ARUBA TRAVEL
GUIDE
Information about History,
Development, Government of the Island of Aruba
Aruba's
History | The Amerindians |
Spanish Rule |
Dutch Rule | Commercial
Development | Aruba's Coat of
Arms | Aruba's Flag |
Government |
Education | Aruba's Law
and Government | Aruba
Judicial System |
Travel Guide to Aruba: Everything you need to know about the
island | Aruba Photo Gallery |
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|
Purchase Aruba Photos |
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Aruba's History
Aruba's path to the present day is marked by the mystery of
ochre-colored rock drawings left behind by island shamans, the
enterprising spirit of European adventurers and settlers and the
diverse experiences and traditions brought by the many
nationalities that have since sought out the island as either a
new home or temporary resting place. The look of the people, the
languages they speak and the innate hospitality that manifests
itself in the Aruban psyche is the result of a multi-cultural
mix that reflects a rich past.
The Amerindians
The Caquetio Indians of the Arawak tribe from the South American
mainland were Aruba's first inhabitants. During the Pre-ceramic
Period of habitation (2500 BC – 1000 AD), they were
fishers-hunters-gatherers who depended on the sea for survival
and used tools of roughly flaked stones and shell. They lived in
small family groups and fished along Aruba’s coast at locations
now named Malmok and Palm Beach.
During the beginning of the Ceramic period (1000-1515 AD), five
large Indian villages were founded on the best agricultural
soil, producing corn and yucca. Indians buried their dead
ceremoniously in different ways, indicating a hierarchical
socio-political system. They made coarse pottery as well as
finer well-crafted pieces.
Spanish Rule
When explorer Alonso de Ojeda discovered Aruba in 1499 and
claimed it for the Spanish throne, he named it la isla de los
gigantes (Spanish: the island of giants), the tall Indians
descended from Aruba’s very first settlers. After a decade,
Aruba’s moniker was changed to isla inutíl, a useless island, as
no gold or treasures were found.
In 1513, the entire Indian population was enslaved and taken to
work on the Spanish estates in Hispaniola, now the Dominican
Republic and Haiti. At the beginning of the Indian Historic
Period in 1515, some Indians returned while others arrived from
the mainland and lived in small villages in the northern part of
the island.
With the return of the Spanish, the Indians were recruited as
laborers for cattle and horse breeding. From the 17th century
on, the majority of Indians migrated from the South American
mainland. Indian preachers were Aruba’s Catholic spiritual
leaders well into the 18th century. At the beginning of the 19th
century, Indians made up about one-third of the island’s 1700
inhabitants, but in 1862, historians believe that Aruba’s last
Indian died.
Dutch Rule
Aruba’s strategic location was recognized by the Dutch who
initially occupied the island in 1636 to protect their salt
supply from the mainland and establish a naval base in the
Caribbean during their 80-year war with Spain. Further economic
development continued through the Dutch West India Company
located on the neighboring island of Curaçao. Aruba remained in
Dutch hands, except for a brief hiatus under English rule from
1805-1816, during the Napoleonic Wars.
Commercial Development
In 1824, gold was discovered in Rooi Fluit on the north coast.
Mining was done by hand until machinery was imported in 1854. In
1872, a large smelting works was built in Bushiribana, followed
by another site twenty-five years later in Balashi. When World
War I broke out in 1916, the mining of gold ceased for lack of
materials required to purify the ores.
The city of San Nicolas, named after Shon Nicolaas van der Biest,
a former landowner there, came into existence with phosphate
mining in 1879; until 1914, Aruba exported the raw material
which ultimately was treated and used as an artificial
fertilizer. Other commercial endeavors have included the
breeding of cochineal, a cactus insect that when dried and
ground produces a coloring agent; watapana tree pods which
contained tannin; minor cultivations of silkworms, tobacco,
cotton and peanuts; and most importantly, aloe and oil refining.
At the beginning of twentieth century, one-third of the island
was covered with aloe plantations and the island’s economy was
largely dependent on it. At first, the harvest of aloe vera was
only for the export of the raw material for laxatives. With clay
moisture-retentive soil yielding a product of superior quality,
Aruba became the largest exporter of aloe in the world. At the
end of the 1950’s, interest was redirected to the gel and its
concentrates for use in cosmetic, hair and skin care products.
The Lago Oil and Transport Company Ltd. was established in 1924,
due to Aruba’s favorable geographical position and peaceful
political climate. Thousands of immigrants arrived from the
British and Dutch islands. The population grew and other types
of commercial enterprises attracted merchants from eastern
Europe and the Near East. In a matter of about fifty years, the
population of the island experienced a seven-fold increase, from
about 9,000 in 1924 to about 60,000 in 1972. There were more
than 8000 employees at its peak in 1949. With an end to
Venezuela’s preferential pricing, decreased demand, and
competition with modern technology, the refinery closed down in
1985. Valero Energy Corporation has since taken over the
refinery and still operates it today.
Over the past two decades, Aruba has become one of the most
sought-after vacation destinations in the world. A stable
government, safe environment, good weather all year-round,
location out of the hurricane belt, convenient airlift,
magnificent beaches, and its multi-lingual, friendly, and
service-oriented population, continue to attract hundreds of
thousands of tourists annually.
