Page 15 - AHATA

A9
LOCAL Friday 9 May 2025

Alto Vista chapel and its link to Aruba’s origins

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

Aruba to me

ORANJESTAD — You are back and we likeness, etc. for promotional purposes
would like to portrait you! By inviting you without compensation.
to send us your favorite vacation picture Last but not least: check out our website,
while enjoying our Happy Island. Instagram and Facebook page! Thank
you for supporting our free newspaper,
Complete the sentence: Aruba to me we strive to make you a happy reader
is ……. Send your picture with that text every day again.
(including your name and where you are For today we received a lovely message
from) to: news@arubatoday.com and we from Shelley Moquin from Middleboro,
will publish your vacation memory. Isn’t Massachusetts, USA.
that a special way to keep your best mo-
ments alive? Please do note: By submit- She wrote to us saying: “Aruba to me is
ting photos, text or any other materials, the most relaxing vacation spot on earth!”
you give permission to The Aruba Today
Newspaper, Caribbean Speed Printers Thank you for sending us this wonderful
and any of its affiliated companies to message sharing what Aruba means to
use said materials, as well as names, you with us and our readers!q