| As
far as can be concluded from historical records, the first European to set foot on Aruba
was Alonso de Ojeda. This Spanish explorer landed on the Island in 1499.
One of his first observations was that the remains he found belonging to the first
settlers were considered to be larger than the average European of that day. He remarked
that he had come to "an Island of giants". |
| Popular belief links Aruba’s name
with the Spanish phrase "oro huba" which means "there was
gold". In fact the Spanish did not find any gold, and regarded Aruba as
"valueless". Another possibility is that Aruba’s name comes from the Indian
word "oruba" which means "well placed ". Yet another
possible derivation of the name is from two Carib Indian words "ora"
meaning "shell", and "oubao" meaning
"island". |
The protected entrance
to the cave at Ayo containing
Arawak Indian drawings
|
Arawak cave paintings inside the
Ayo cave. Their meaning still
eludes scholars
|
Long before the Spanish arrived, Caquetio
Indians of the Arawak tribe settled on the Paraguana peninsula in
Venezuela. Threatened by the Carib Indians who were extremely ferocious, they came to the
Island of Aruba perhaps as long as 4000 years ago. Today, many names of
towns and other geographical areas such as Turibana, Guadirikiri,
Camacuri, Andicuri and Bushiri,
originate from the earliest Indian chiefs and warrior settlers. |
| With the arrival of the Spanish many of
the Indian population were enslaved and relocated to Hispañola to work
in mines. Despite this their fate was merciful when compared to Indian populations on
other Caribbean Islands who were exterminated. In fact, the Island was spared
the usual horrors of Spanish colonial policies. |
Cave paintings at the Arikok
archaeological site.
|
By 1642, the 80-year
war between Spain and Holland was drawing to a
close, and it was in this year that the Dutch took possession of Aruba.
Dutch military personnel were sent to maintain Aruba, but contrary to their living
conditions under their previous masters, the Indians were allowed to remain free. There
was a short period between 1805 and 1816 when the British assumed
control. However, the Dutch returned in 1816.
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In 1824 gold was
discovered and was mined extensively, becoming a major export along
with phosphate, divi-divi pods for use in leather tanning and aloe.
At one time Aruba satisfied a considerable proportion of world demand for
this plant’s gel - used for pharmaceutical purposes and well-known for its capacity
to alleviate sunburn pain.
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Eventually gold supplies dwindled and
the once-booming mining industry became unprofitable resulting in all operations ceasing
in 1916. It was ultimately black gold that brought real prosperity.
(Left: Remains of the Aruban gold
mine) |
In 1928 Royal Dutch Shell built the Eagle oil refinery and this was
immediately followed by a refinery built by Lago Oil and Transport
Company Ltd. in San Nicolas. Royal Dutch Shell ceased its operations in 1953, after
serving as a depot for both refineries during the second world war. In 1932, the Standard
Oil Company of New Jersey (Esso, now known as Exxon) took over the Lago
refinery. The refinery employed well over 8,000 people, 16% of Aruba’s population,
and up until the 70’s was one of the largest in the world. On March 31, 1985, Exxon, pressured by a global
oversupply, closed the refinery but it was reopened by the Coastal Oil Company
of Houston, Texas on April 20,1991. |
The Refinery
at San Nicolaas
|
Within three decades Aruba became an island with probably the highest standard of
living in the West Indies. The illiteracy rate, for example, is exceptionally
low. Today tourism has become the major factor in the
island's economy with many major hotel chains setting up in Aruba. In just a few short
years, Aruba has become one of the most popular vacation spots in the
Caribbean, with visitor figures approaching a million annually.
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