Through Island Insight, Etnia Nativa shares native cultural awareness, educates, safeguards Aruba’s heritage, and encourages readers to experiment with an island guardian state of mind. During this episode, we want to raise awareness about the importance of guiding our visitors to enjoy this tiny destination by learning about our customs, traditions, and concerns so that they help us preserve “our beloved rock” for future generations.
The goal of education is to raise awareness about our current situation in order to conserve the fragile insular ecosystem. As Arubans, we wonder what will happen to our natural landscape, geological aspects, traditions, history, and cultural way of life that we inherited from our Euro-indigenous ancestors, as our island is our home, which has slowly been swallowed up by more than just exploitation. For all of this, when we see our stories told to the rest of the world, we are proud of where we were born or live because our culture and heritage enrich our community while benefiting our economy.
As pioneers of cultural tourism, we at Etnia Nativa are convinced of the need for culture to become a fundamental pillar of tourism, which is why our goal of influencing native awareness begins each morning by educating participants through an authentically local awareness experience. All this happens on a private area of 880 m2 and within the confines of a small museum/home that houses remote cultural knowledge as well as native and imported plants, wild animals, and endangered bird species with which visitors can interact, giving them the opportunity to enjoy an experience that will accompany them back home.
In recent years, it has clearly become a worldwide phenomenon that more and more people travel to experience new cultures, returning with this trend to a practice widely used during medieval times and known as “the Grand Tour,” today recognized as a pioneer in cultural tourism, which was considered in its time an essential part of the education of every gentleman.
Considering this growing trend, Aruba should strengthen the cultural, social, and economic aspects of tourism in order to provide more opportunities for visitors to learn about our diverse lifestyles, customs, traditions, festivals, history, architecture, and monuments, as well as those who want to eat traditional foods, participate in live experiences, and acquire native hand-made souvenirs.
As locals, we must encourage our visitors to participate in artistic activities and events and encourage them to take back inspiring works by a local artist, but fundamentally educate them and propose that they connect online with our cultural native blog “Island-Insight,” where they will have relevant information and get to know about our concerns and so contribute to a sustainable environment.
Tourism is our main and largest industry, while artists and cultural communities contribute to the quality of life not only in Aruba but throughout the world!
As a cultural and museum professional, Etnia Nativa specializes in the practice of providing historical and cultural experiences to learn about Aruba’s heritage in a fun and educational way, as Aruba has always been a place rich in culture and heritage.
Now if you love Aruba and are intrigued by its origins and cultural heritage, we encourage you to do something different outside the tourist grid. Become one of the exclusive visitors to Etnia Nativa, a private residential setting where you will be able to touch and be touched by authentic Aruba, an assemblage of native art, archaic as well as archaeological artifacts, lithic tools, colonial furniture, and other items. Get inside a recycled environment full of peace and relaxation, knowledge, and information.
Anthony, our acclaimed columnist, local artist, and island expert, has lived at Etnia Nativa since 1994, your guide and lecturer at this resplendent home. This is the only place to recreate and be introduced to an authentic glimpse into Aruba’s native culture. Something completely different for a change—a contemporary native experience!
Appointment is required at +297 592 2702 or etnianativa03@gmail.com
