Getting to Know Aruba

  Aruba was first discovered by Alonzo de Ojeda in 1499 who claimed the island for Spain. Because of the lack of natural resources on the island, Spain did not deem it worth colonizing and it instead became a refuge for pirates and buccaneers. Aruba remained under Spain's control until 1636 when it was taken over by the Dutch. In 1643, a Dutch governor was appointed to control Aruba and the other Caribbean islands under Dutch control. On January 1st, 1986, Aruba gained autonomy and now governs itself while remaining a part of the Netherlands.

    The official language of Aruba is Dutch with other main languages being English, Spanish, and Papiamento, a combination of Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, English, and Indian language. Eighty-two percent of the population of Aruba is Roman Catholic with other religions like Methodists, Anglicans, Evangelists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, Muslims, and Confucianists only recently being introduced by tourism. With tourism being a big part of the economy in Aruba, the culture is massively influenced by outside cultures. This has caused worry for many of the island natives as they feel they are losing their culture. One way the Arubians show their culture is through their large performing arts scene. With many theaters for plays and singing, this has become one of the major attractions for tourists.

    One of the major pieces of the history of Aruba that interests me is their part in World War I and II. This is where their economic focus on oil started and it would be cool to see what else they did to help the war efforts. Looking into the Aruba gold rush would also be interesting. Ruins of gold mines and gold mills are still standing on the island after gold mining was discontinued. Researching more about the tourism aspects of the economy would also be great to look into. I would also like to look into the pirates that used Aruba as a safe haven and research their history.

Sources:

• Aruba | Island, Caribbean Sea | Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Aruba. 15 February 2021.
• Culture of Aruba - History, Women, Beliefs, Food, Customs, Family, Social, Marriage, Men. https://www.everyculture.com/A-Bo/Aruba.html. 15 February 2020.
• “Learn about the Rich History, Language and Culture in Aruba.” World Travel Guide, https://www.worldtravelguide.net/guides/caribbean/aruba/history-language-culture/. 15 February 2020.