Historical and Political Connections in Aruba

 Despite the luxurious resorts and stunning landscape, Aruba also has a vast history and sophisticated political connections that is quite noteworthy!

 

Drawing made in a cave by the Arawaks in Aruba.

 

The Indigenous and Explorers

 The indigenous group were the Caquetioss of the Arawak tribe, and they migrated from Venezuela to escape from the attacks by the Caribs sometime back in 1000 C.E. (New World Encyclopedia contributors). Since there was a lot of harsh currents and distance between the other Netherlands Antilles, the Caquetioss was more close to its South American ties
(New World Encyclopedia contributors).

The Caquetioss had left behind red clay drawings, clay pottery,and stone tools. Just like most ancient drawings, these images reflected the lives and culture of the Arawaks as far as 4,000 years ago. 

Before Spanish exploration, the Caquetio Indians of the Arawaks tribe was settled on the Paraguana peninsula in Venezuela. The infuriated Carib Indians threatened them, so they moved back to Aruba (Visit Aruba).

The first European to arrive at the island was a Spanish explorer, Alonso de Ojeda around 1499. When he first arrived, one of the first observations he found was the remains belonging to the first settlers who were considered larger than an average European during that time. He believed that he came to "an island of giants" (Visit Aruba). He and other Spanish settlers colonized the island.

In addition to the settlers, there were also pirates and buccaneers, who sailed around the island and kept their finds in caves (Compare Caribbean).

Gold Mine Ruins

After the settlements, there were so plantation society in Aruba. Instead the Caquetios were sent to Hispaniola, another island in the Caribbean, and they were enslaved in the mines (New World Encyclopedia Contributors).

Battles of Imperialism

By 1636, the Dutch West India Company gained authority over Aruba, after a eighty year war between Spain and Holland. In order to look after Aruba, the Dutch military personnel were sent there, and the "Indians" were free (Visit Aruba). 

For a short period during 1805 to 1816, the British ruled the island during the Napoleonic Wars, but then the Netherlands assumed authority towards the end (Hoetink, Harmannus). 

 

Gaining Independence

Throughout the years until the 1970s, the government greatly flourished due to investments in gold mining, oil and aloe refineries. As those industries begun to lessen, the island resided to specializing in tourism (Compare Caribbean).

In 1976, the people of Aruba started prepared to exercise "Aruba's Self-determination Right and Independence, the National Flag and National Anthem" was introduced by a special committee (New World Encyclopedia Contributors). During the same time, the National Flag symbolized "Status Aparte," which established the autonomous state of the island, including the ties with the Commonwealth of Nations (New World Encyclopedia Contributors).

During 1983, Aruba came to a final agreement with the State if the Netherlands, the State of the Netherlands Antilles and the Island Governments. In result of this, Aruba became a Member State within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. 

However by 1986, Aruba then seceded from the Netherlands Antilles and became an individual autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Eventually in 1994, the governments of Aruba, the Netherlands and the Netherlands Antilles both joined to

 "indefinitely postpone" to becoming full independence (New World Encyclopedia Contributors).

 

Modern Day Government and Political System 

Aruba's government building in Oranjestad.

 The official political status of Aruba is an autonomous state of the Netherlands, and it has one legislative house, called the "Staten/Parlamento di Aruba, or Parliament of Aruba. The governor is appointed and given a six year term by the Dutch crown, which is the formal head of the government and representative of the reigning monarch of the Netherlands (Hoetink, Harmannus).

There is an executive authority that is vested by a Council of Ministers, which is lead by a prime minister. That council has authority over a unicameral legislature, or the Staten (States) of twenty members (Hoetink, Harmannus). 

 

Cited Sources

"Aruba." New World Encyclopedia, . 21 Jan 2021, 15:33 UTC. 30 Mar 2021, 04:41 <https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/p/index.php?title=Aruba&oldid=1048218>. 

 

Image of drawing:  Romero-Cesareo, Ivette. "Indians". Digital image. Repeating Islands. Aruba Today, 20 Jan. 2021. Web. 30 Mar. 2021. <https://repeatingislands.files.wordpress.com/2021/01/indians-2_result.jpg>.

 

Visit Aruba. "Aruba History." Www.visitaruba.com. Visit Aruba, 2021. Web. 30 Mar. 2021.

 

Compare Caribbean. "Aruba - History." Compare Caribbean. Compare Caribbean, 2018. Web. 30 Mar. 2021. <https://www.comparecaribbean.co/aruba-history>.

 Hoetink, Harmannus. "Aruba". Encyclopedia Britannica, Invalid Date, https://www.britannica.com/place/Aruba. Accessed 30 March 2021.

Image of gold mine ruins: The Bent Page. Digital image. The Bent Page. Aruba Sights, 2 Aug. 2008. Web. 30 Mar. 2021. <https://bentpage.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/goldmin1.jpg?w=300&h=140>.

Image of government building:

Government building in Oranjestad, Aruba. Digital image. Enacademic. Wikimedia Foundation, 2010. Web. 30 Mar. 2021. <https://cdn-0.enacademic.com/pictures/enwiki/50/220px-Parlamento_di_Aruba_%28front%29.jpg>.