Courtesy of: The Morning News
By Rosalie Klein
The month of December has been filled with the recent island tradition of beautifully decorating all the traffic rotundas in Aruba with seasonal themes. The project was initiated by Bo Bario (Your Neighborhood) and realized with a number of commercial and community entities donating their creativity, materials and labor.
The last of them, the Lago Heights rotunda, adjacent to the Essoville gas station, was lit on Monday evening, December 16. It was a community effort by a group calling themselves The Cheezy Boys Crew “We ain’t good looking-but we looking good.” Joining them in lighting up the neighborhood were D21 Nightclub, Power FM 101.7, and Minister of Economic Affairs, Communications, Energy and Environment, Mike de Meza, who had the actual honor of flipping the switch and turning on the holiday lights.
Aruba has many rotundas, and the gala lighting ceremonies that have taken place through the month are usually accompanied by performances of local Gaita bands. This is a style of music originating in Zulia Province, Venezuela, but a beloved aspect of the holiday season on Aruba. San Nicolas, however, has always had its own particular style, strongly reflecting the multi-cultural makeup of the community. Bands originating in the neighborhood, such as The Failures, brought their own highly singular style to the festivities, making the lighting of the final rotunda on Aruba a truly unique experience.
Many gathered to bathe in the pleasant spirit of the season, and with the flick of the switch, sharing of local treats and several beers, celebrate this congenial time of year.
