Native Americans of Aruba, from Caquetian original stock, were expert Ceramists and Potters. Their mastering of this art as a cult was cosmologically inspired, expressed throughout their techniques. This heritage was transmitted from generation to generation till the beginning of the 20th century.
Etnia Nativa presents an anthropological approach to what we can call ancient Aruban natural relations using art in order to understand the indigenous aesthetic creation of island native expressions. It values ​​the way in which the indigenous universe and its aesthetic production have been recorded throughout history, generating new artistic products. It discusses indigenous aesthetic conceptions, their connection to the natural environment, and how they influenced the processes of cultural interaction with Europeans. Finally, it focuses on ceramics as a key resource for the indigenous aesthetic expression, as a way of anthropological recovery of the precolonial creative production in connection with contemporary art inspired on native motives.
Aruba conserves an indigenous patrimonial legacy with strong aesthetic values.
The encounter of indigenous societies with the conquerors, amazed by the reality of a New World, had a convergence in a cultural confrontation where aesthetic and symbolic factors were part of it. Flowing to our time through history and archeology, to recover objects of knowledge and as components of new processes of artistic creation and a sense of belonging to an unique and separate group of people that has survived ages of suppression while using this same principals to claim and obtain a special status within the Dutch kingdom
From the anthropology of Art the artist from Etnia Nativa seeks inspiration in the Aruban heritage, thus offering a vision of ideals that guard and mobilize aesthetic creation in relation to the universe where it is expressed and worked on.
A work of art comes from the conception and objectification of ideas by its creator, the artist capable of producing art as a human being and social being, he will never be able to separate himself from said condition awarded from the moment he is born and begins to relate with his environment and other individuals. Each work he produces is affected by his environment.
Those who participate in our cultural and interactive tour learn the management of the anthropological, historical and aesthetic categories. They also obtain knowledge of anthropology, art history and archeology of both Aruba and the Caribbean and of America as a whole. They also obtain information concerning recent research of the region, and a generalized comparative vision of indigenous cultures, iconography and aesthetic elements of island societies.
To get to know a little more regarding Aruba and its cultural origins, we highly recommend you to book your participation in our cultural encounter session. A mind opening revelation and entertaining island experience. Mail us at etnianativa03@gmail.com. Our facilities and activities take place close to high rise hotels.