麻豆APP

Photo by Unknown. .

15 Most Famous People from Aruba

*Originally written by Diana C in October 2022 and Updated by Vanessa R in November 2023

Dazzling white sands, sun-kissed rocky bays, natural pools carved by Caribbean waves, and seemingly never-ending stretches of jade and turquoise ocean are undoubtedly the main highlights Aruba is known for.

Aruba is a Caribbean island 15 miles north of the coast of Venezuela and is one of the four “constituent countries” that together form the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Here are the 15 Most Famous People from Aruba.

1. Wally Warning

Ami and Wally Warning. Photo by Schiplagerheide. .

Ewald “Wally” Warning is a Roots-, Reggae-, Ragga-, Latin-Singer living in Munich. He is the son of Surinamese parents. At the age of 17 he moved from Aruba to the Netherlands, where he had a hit single with “The World Needs Love” in the early 1980s, and around 1990 to Germany.

He put his singing career on hold while he played bass guitar in touring bands with Sam & Dave and Lightnin’ Hopkins, but restarted his solo career in the 2000s. He reached a broad audience when he produced and sang the radio summer hit “No Monkey”. The song reached the top thirty in both Austria and Germany.

2. Sidney Ponson

Sidney Alton Ponson is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. As a player, Ponson stood at 6’1″ tall and weighed 260 pounds. He threw right-handed. When he made his major league debut for the Orioles in 1998, he became the third player from Aruba to play in the major leagues.

He also had a fastball that tops out at 95 mph. After the 2003 season, he was decorated with an Order of Orange-Nassau, in the grade Knight, along with fellow former Orioles Eugene Kingsale and Calvin Maduro.

3. Maurice Bishop

Mural of Maurice Bishop. Photo by enrospr. .

Maurice Rupert Bishop was a Grenadian politician and revolutionary who seized power in a coup in 1979 from Eric Gairy and served as Prime Minister of the People’s Revolutionary Government of Grenada until 1983, when he was overthrown in another coup by Bernard Coard, a member of his own government, and executed.

4. Percy Irausquin

Joseph Gregory Percy Irausquin was an Aruban-born Dutch fashion designer and couturier based in Amsterdam. He was described by the Dutch media as “one of the most talented young designers in the Netherlands.”

The Dutch national daily newspaper De Volkskrant described his clothing designs as “sexy and extravagant” and “fashionable but not fussy.” Irausquin was born in Oranjestad, Aruba, on June 26, 1969. He graduated from the Gerrit Rietveld Academie, an art and design school in Amsterdam.

His work was noticed by Christian Lacroix, a high end French fashion designer. Irausquin went to work for Lacroix in 麻豆APP shortly after his graduation. He later worked for Givenchy with Hubert Barrere, a corset specialist, and at the house of Christian Dior. Irausquin was named by Vogue Magazine as a prominent up-and-coming designer in 2007.

5. Maureen Bunyan

Maureen Bunyan is an Aruban-American Washington, D.C.-based television journalist. Currently she is the lead co-anchor at WJLA-TV. Bunyan is a founder and board member of IWMF, a founder of the National Association of Black Journalists.

and President of Maureen Bunyan Communications, Inc. She was named a “Washingtonian of the Year” in 1992 and has been inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Washington Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, “The Silver Circle” of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and the Broadcast Pioneers Club of Washington.

6. Emily Bolton

Emily Bolton is an Aruban actress probably best known for her appearance in the James Bond film Moonraker in which she played 007’s Brazilian contact Manuela.

She is also known for her TV appearances as a recurring cast member in : 鈦昐pace: 1999 in which she played Operative June. 鈦昑enko, the BBC prisoner of war drama in which she played Christina Campbell. 鈦旵apital City in which she played Sylvia Roux Teng. Other TV credits include Survivors and Crossroads. She is also credited as June Bolton. In the book Tenko Reunion it is stated that she is no longer acting and has become an agent.

7. Betico Croes

Photo by Anefo. .

Gilberto Fran莽ois “Betico” Croes was an Aruban political activist who was a proponent of Aruba’s separation from the rest of the Netherlands Antilles. This eventually occurred, but Croes lapsed into a coma after an accident on 31 December 1985 and was never conscious to see his accomplishment.

