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local Wednesday 5 June 2024
The district of Savaneta

A quick history guide to the island’s first capital

(Oranjestad)—Before Oranjestad set foot on the island: the Span-
became the island nation’s capi- ish explorer Alonso de Ojeda. De
tal, Aruba’s first capital was the Ojeda first took notice of Aruba off
district of Savaneta. Here is where the coast of Venezuela, during his
the cultural identity of Aruba was exploration of the Latin American
born, and from where the rest of country. This was on August 9th,
the island developed into what it is 1499. However, de Ojeda didn’t
today. actually sail to the island till 4 days
later, on August 23rd, 1499. This was
Savaneta is said to have been the the beginning of the Spanish era
first place where the Caquetio in- on Aruba (1499-1636).
habitants first stepped foot on the
island. Though there isn’t hard evi- Alonso usually didn’t stop at every
dence to back this up, but consid- island or land he saw, especially
ering the legend of the Cacique not in the Caribbean. He would of-
Arua, it is believed that there were ten take notice of land from afar
already movements on Aruba— and continue sailing. However,
and Savaneta—around 88 AD. Aruba was an exception. He had
heard that there were “quebra-
The Caquetios probably made cho” trees on the island, which
their way to the island either from were commonly used to produce
Venezuela, Colombia or other Ca- dye or paint. But since these trees
ribbean islands in the region, but could not be found in Savaneta,
with good weather it was relatively he continued to search in the area
easy for them to travel back and of what is now known as Santa In 1636, when the Netherlands won that when the Spanish climbed a
forth in their canoes. So, since the Cruz. The best way to transport the the war against Spain, the coun- hill called Yara, they saw that the
Caquetios discovered the island, tree barks was via a route passing try surrendered the islands to the area was mostly open and had no
Aruba found her first form of civili- through Savaneta, and so the first Dutch. big trees. In Spanish, such a land
zation. road between Savaneta and San- area is called a “sabana”.
ta Cruz was made. The Dutch administration appoint-
It wasn’t until 1499 when Aruba ed the island’s first commander, Because of its land surface, Sava-
met another group of people who The Dutch colonial era (1636-1805) an Irish man named N. Williams. Be- neta was a great place to con-
During the 80-year war between cause the Dutch were interested in struct cattle farms. From here, the
The Netherlands and Spain, Dutch other Caribbean islands and coun- farmer culture on Aruba was born.
explorers and merchants began tries in South America, they import- Before the Aruban Gold Rush and
to travel to the ABC islands. Once ed Dutch merchants and business the construction of the Refinery in
they landed in Aruba, they deport- men, all of whom resided in Sava- San Nicolas, most residents were
ed the small Arawakan and Span- neta. This way, Savaneta officially farmers, and Savaneta had many
ish community that was living on became the island’s first capital. inhabitants that farmed fruits and
the island. This was the beginning vegetables. They also continued
of colonization of the ABC islands However, at the end of the 18th the tradition of raising cattle, like
by the Dutch empire. Around the century, the commander at the goat, sheep, pigs and horses. Sa-
same, the West Indian Company time, J.R. Lauffer, moved his office vaneta was one of the first places
(WIC) was born. Bonaire and Cu- to what is now “Horse Bay” in Oran- on the island to have a general
racao were mostly used for planta- jestad. Because the highest office farming culture. From this culture,
tions, where the Dutch had trans- on the island moved away from many other traditions were born,
ported slaves from Africa. Aruba, Savaneta, the capital lost its title to like the Dera Gay Holiday that we
on the other hand, was mostly what was called then Playa. celebrate every year on June 24th.
used to raise cattle and to house
the haring factory. The Dutch had How Savaneta got its name Source: Historia di Savaneta (His-
often forced the indigenous com- The name Savaneta probably tory of Savaneta) by Adolf “Dufi”
munity to work for them. has a Spanish origin. It was said Kock.