Page 13 - AHATA

a8 local
Friday 1 September 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 Dutch. called Yara, they saw that
Oranjestad became the the area was mostly open
island nation’s capital, The Dutch administration and had no big trees. In
Aruba’s first capital was the appointed the island’s Spanish, such a land area is
district of Savaneta. Here first commander, an Irish called a “sabana”.
is where the cultural iden- man named N. Williams.
tity of Aruba was born, and Because the Dutch were Because of its land surface,
from where the rest of the interested in other Carib- Savaneta was a great
island developed into what bean islands and countries place to construct cattle
it is today. in South America, they im- farms. From here, the farm-
ported Dutch merchants er culture on Aruba was
Savaneta is said to have “Quebracho” (Kibrahacha) tree; used to make dye and paint and business men, all of born. Before the Aruban
been the first place where whom resided in Savaneta. Gold Rush and the con-
the Caquetio inhabitants form of civilization. barks was via a route pass- This way, Savaneta official- struction of the Refinery in
first stepped foot on the ing through Savaneta, and ly became the island’s first San Nicolas, most residents
island. Though there isn’t It wasn’t until 1499 when so the first road between capital. were farmers, and Sava-
hard evidence to back this Aruba met another group Savaneta and Santa Cruz neta had many inhabit-
up, but considering the leg- of people who set foot on was made. However, at the end of ants that farmed fruits and
end of the Cacique Arua, it the island: the Spanish ex- the 18th century, the com- vegetables. They also con-
is believed that there were plorer Alonso de Ojeda. De The Dutch colonial era mander at the time, J.R. tinued the tradition of rais-
already movements on Ojeda first took notice of (1636-1805) Lauffer, moved his office to ing cattle, like goat, sheep,
Aruba—and Savaneta— Aruba off the coast of Ven- During the 80-year war what is now “Horse Bay” in pigs and horses. Savaneta
around 88 AD. ezuela, during his explora- between The Netherlands Oranjestad. Because the was one of the first places
tion of the Latin American and Spain, Dutch explor- highest office on the island on the island to have a
The Caquetios probably country. This was on Au- ers and merchants began moved away from Sava- general farming culture.
made their way to the is- gust 9th, 1499. However, to travel to the ABC is- neta, the capital lost its title From this culture, many oth-
land either from Venezuela, de Ojeda didn’t actually lands. Once they landed in to what was called then er traditions were born, like
Colombia or other Carib- sail to the island till 4 days Aruba, they deported the Playa. the Dera Gay Holiday that
bean islands in the region, later, on August 23rd, 1499. small Arawakan and Span- we celebrate every year
but with good weather it This was the beginning of ish community that was liv- How Savaneta got its name on June 24th. q
was relatively easy for them the Spanish era on Aruba ing on the island. This was The name Savaneta prob-
to travel back and forth in (1499-1636). the beginning of coloniza- ably has a Spanish ori- Source: Historia di Savaneta
their canoes. So, since the tion of the ABC islands by gin. It was said that when (History of Savaneta) by Adolf
Caquetios discovered the Alonso usually didn’t stop the Dutch empire. Around the Spanish climbed a hill “Dufi” Kock.
island, Aruba found her first at every island or land he the same, the West Indian
saw, especially not in the Company (WIC) was born.
Caribbean. He would often Bonaire and Curacao were
take notice of land from mostly used for plantations,
afar and continue sailing. where the Dutch had trans-
However, Aruba was an ex- ported slaves from Africa.
ception. He had heard that Aruba, on the other hand,
there were “quebracho” was mostly used to raise
trees on the island, which cattle and to house the
were commonly used to haring factory. The Dutch
produce dye or paint. But had often forced the indig-
since these trees could not enous community to work
be found in Savaneta, he for them.
continued to search in the In 1636, when the Nether-
area of what is now known lands won the war against
as Santa Cruz. The best Spain, the country surren-
Alonso de Ojeda way to transport the tree dered the islands to the Commandeursbaai (Commander’s Bay) at Savaneta