Page 18 - AHATA

Monday 11 SepteMber 2023 LOCAL
A10

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

“Quebracho” (Kibrahacha) tree; used to make dye and paint