2005 there were 62 cas di
rounded corners. These torto houses left, of which water and para grass. This is terwards the nuclei of co- was collected in small rain
houses were usually found only four were in good con- then coated with aloe vera lumnar cacti were used. ponds. Around this barrel a
around the plantations. The dition. juice, which gives the white The floor is made of loam, thick loam wall would be
few structures that still ex- The skeleton of the hous- colour and helps to protect mixed with cement or cow erected. Often large fami-
ist are the oldest structures es is made up of round against the weather. dung. lies would live in these hous-
that are left standing in the wooden poles placed with es; people would sleep on
country. distances of 1.5 feet be- On top of the poles piec- The houses were usually di- mats on the floor.
tween them. Branches are es of wood are fitted that vided into a kitchen, a living
The technique probably interwoven between them, serve as the base for the room, a porch and a bed- If you visit the Arikok Na-
came over from the Ven- completing the structural roof beams. Until 1815 the room. In the kitchen would tional Park you will be able
ezuelan Paraguaná Pen- support. On this basis, loam roofing usually consisted be a wooden or metal bar- to see a very nice cas di
insula in the 18th century. is applied, mixed with sand, of corn (maize) stems, af- rel for storing water that torto.q

Meet Aruba’s biggest hero

Boy Ecury

(Oranjestad)—This past May drive to fight for justice began demeanor. Boy also partici-
4th, Aruba as well as The even before the war broke pated in the multiple sabo-
Netherlands commemorat- out. Being a person of color taging operations against
ed those who sadly perished with a Haitian heritage living the German military oc-
during the Second World in The Netherlands made him cupying The Netherlands.
War. As is known around the vulnerable to discrimination, These included bombings on
globe, this chapter in world and this inspired him to be German military trucks and
history is one of the most an activist, to stand up and trains. The group also helped
tragic yet, and many soldiers fight against discrimination people go into hiding, as well
and rebels have died on the and oppression. as opened fire against allies
frontline during this time. of the Nazi regime. In these to Delft, where he joined his
After seeing the horrific operations, Boy really stood third and last group in Rot- On November 6th, 1944,
One of those rebels who bombings of Rotterdam first- out for his cold bloodedness. terdam. During this time, he Ecury was executed. He was
have fought against the hand, he decided to join the wrote a goodbye letter for only 22 years old.
Nazi regime, was an Aru- resistance. At the same time, In 1943, he received a no- his family, possibly knowing
ban named Segundo Jorge he was still studying and living tice to be placed for work in the risks of him being active Ecury was buried with mili-
Adelberto “Boy” Ecury. Born with family in Tilburg. It was Germany. This he refused, of again in the big cities. tary honor. In 1949, the Aru-
in Aruba on April 23rd, 1922, there where he met people course, and went into hiding ban Government erected
Boy spent his childhood on who printed and distributed using multiple addresses in Eventually, he proved him- a monumental bust of him
the island, before being sent the rebellion newspaper. This multiple cities. Because he self right. On November 5th, in front of what is now the
to The Netherlands by his fa- would be the first of three re- was a wanted man, he of 1944, Boy Ecury was arrested linear park trail, and in 1984
ther when he was 15 years bellion group that he would course could not continue by German soldiers. He was he received the Resistance
old to continue his studies join throughout his 4-year ser- to be active as a rebel. How- placed in the “Oranjehotel” Memorial Cross postmortem.
abroad. This was in 1937, vice to the resistance. ever, stubborn and naturally prison in Scheveningen, The
three years before WWII rebellious as he was, he al- Hague, where he was ques- Boy’s life motto was this: “In
broke out. Boy’s primary task as mem- ways tried to join in on the tioned. Despite being given my father’s house, there is no
ber of the group was to dis- operations regardless. away by an acquaintance, place for a traitor.” q
During the war, he actively tract the German soldiers he himself never gave away
participated in the rebellion while others ran into hiding In 1944, after his friend Luis the names of his comrades. Source: “De Kolibrie op de
in The Netherlands against into alleyways. This he was de Lannoy, a fellow rebel Famously, he told his cell Rots (en meer over the ge-
schiedenis van Aruba)” by
the Nazi regime, but his re- able to do because of his from Curacao, was arrested mate: “I will die with a smile Evert Bongers.
bellious streak and constant skin color and confronting and executed, he moved on my face.”