He is called the father of the Aruban nation. The accident he suffered was questioned by many, because a car was seen leaving the area after the accident. This conspiracy theory was never proven. He was the leader of the political party People’s Electoral Movement and in 1976 was the person responsible for the Seal, Flag and Hymn of the island of Aruba.

8. Gene Kingsale

Eugene Humphrey “Gene” Kingsale is a former Major League Baseball player with the Baltimore Orioles, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, and Detroit Tigers from 1996 until 2003.

At six-foot-three, and his weight ranging from 170 to 194 pounds, Kingsale is known as a slick fielding, speedy switch-hitter who throws right-handed, he has played extensively for The Netherlands national team in international competition, including the World Cup of Baseball, the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece as well as the World Baseball Classic tournaments in 2006 and 2009.

Since 2008, he has played for perennial champions Neptunus Rotterdam in the Dutch Hoofdklasse, as well as being a key member of The Netherlands national team, which played in Beijing Olympics.

9. Fred J眉ssi

Fred J眉ssi is an Estonian biologist, nature writer and photographer. J眉ssi was born on Aruba, where his father worked for a Venezuelan oil company. His family returned to Estonia and settled in Tallinn when J眉ssi was 3 years old.

After finishing high school in Tallinn he studied biology and zoology in Tartu University, graduating in 1958. He has worked as a school teacher, as inspector for nature protection, radio broadcaster for Eesti Raadio, freelance writer and nature campaigner.

In Eesti Raadio he ran the program Looduse aabits from 1976 to 1986. In the beginning of 1990s he was for a few years the president of Estonian Nature Fund. J眉ssi has published numerous books, articles and audio recordings related to nature. He was the first recipient of Eerik Kumari Award, given to him in 1989. J眉ssi is probably the most influential person in Estonia engaged in writing, talking and popularising nature.

10. Susan Cagle

Photo by Jerry Michalski. Wikimedia Commons.

Susan Cagle is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and guitarist, known by her stage name Susan Justice. She is known best for her debut self-recorded album, The Subway Recordings.

Cagle began playing guitar at the age of 7, and by the age of 14 was writing poetry and songs. When she was older, she decided to leave her family and the Children of God group, at odds over their beliefs, and moved to New York.

11. Fran莽ois Croes

12. Lionel Tromp

Lionel Tromp, a boxing legend from Aruba, reigned supreme in the lightweight and junior welterweight divisions, earning him the title of two-time world champion. His exceptional talent and unwavering determination made him a formidable force in the ring, which in turn has led to him becoming a worthy but scary opponent. Tromp’s legacy lives on as an inspiration to aspiring boxers and sports enthusiasts alike. 

13. Ronald G贸mez

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Ronald Gomez was an Aruban professional baseball player who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Montreal Expos. He was the first Aruban player to play in MLB. Gomez was a right-handed outfielder and first baseman.

He was born in Oranjestad, Aruba, on October 25, 1965. Gomez attended high school in Aruba and was signed by the Cardinals as an amateur free agent in 1983. He made his MLB debut with the Cardinals in 1987 and played for the team until 1991. He then played for the Expos from 1992 to 1993. Gomez had a career batting average of .245 with 12 home runs and 103 runs batted in (RBIs). He retired from baseball in 1994.

14. Nelson Oduber

, , via Wikimedia Commons

Nelson Orlando Oduber, born on February 7, 1947, is an Aruban politician who served as the 2nd and 4th Prime Minister of Aruba. His political career spanned over two decades, playing a significant role in shaping the island’s path towards autonomy and development. Oduber joined the People’s Electoral Movement (MEP) in 1989 and led the party to victory in the Aruban general election, establishing Aruba as a separate country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

His first term focused on economic development and social reforms, promoting tourism, diversifying the economy, and improving the quality of life for Aruban citizens. After serving two consecutive terms, Oduber stepped down in 1994 but continued to be an active figure in Aruban politics.

15. Daniella van den Berg

Daniella van den Berg, an Aruban beach volleyball player, is the first Aruban athlete to compete in two Olympic Games. Born in Oranjestad, Aruba, in 1991, she began playing at 12 and quickly rose through the ranks. In 2010, she partnered with Emily Esther and they began competing internationally.

They qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, finishing 25th, and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, finishing 33rd. Van den Berg is a two-time Aruban national champion and has won numerous regional tournaments, making her one of the most successful beach volleyball players in Aruban history.