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LOCAL Friday 17 November 2023

The district of Savaneta

A quick history guide to the island’s first capital

( O r a n j e s t a d ) — B e f o r e Caquetios discovered the produce dye or paint. But
Oranjestad became the island, Aruba found her first since these trees could not
island nation’s capital, form of civilization. be found in Savaneta, he
Aruba’s first capital was the continued to search in the
district of Savaneta. Here It wasn’t until 1499 when area of what is now known
is where the cultural iden- Aruba met another group as Santa Cruz. The best
tity of Aruba was born, and of people who set foot on way to transport the tree
from where the rest of the the island: the Spanish ex- barks was via a route pass-
island developed into what plorer Alonso de Ojeda. De ing through Savaneta, and Because the Dutch were Spanish, such a land area is
it is today. Ojeda first took notice of so the first road between interested in other Carib- called a “sabana”.
Aruba off the coast of Ven- Savaneta and Santa Cruz bean islands and countries
Savaneta is said to have ezuela, during his explora- was made. in South America, they im- Because of its land surface,
been the first place where tion of the Latin American ported Dutch merchants Savaneta was a great
the Caquetio inhabitants country. This was on Au- The Dutch colonial era and business men, all of place to construct cattle
first stepped foot on the gust 9th, 1499. However, (1636-1805) whom resided in Savaneta. farms. From here, the farm-
island. Though there isn’t de Ojeda didn’t actually During the 80-year war This way, Savaneta official- er culture on Aruba was
hard evidence to back this sail to the island till 4 days between The Netherlands ly became the island’s first born. Before the Aruban
up, but considering the leg- later, on August 23rd, 1499. and Spain, Dutch explor- capital. Gold Rush and the con-
end of the Cacique Arua, it This was the beginning of ers and merchants began struction of the Refinery in
is believed that there were the Spanish era on Aruba to travel to the ABC is- However, at the end of San Nicolas, most residents
already movements on (1499-1636). lands. Once they landed in the 18th century, the com- were farmers, and Sava-
Aruba—and Savaneta— Aruba, they deported the mander at the time, J.R. neta had many inhabit-
around 88 AD. Alonso usually didn’t stop small Arawakan and Span- Lauffer, moved his office to ants that farmed fruits and
at every island or land he ish community that was liv- what is now “Horse Bay” in vegetables. They also con-
The Caquetios probably saw, especially not in the ing on the island. This was Oranjestad. Because the tinued the tradition of rais-
made their way to the is- Caribbean. He would often the beginning of coloniza- highest office on the island ing cattle, like goat, sheep,
land either from Venezuela, take notice of land from tion of the ABC islands by moved away from Sava- pigs and horses. Savaneta
Colombia or other Carib- afar and continue sailing. the Dutch empire. Around neta, the capital lost its title was one of the first places
bean islands in the region, However, Aruba was an ex- the same, the West Indian to what was called then on the island to have a
but with good weather it ception. He had heard that Company (WIC) was born. Playa. general farming culture.
was relatively easy for them there were “quebracho” Bonaire and Curacao were From this culture, many oth-
to travel back and forth in trees on the island, which mostly used for plantations, How Savaneta got its name er traditions were born, like
their canoes. So, since the were commonly used to where the Dutch had trans- The name Savaneta prob- the Dera Gay Holiday that
ported slaves from Africa. ably has a Spanish ori- we celebrate every year
Aruba, on the other hand, gin. It was said that when on June 24th. q
was mostly used to raise the Spanish climbed a hill
cattle and to house the called Yara, they saw that Source: Historia di Savaneta
haring factory. The Dutch the area was mostly open (History of Savaneta) by Adolf
had often forced the indig- and had no big trees. In “Dufi” Kock.
enous community to work
for them.
In 1636, when the Nether-
lands won the war against
Spain, the country surren-
dered the islands to the
Dutch.

The Dutch administration
appointed the island’s
first commander, an Irish
man named N. Williams.