Aruba's Coat of Arms
Coat of Arms has been in use since November 15, 1955. The design
was created by "Atelier voor Heraldische Kunst," of Amsterdam,
Holland, but it was later altered to reflect the symbols of
Aruba. The following are the components of the Coat of Arms:
1. Aloe represents the first source of wealth for the island;
2. The outline of “Hooiberg” hill symbolizes Aruba arising out
of the sea;
3. The handshake represents the friendly ties Aruba maintains
with other nations and peoples;
4. The cog symbolizes industry as the island's main source of
progress;
5. The cross in the center is the symbol of devotion and faith;
6. The lion atop of the Coat of Arms represents power and
generosity;
7. The laurel leaves are symbols of peace and friendship.
Aruba's Flag
Aruba's national flag was officially adopted on March 18, 1976,
along with the official anthem "Aruba Dushi Tera." The four
colors each have significance. The blue represents the sea that
surrounds Aruba; yellow is the color of abundance, representing
the island's past and its industries of gold, aloe and oil; red
is for the love each Aruban has for the country and the ancient
industry of Brazilwood; and white symbolizes the snow-white
beaches as well as the purity of the hearts of Aruba's people
who strive for justice, order and liberty.
The symbols on the flag consist of a red star and two yellow
stripes. The red star represents the four points of the compass,
with the island having drawn people from around the world. The
star also represents the island itself, surrounded by the
beautiful blue sea. The horizontal yellow stripes denote the
free and separate position Aruba enjoys in the Kingdom of the
Netherlands.
Aruba celebrates all that the flag and anthem have come to
signify with the national holiday of Flag and Anthem Day each
March 18, the same day that in 1948, Holland accepted Aruba’s
right to autonomous status in the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Government
Aruba is a safe, stable and friendly Caribbean island with Dutch
roots. A former colony of the Netherlands, it later formed a
part of the Netherland Antilles before gaining its autonomy in
1986; under status aparte, Aruba functions as an independent
entity within the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Aruba's government
is founded on democratic principles.
Historically, Aruba was part of the Netherlands Antilles, a
six-island federation which also included Bonaire, Curaçao, St.
Maarten, St. Eustatius and Saba. This island grouping, in turn,
formed the Caribbean component of the Dutch Kingdom, a
constitutional monarchy with the Queen of the Netherlands having
the dual role of head of state of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands, as well as of the country of the Netherlands.
At a Round Table Conference (March 1983), all partners in the
Kingdom (the Netherlands, the Central Government of the
Netherlands Antilles, and the governments of the individual
islands) agreed to grant Aruba a separate status within the
Kingdom. On January 1, 1986 Aruba became a separate entity
within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, an event of historic
proportions. This does not represent full independence for the
island, a step that may be taken only in the very distant
future. Today the Kingdom consists of three partners: Holland,
Aruba, and the five islands of the Netherlands Antilles.
As a result of this agreement, Aruban affairs, formerly under
the jurisdiction of the Central Government of the Netherlands
Antilles, (aviation, customs, immigration, communications, and
other internal and external matters) are now handled
autonomously by Aruba. The Kingdom retains responsibility for
defense and foreign affairs. Aruba has its own constitution
based on Western democratic principles and manages its own
aviation, customs, immigration, and communications. Briefly
stated, this political status is a form of commonwealth with
Holland and sister islands, with which Aruba retains strong
economic, cultural and political ties.
The Governor is appointed by the Queen of the Kingdom for a term
of six years and acts as the sovereign's representative on the
island. The Legislature consists of a 21-member parliament,
elected by popular vote for a four-year term of office. The
Council of Ministers, presided over by the Prime Minister, forms
the executive power. Legal jurisdiction lies with a Common Court
of Justice of Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles and ultimately
with a Supreme Court of Justice in the Netherlands.
Education
Aruba has an excellent educational system, patterned after the
Dutch system, provides for education at all levels. The
Government finances the national education system. Private
schools, such as the International School of Aruba, which
finance their own activities. The percentage of monies earmarked
for education is higher than the average for the Caribbean/Latin
American region. Arubans benefit from a strong primary school
education.
A segmented secondary school program includes vocational
training (LTO), basic education (MAVO), college prep (HAVO) and
advanced placement (VWO). Higher education goals can be pursued
through the Professional Education program if EPI, the teachers
college of IPA as well as through the University of Aruba (UA)
that offers bachelors and masters programs in law, finance and
economics and hospitality and tourism management.
Aruba's Law and
Government
Aruba is a safe, stable and friendly Caribbean Island has Dutch
roots and is founded on democratic principals. A former colony
of the Netherlands, it later formed a part of the Netherland
Antilles before gaining its autonomy in 1986. Under "Status
Aparte," Aruba functions as an independent entity within the
Kingdom of the Netherlands. Aruba's judicial system remains
unchanged from the Dutch model.
Systems of government, education, social welfare and medicine
also remain similar to the Dutch standard. Aruba's Dutch
foundations, combined with international influences, have
contributed to a modern society with an advanced infrastructure.
Aruba Judicial System
Aruba's legal system is based on the civil law system, as in use
throughout most of the world. The main difference between our
system of law and the common law system is the fact that we do
not have juries or grand juries. In Aruba, the investigation by
the police and prosecutor is checked and balanced by a judge of
the Court of First Instance. The investigating judge conducts
all interrogations of witnesses during the investigation of the
crime. The trial itself is conducted and decided (including
sentencing) by another judge, and the final verdict can be
appealed. The suspect can appeal decisions made by the judge
through the Court of Appeals.
Special thanks to the authors of
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for the visitors of this site.
Aruba's
History | The Amerindians |
Spanish Rule |
Dutch Rule | Commercial
Development | Aruba's Coat of
Arms | Aruba's Flag |
Government |
Education | Aruba's Law
and Government | Aruba
Judicial System |
Travel Guide to Aruba: Everything you need to know about the
island | Aruba Photo Gallery |
Buy Airfare & Hotel
|
Purchase Aruba Photos |
LukeTravels.com Home Page
|