Etnia Nativa: Your peek into Nativemagic, healing the spirit.
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The narrative of Etnia Nativa—which means Native Ethnicity—highlights the importance of recovering and preserving Aruba’s authentic cultural identity and its unique heritage. Through this platform, readers can experience an authentic native perspective that both educates and inspires a growing “island caretaker mindset.”
In this episode, we explore a folkloric version of the island’s green beetle.
In our region, as in many Native American cosmologies, large beetles are seen as symbols of resilience, hard work, and determination. They are often associated with creation, protection, and strength—much like the Cherokee tale of the Great Water Beetle, who plunges its legs into the primordial sea and draws up the mud that becomes the Earth.
Our native ancestors said that, in the beginning, when Aruba was just emerging from the sea, the island’s spirits shaped the creatures that would keep it alive. Some were made as tall as cacti, others as swift as lizards. The last creatures they molded, however, were the smaller ones—like our beetle, just about an inch long, with a shiny metallic green shell, two tiny horns shaped like crescents, and the strength of ten animals combined. They named it Tor di Suerte, the “good luck beetle,” or bakator on our sister island Curaçao—the one who pushes the earth as cattle push through weeds.
The Tor di Suerte is a Caribbean beetle belonging to the “Cotinis” family; it symbolizes strength, earth spirits, rebirth, and protection. Its small horns and remarkable ability to move objects have earned it names such as “Toro” and “Toro Verde.”
Our CaquetĂan ancestors admired animals of exaggerated strength. Green beetles were also likened to cattle or wild bulls, capable of pushing, lifting, and defending. Burrowing creatures like the Tor di Suerte were associated with the underworld, earth spirits, and the cycle of plant renewal. When they emerge after the rains, they are seen as heralds of rebirth and fertility.
During one long drought, when the earth was parched and roots clung tightly, Tor di Suerte dug and pushed with all its might. Stones pressed down, roots held him back, yet he persisted—not in anger, but with unwavering determination. In the end, his labor allowed the rain to return, the earth to soften, and the vegetation to flourish once again. From that time forward, it has been believed that if a green Tor enters a home, a woman of the family may become pregnant—a gift of fertility from the spirits of the earth.
In regions where the dry seasons are harsh, the appearance of these beetles is a sign of incoming moisture, the renewal of life, and the return of abundance. Beyond their symbolic power, Tor di Suerte is also considered a spiritual guardian of the home and a bringer of good luck, hence its name.
When the first rains moisten the earth and the Tor emerges, its bright green shell glistening in the sunlight, it reminds us that even the smallest spirit can restore the balance of nature.
Note: The word “tor” is a Dutch term referring to a beetle.
Explore Aruba’s Roots at Etnia Nativa
If you’ve enjoyed discovering our ancestral stories and wish to delve deeper into the true identity of the Aruban people, we invite you to experience Etnia Nativa—the only “living museum” of its kind in the Caribbean, celebrating the island’s rich mestizaje (cultural blending).
Founded in 1994, Etnia Nativa has been a cultural pioneer—co-founding Aruba’s National Park, the Archaeological Museum, artisan foundations, and several grassroots initiatives dedicated to heritage and conservation.
But Etnia Nativa is more than a place—it’s a keyhole, a gateway. Quietly tucked away near the high-rise hotels, this private residence is a cultural sanctuary few tourists ever imagine discovering—and that’s precisely its magic. Intentionally intimate and off the beaten path, it welcomes only those with a genuine curiosity and a thirst for authentic discovery.
Connect with the spirit and soul of Aruba’s ancient heritage through a one-of-a-kind experience unlike anything else on the island.Whats App+297 592 2702 etnianativa03@gmail.com
