Cultural Heritage

Caves have been crucial for human survival practically on every continent since the apparition of hominids on the planet, and have played key roles in the history of past and existing civilizations and countries. They have been used for housing, refuge, storage, many types of religious rituals, art expressions, water and food sources, exploration, advances on the field of natural science and much more. It is no wonder that caves have vast historical and cultural values. Caves on Bonaire are no exception to these values, with several caves being documented in the past and one of them protected with physical structures (protective metal bars over Amerindian inscriptions at Onima). Yet, many others are still poorly known and vulnerable to threats, including vandalism.