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local Monday 25 august 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 between The Netherlands indigenous community to
made their way to the island continue sailing. However, and Spain, Dutch explor- work for them. However, at the end of the
either from Venezuela, Co- Aruba was an exception. ers and merchants began 18th century, the command-
lombia or other Caribbean He had heard that there to travel to the ABC islands. In 1636, when the Nether- er at the time, J.R. Lauffer,
islands in the region, but were “quebracho” trees Once they landed in Aruba, lands won the war against moved his office to what is
with good weather it was on the island, which were they deported the small Ar- Spain, the country surren- now “Horse Bay” in Oran-
relatively easy for them to commonly used to produce awakan and Spanish com- dered the islands to the jestad. Because the highest
travel back and forth in dye or paint. But since these munity that was living on the Dutch. office on the island moved
their canoes. So, since the trees could not be found in island. This was the begin- away from Savaneta, the
Caquetios discovered the Savaneta, he continued to ning of colonization of the The Dutch administration capital lost its title to what
island, Aruba found her first search in the area of what ABC islands by the Dutch appointed the island’s first was called then Playa.
form of civilization. is now known as Santa Cruz. empire. Around the same, commander, an Irish man
The best way to transport the the West Indian Company named N. Williams. Because How Savaneta got its name
It wasn’t until 1499 when tree barks was via a route (WIC) was born. Bonaire the Dutch were interested in The name Savaneta prob-
Aruba met another group of passing through Savaneta, and Curacao were mostly other Caribbean islands and ably has a Spanish origin.
people who set foot on the and so the first road be- used for plantations, where countries in South America, It was said that when the
island: the Spanish explorer tween Savaneta and Santa the Dutch had transported they imported Dutch mer- Spanish climbed a hill called
Alonso de Ojeda. De Ojeda Cruz was made. slaves from Africa. Aruba, on chants and business men, Yara, they saw that the area
first took notice of Aruba the other hand, was mostly all of whom resided in Sava- was mostly open and had
off the coast of Venezuela, The Dutch colonial era used to raise cattle and to neta. This way, Savaneta of- no big trees. In Spanish, such
during his exploration of the (1636-1805) house the haring factory. The ficially became the island’s a land area is called a “sa-
Latin American country. This During the 80-year war Dutch had often forced the first capital. bana”.
was on August 9th, 1499.
However, de Ojeda didn’t Because of its land surface,
actually sail to the island till Savaneta was a great place
4 days later, on August 23rd, to construct cattle farms.
1499. This was the beginning From here, the farmer culture
of the Spanish era on Aruba on Aruba was born. Before
(1499-1636). the Aruban Gold Rush and
the construction of the Re-
Alonso usually didn’t stop at finery in San Nicolas, most
every island or land he saw, residents were farmers, and
especially not in the Carib- Savaneta had many inhabit-
bean. He would often take 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.