History of Aruba

The remnants of their culture such as pottery, earthenware, cave drawings and petroglyphs can still be witnessed at a number of different sites around the island. The best places to study about the early history of Aruba are the Archeological Museum in Oranjestad, Historical Museum of Aruba at Fort Zoutman, William III Tower, the Fontein and Guadiriki Caves and Arikok National Park.

Alonso de Ojeda, the Spanish explorer became the first man to set his foot on this remote islet on the Caribbean Basin and laid claim to the territory for Queen Isabella in 1499. According to one tradition, he christened the place ‘Oro Hubo' meaning ‘There was gold there'. However, the name Aruba seems to have derived from the Arawak Indian word ‘Oibubai' meaning ‘Guide'. The Spanish did not like the island much because of the arid climate unsuitable for cultivation. There was little evidence of the gold they initially believed the land possessed also led to their lack of interest in Aruba.

The Spaniards neglected Aruba and left it in the hands of the Caiquetios for almost next 150 years and devoted themselves to more lucrative conquests. In a short time, the island became a secret hide-away for sea pirates who looted the ships transporting Indian treasures to the Old World. The ruins of an old pirate castle are a standing testimony at Bushiribana on the northeast coast.

In 1636, Aruba once again attracted the attention of the Europeans. The Dutch, who were expelled by the Spanish from their base in St. Maarten, were looking for another place to establish a colonial presence. They soon captured the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao from the Spanish who put up very little resistance.

Curacao became the administrative capital for the Dutch West India Company in the Netherlands Antilles, with Aruba operating as one of its chief satellites. the construction of the historic fortress Fort Zoutman and William III Tower, the oldest building in the country, is attributed to this early period in Aruba. Aruba has remained under Dutch control except for a short period from 1805 to 1815 when it was conquered by the British during the Napoleonic Wars, ever since.

In the year 1824, gold was discovered near Bushiribana. The ruins of a 19^th century smelting plant still survive in Balashi northwest of the Spanish Lagoon near the center of the island. The gold was found till 1916 when the mines became so unprofitable that they had to be shut down. In 1924, oil replaced gold and Aruba became home to one of the largest refineries in the world. Due to the economic boom followed oil rush made San Nicholas a major commercial center and the island's second largest city.

Apart from oil, the government of Aruba stressed emphasis on tourism as a source of income. In 1959, the first luxury hotel opened on Aruba, and for the next 28 years additional hotels formed the backbone of the island's economy. Even today, Aruba's two prime industries are oil and tourism. In 1985, due to the worldwide abundance in petroleum, the oil refineries were closed down and the emphasis on tourism became especially important. Even after oil refining was resumed in 1991, the island continued to invest in tourism to develop an advanced tourism sector in Aruba.

During 1940s, Aruba began to resent its place behind Curacao among the Netherlands Antilles, and the people began to speak about autonomy. Eventually after 40 long years, Aruba became an autonomous state within the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 1986. however, in 1996, the economic problems associated with the closure of the gold mines and oil refineries forced Aruba to set aside plans for complete independence despite an unprecedented growth in the tourism sector.

By: Shuchita Bist
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