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On 18th March 1948, during a Netherlands-Surinam-Curaçao conference in the Hague, the seeds of independence and a National Day for Aruba were sown by then Aruban leader Shon A. Eman who presented a petition signed by more than 2000 Arubans in favor of independence.

Betico Croes	Juan E. Yrausquin	Shon A. Eman	Henny Eman Sr.

Almost thirty years later during a parliamentary session on 16th March 1976, it was agreed that March 18th would be Aruba's National Day - the day to celebrate Aruba's national anthem and flag and this was celebrated for the first time in 1976.

Exactly 10 years later, in 1986, also on this important date, Aruba celebrated the achievement by Betico Croes of a dream that had been three generations in the making - Status Aparte - an autonomous status within the kingdom of the Netherlands. On this date in 1996, a monument was inaugurated in remembrance of the 2,147 people who, back in 1947 and 1948 had signed a petition in favor of Status Aparte.

Aruba's National anthem, "Aruba Dushi Tera" is a waltz composed by Juan Chabaya 'Padu' Lampe (lyrics) and Rufo Wever (music).

Rufo Wever	Padu Lampe

The Aruba flag has four colors: Bunting yellow, Larkspur (or
U.N.) Blue, Union Jack Red and White. The flag of Aruba consists of a red star with a white outline set against a sea-blue background with two parallel yellow stripes.

The STAR symbolizes the four points of the compass, denoting the varied source of more than 40 nationalities living on Aruba. Each of these colors is significant: the RED color of the star symbolizes love of country and the WHITE outline surrounding it represents the white sandy beaches around Aruba as well as the purity of Aruba's inhabitants who respect justice, freedom and righteousness. The BLUE color of the flag denotes the color of the surrounding sea.

The two yellow STRIPES on the flag denote the free position of Aruba with respect to The Netherlands and other islands while maintaining closeness with them.

The YELLOW color is used to symbolize abundance - as evidenced by the sources of economic and industrial prosperity, representing the island’s past and present industries of gold, aloe, tourism, the oil refinery and so forth.
         
[ click here to learn more about how Aruba's flag was chosen ]

 

 

Below is some of the artwork that was on display at the Instituto di Cultura in march 2001,  commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Aruban flag and the 15th anniversary of Aruba's Status Aparte.

     

"Conmemora nos himno y bandera y nos status aparte" by Stefanita Thomas

click on image to see enlargement

"Contemplacion" by Eric de Cuba

click on image to see enlargement

"Status Aparte" by Elvis Tromp

click on image to see enlargement

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Tell a FRIEND!

march 15 2001

[ This page was last updated on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 ]

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