Page 15 - AHATA

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local Saturday 15 November 2025
The district of Savaneta: A quick history guide to the island’s first capital

(Oranjestad)—Before Oran-
jestad became the island
nation’s capital, Aruba’s
first capital was the district
of Savaneta. Here is where
the cultural identity of Aruba
was born, and from where
the rest of the island devel-
oped into what it is today.

Savaneta is said to have
been the first place where
the Caquetio inhabitants
first stepped foot on the
island. Though there isn’t
hard evidence to back this
up, but considering the leg-
end of the Cacique Arua, it
is believed that there were
already movements on Aru-
ba—and Savaneta—around
88 AD.

The Caquetios probably notice of land from afar and During the 80-year war Dutch had often forced the first capital.
made their way to the island continue sailing. However, between The Netherlands indigenous community to
either from Venezuela, Co- Aruba was an exception. He and Spain, Dutch explor- work for them. However, at the end of the
lombia or other Caribbean had heard that there were ers and merchants began 18th century, the command-
islands in the region, but “quebracho”(Kibrahacha) to travel to the ABC islands. In 1636, when the Nether- er at the time, J.R. Lauffer,
with good weather it was trees on the island, which Once they landed in Aruba, lands won the war against moved his office to what is
relatively easy for them to were commonly used to they deported the small Ar- Spain, the country surren- now “Horse Bay” in Oran-
travel back and forth in produce dye or paint. But awakan and Spanish com- dered the islands to the jestad. Because the highest
their canoes. So, since the since these trees could not munity that was living on the Dutch. office on the island moved
Caquetios discovered the be found in Savaneta, he island. This was the begin- away from Savaneta, the
island, Aruba found her first continued to search in the ning of colonization of the The Dutch administration capital lost its title to what
form of civilization. area of what is now known ABC islands by the Dutch appointed the island’s first was called then Playa.
as Santa Cruz. The best empire. Around the same, commander, an Irish man
It wasn’t until 1499 when way to transport the tree the West Indian Company named N. Williams. Because How Savaneta got its name
Aruba met another group of barks was via a route pass- (WIC) was born. Bonaire the Dutch were interested in The name Savaneta prob-
people who set foot on the ing through Savaneta, and and Curacao were mostly other Caribbean islands and ably has a Spanish origin.
island: the Spanish explorer so the first road between used for plantations, where countries in South America, It was said that when the
Alonso de Ojeda. De Ojeda Savaneta and Santa Cruz the Dutch had transported they imported Dutch mer- Spanish climbed a hill called
first took notice of Aruba was made. slaves from Africa. Aruba, on chants and business men, Yara, they saw that the area
off the coast of Venezuela, the other hand, was mostly all of whom resided in Sava- was mostly open and had
during his exploration of the The Dutch colonial era used to raise cattle and to neta. This way, Savaneta of- no big trees. In Spanish, such
Latin American country. This (1636-1805) house the haring factory. The ficially became the island’s a land area is called a “sa-
was on August 9th, 1499. bana”.
However, de Ojeda didn’t
actually sail to the island till Because of its land surface,
4 days later, on August 23rd, Savaneta was a great place
1499. This was the beginning to construct cattle farms.
of the Spanish era on Aruba From here, the farmer culture
(1499-1636). on Aruba was born. Before
the Aruban Gold Rush and
Alonso usually didn’t stop at the construction of the Re-
every island or land he saw, finery in San Nicolas, most
especially not in the Carib- residents were farmers, and
bean. He would often take Savaneta had many inhabit-
ants that farmed fruits and
vegetables. They also con-
tinued the tradition of rais-
ing cattle, like goat, sheep,
pigs and horses. Savaneta
was one of the first places on
the island to have a general
farming culture. From this cul-
ture, many other traditions
were born, like the Dera Gay
Holiday that we celebrate
every year on June 24th.q

Source: Historia di Savaneta
(History of Savaneta) by Adolf
“Dufi” Kock.