(in

Dutch Dutch or Nederlands commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands ** Dutch people as an ethnic group () ** Dutch nationality law, history and regulations of Dutch citizenship () ** Dutch language () * In specific terms, i ...

) or (in

Papiamento Papiamento () or Papiamentu (; ) is a Portuguese-based creole language spoken in the Dutch Caribbean. It is the most widely spoken language on Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao ( ABC Islands). The language, spelled in Aruba and in Bonaire and ...

) (literally: Frenchman's Pass) is a narrow passage on the island of

Aruba Aruba, officially the Country of Aruba, is a constituent island country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in the southern Caribbean Sea north of the Venezuelan peninsula of Paraguaná Peninsula, Paraguaná and northwest of Curaçao. In 19 ...

, nestled between coral cliffs in Balashi. Frenchman's pass is located north of the area known as Spanish Lagoon and near the remnants of the

Balashi Gold Mine Bushiribana and Balashi are the sites of two former gold smelters on the Caribbean island of Aruba. Bushiribana The Aruba Island Gold Mining Company built the Bushiribana smelter in 1825 to extract gold from the ore that was being mined in th ...

. The legend has it that in the early 17th century,

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

pirate Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and valuable goods, or taking hostages. Those who conduct acts of piracy are call ...

s attempted to invade Aruba but were confronted with fierce resistance from the indigenous people in this narrow passage. This significant encounter left a lasting impact, and as a result, the passage came to be known as ''Franse Pas'' in

or ''Rooi Frances'' in

. In English, it translates to “Frenchman Pass". Many indigenous people were killed during the invasion, and local residents near Frenchman Pass claim to hear haunting cries and noises from the Indians during the evening hours. Some believe that the spirits of the indigenous people awaken, lingering in the Spanish Lagoon area. Frenchman's Pass is a unique place on the island that captivates the locals. Unlike many ghost stories, which might lack authenticity or serve as mere jokes, this pass plays a significant role in Aruba's folkloric storytelling culture.

References

Geography of Aruba {{Aruba-geo-stub