When is National Flag and Anthem Day?
National Anthem and Flag Day is a public holiday observed in Aruba on March 18th.
This is the National Day of Aruba and celebrates its autonomy within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
History of National Anthem and Flag Day
Aruba is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, only 29 kilometres from mainland South America.
The first Europeans to colonise Aruba were the Spanish early in the 16th century. In 1636, Netherlands wrested control of the islands from Spain during the Thirty Year's War. Apart from two brief periods when the British took over the island during the Napoleonic wars, Aruba has remained Dutch.
On March 18th 1948, the Aruban politician Shon A. Eman presented the first formal proposal for Aruba's "status aparte" as an autonomous state within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
In the 1970s, there was a growing call and expectation for independence, led by Betico Croes. A committee was appointed to choose a national flag and anthem, which were adopted on March 18th 1976, with Croes declaring March 18th as National Anthem and Flag Day.
The Aruban Flag
The flag of Aruba consists of a red star and two yellow stripes on a blue background. The red star represents the four points of the compass, reflecting the diversity of the people of the country. The blue represents the sea. The horizontal yellow stripes denote the free and separate position Aruba enjoys within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The Aruban National Anthem
The Aruban national anthem is called "Aruba Dushi Tera" (Aruba Sweet Land). It is a waltz composed as a result of a collaboration by three of Aruba's most celebrated artists: Juan Chabaya Lampe, Rufo Wever and Hubert Booi.
On January 1st 1986, after elections were held for its first parliament, Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles and officially became a country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Independence is yet to follow and has been postponed indefinitely.
On National Anthem and Flag Day, shops, petrol stations and supermarkets normally close early or remain closed the entire day.
This official holiday is celebrated with cultural, sports and musical events across the island and there is a national celebration in the evening at Plaza Betico in Oranjestad, the capital of Aruba.
