Meet Oriana the co-founder of a movement which turns sand into soil

Aruba, known for its turquoise waters and stunning white sand beaches, is often viewed as a tropical paradise, a pristine environment to be enjoyed by tourists. But beneath the glossy image lies a deeper story, one of environmental degradation and climate injustice rooted in Aruba's colonial history. Today, the island is grappling with the damaging effects of these legacies. However, there are people on the island who are actively challenging these narratives and working to restore the land for the benefit of local communities.

One such person is 35-year-old Oriana, a proud Aruban and the co-founder of SynropicA, a grassroots movement dedicated to healing and regenerating the land. Oriana has become a beacon of hope for many as she leads the fight against the commodification of Aruba's natural resources.

"People think that because the sand is white and the water is turquoise, that means the beaches are in a good state. But what they don’t see is the depletion beneath the surface"

For centuries, Aruba’s land has been viewed as a commodity, first by Spanish, Portuguese and Dutch colonisers and now by the Dutch Settlers and the tourism industry. Oriana explains that many people, even those from Aruba, see the land through a colonial and capitalist lens. She points out that Aruba’s beaches, famed for their white sands and clear waters, are not as healthy as they appear. In fact, the coastlines are eroding, and marine ecosystems are suffering due to excessive tourism and exploitative practices. Yet, this environmental harm is often masked by the allure of a tropical escape, a perception that prioritises aesthetics over ecological health.

"People think that because the sand is white and the water is turquoise, that means the beaches are in a good state. But what they don’t see is the depletion beneath the surface," Oriana shares. This commodified view, she explains, has driven her community away from their deep relationship with the land and perpetuated the idea that nature is simply a commodity to be consumed.

Sin Tropic seeks to challenge these colonial narratives by reconnecting the Aruban people to the land and highlighting the island’s potential to be self-sustaining. The movement’s goal is to transform the arid, sandy landscape into one capable of supporting agriculture and sustaining the local population. 

SynropicA’s method of land restoration draws on agroforestry techniques originating from Brazil, specifically the concept of syntropic agriculture, developed by Swiss-Brazilian farmer and researcher Ernst Götsch. Götsch pioneered this approach in the 1980s, blending principles from natural ecosystems with sustainable farming practices to regenerate degraded lands. Syntropic agriculture is known for its capacity to reverse soil degradation, improve biodiversity, and create self-sustaining ecosystems.

Through regenerative practices, SyntropicA teaches people how to build healthy soil, a concept that may seem radical on an island known more for its beaches than its farms. One of the movement’s slogans, "Do you want to know how to grow water?", reflects their commitment to solving the island’s water scarcity and rethinking how Arubans engage with their environment.

For Oriana and the SyntropicA community, implementing a Brazilian agroforestry method on an arid island is as much a philosophical endeavor as it is a practical one. The syntropic approach challenges the idea that certain lands are inherently unproductive or barren. In a place where arable land is limited, the ability to “grow water” and build soil demonstrates that even seemingly inhospitable landscapes have potential when treated with respect and understanding.

Aruba remains a Dutch colony, a status that continues to shape how the land and its people are viewed and governed. This colonial legacy often creates a dissonance for local people, who find themselves caught between their traditional identity, rooted in a deep connection to the land, and imposed colonial narratives that treat nature as a resource for exploitation rather than a partner in sustaining life.

Oriana believes that growing soil on an island known for sand is an act of resistance against the colonial narrative that views the land as barren or unproductive. She and her team work with indigenous farming techniques, permaculture principles, and water conservation methods that, over time, will allow them to turn sand into fertile soil capable of supporting crops and even trees. The movement’s efforts extend beyond the environment, however; they’re also aimed at fostering a sense of ownership and pride in Aruba’s natural resources among local people.

This connection to the land was lost as Aruba became more integrated into global capitalism and reliant on tourism. By focusing on food sovereignty and environmental justice, Oriana and her co-founders hope to create a model of sustainability for the island that places the needs of the community above those of outside interests. For Oriana, challenging the way the island has been exploited for centuries isn’t just about environmental health; it’s about reclaiming cultural heritage and re-establishing the symbiotic relationship between the Aruban people and their land.

Oriana’s work with Sin Tropic is inspiring a growing number of Arubans to consider what it means to take ownership of their environment. Rather than seeing the island as a backdrop for leisure, people are beginning to understand it as a living entity that sustains them. The movement has been a catalyst for this transformation, reminding locals that Aruba is not simply a destination but a place that holds generations of wisdom and a legacy worth protecting.

In a world facing an accelerating climate crisis, Sin Tropic provides a glimpse of how communities can combat environmental injustice from the ground up. For Oriana and her fellow Arubans, the work isn’t just about growing food or saving beaches, it’s about shifting perceptions, reclaiming heritage, and ensuring a future where the land is valued for what it gives, not just for how it looks.