Book ‘Aruba en een keuze uit haar toponiemen’ translated into English
ORANJESTAD — The book by Ing. Vivienno L. Frank, titled ‘Aruba en een keuze uit haar toponiemen’, has been translated into English ‘Aruba and a selection of her toponyms’.
This publication provides a clear explanation of the origins of neighborhood and area names across Aruba. Director Astrid Britten of the National Library of Aruba received two copies from Vi Frank Jr., son of Ing. Vivienno L. Frank Sr. The book is now part of the library's National Collection.
Where do Aruban place names like 'Cudarebe', 'Marawiel', 'Macuarima', and 'Hudishibana' come from? What is their origin, and why are they named that way? As the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle once said, "Doubt is the beginning of wisdom." Ten years ago, doubt regarding the popular stories and legends surrounding Aruban place names led Ing. Vivienno L. Frank, former head of the Land Registry (Kadaster) in Aruba, to embark on a quest to decipher the many mysteries behind their origins.
It became a ten-year journey during which he consulted numerous historical documents and maps, debunking long-held legends and bringing new insights to light as "possible truths." For instance, it is true that wheels were tied down in Marawiel... but not in the manner local folklore suggests. While most people in Aruba know that 'Hudishibana' and 'Cudarebe' originate from ancient Indigenous languages, identifying the exact language and its translation into Papiamento forms one of the book's central themes. And does 'Macuarima' really come from the name of an Indigenous princess? No, according to Mr. Frank, who dispels that tale and presents the evidence for its probable true origin.