Aruba Languages

The official language on Aruba is Dutch but the people speak papiamento among each other. Papiamento arose from the different languages that were spoken by all the european settlers, spanish, dutch, portuguese, french, english and a little african. The name "papiamento" comes from "papia" which means "to speak". Most of the arubian people speak several languages like papiamento, english, spanish and dutch.

Much used expressions

Macamba & Arucamba

On Aruba the Dutch are often refferred to as 'Macamba'. A word that is usually used in a negative way. The story behind this word is (or so they say) as follows;
Small fish that where used by local fisherman as bate where called Macamba's. They catched those by trowing nets into the sea from land, and used them to fish for bigger fish futher and deeper out to sea. When the first kolonists arrived on Aruba they where as white as those fishes and where referred to as 'they who are as white as a Macamba'. Later there was the term 'Arucamba' added for those born on Aruba but have lived most of there life in Holland.

The Macamba fish.