Exploring Aruba

 🌊Exploring the Vast History and Culture of Aruba🌊

By: Farina Dewan 

Geographical Distinctions

City of Oranjestad, Aruba

The island of Aruba is an island territory of the Kingdom of the Netherlands about twenty miles off the coast of Venezuela. The island has quite a small area of thirty-two kilometer-long miles and one of the lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea. Contrasting to the neighboring islands, Aruba has a flat mainland with little to no rives. However, its known for its white, sandy beaches along the western and southern coasts. It has a warm climate all year long, and has an average rainfall of twenty inches. Luckily, the island is away from the "Caribbean hurricane belt"! This makes the island the perfect environment to vacationing!😊

 

Aruba's Culture

Aruba is known for its multicultural background from both Caribbean and Latin American (Colombian and Dutch) cultures. The native language is "Papiamento" (Talk), which is a Creole language that is also spoken in Curaçao and Bonaire. These Creole languages originate back to a single Afro-Portuguese pronto-Creole, which also originated from a lingua franca in Western Africa during the period of slave trade.A polygenetic theory supports that Papiamento originated on Curaçao with a Spanish base. 

 

 The local individuals of Aruba are considered Dutch citizens and even share the same passport as citizens who live in the Netherlands! However, their relation connected through the Dutch culture, isn't quite strong, because of the contrasting Aruba's Amerindian history and culture. The influence of immigration, tourism, and public media has greatly affected the culture and is gradually changing.

Going Back Time

During the approximate period from 2000 B.C.E to 850 B.C.E, preceramic Indians resided in the island. Then around 850 B.C.E, the Caquetio Arowaks migrated to the island from western Venezuela. They introduced pottery and agriculture to the preceramic Indians. 

Bushiribana Gold Mill Ruins near the shores in Aruba

Useless Islands. Unfortunately in 1515, the Natives were deported to Hispaniola to work in the mines. During 1526 to 1533, Juan de During 1499, the Spanish discovered the island. Around this time, the islands: Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao were given the name Islas Inutiles, which means Ampíes attempted to colonize the island, but was unsuccessful. After a long eighty-year war between Spain and Holland,In 1636, the Dutch West India Company (WIC) took authority over Aruba. After that, the slave population increased to no more than 21%, but was even abolished in 1863.

During the 1920s, the oil industry was introduced through the Lago Oil and Transport Company on the East of the island, while The Eagle Oil Refining Company was on the west. This influential investment brought thousands of job opportunities for motivated individuals during World War II. After the war begun to die down, the island shifted its focus on tourism. Both tourism and oil refining is still a significant industry in Aruba.

Politics in Aruba

 Aruba is a Constituent Country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Therefore; the State of the Netherlands, the State of the Netherlands Antilles, and the State of Aruba form a Commonwealth. The body of government is made up of a twenty-one member Parliament and an eight-member Cabinet. The governor general is given a six-year appointed term, and is elected by the Staten, or Parliament for four-year terms. The Staten is the twenty-one member parliament and is elected by popular vote for a four-year term. These three countries share the same Dutch citizenship, Dutch passport, and the Kingdom of the Netherlands passport. 

The legal jurisdiction is given to a "Court of First Instance, a Common Court of Justice of the Netherlands Antilles, and Aruba and the Supreme Court of Justice of the Netherlands".

Cited Sources

Harris, Jo Anne. "Aruba." The Virtual Caribbean Library. Web. 17 Feb. 2021.

 

"Aruba." Aruba - New World Encyclopedia. 19 Apr. 2016. Web. 17 Feb. 2021.

 

"Aruba." Countries and Their Cultures. Web. 17 Feb. 2021.