Tag: Arawak

The last indigenous settlements on Aruba in the 16th Century (late 1500’s)

Posted on by tirsotromp

Before the Dutch came to town, as discussed earlier, some Caquetío were sent back to Aruba from Santo Domingo. This triggered a new immigration wave from the mainland Caquetíos. Predominantly from Paraguaná and La Guajira. In the first article of this blog I indicated not to spend too much time to the pre-columbian period on Aruba. This part however is important for us to understand how the population of the post-columbian period has developed over time.

Recapping, the original inhabitants of Aruba have been sent to Santo Domingo as slaves.  Leaving the island pretty much desolate. Later they have been “pardoned” and “freed” by the Spanish King and Catholic church. Upon their return to Aruba, some Spanish have also settled on Aruba together with them, we are talking about a dozen or so. Therefore, starting in the 16th century the population was a mix of original Caquetíos, mainland Caquetíos and Spaniards. In my opinion this is what constitutes the last original inhabitants of Aruba before Dutch settlement in the 17th century and colonisation later in the 18th century. This was all when Juan de Ampiés was managing the islands as encomendero.

Before European contact, the areas on Aruba that have been inhabited and showed signs of villages were (locations we now know as):

  • Tanki Flip
  • Santa Cruz
  • Savaneta

There were other locations, but these three represent the most important ones.

In the 16th century, when the Caquetíos returned to Aruba, all literature I found, indicated that they were spread around Aruba in what we now know as:

  • Spanish Lagoon
  • Piedra Plat
  • Noord (Tanki Flip)
  • Santa Cruz
  • Savaneta

Because many of the new ones came from the mainland, they were accustomed to  Spanish presence. Especially the clergy (remember, the Catholic inhabitants of Aruba fell under the Bishopric/church based in Coro, founded by Juan de Ampiés).  Gonzalo de Angulo, the Bishop of Coro, ordered for a census of the ABC Islands in 1619. The Priest Martín Gomez reported that only a few hundred Caquetíos lived on Aruba.

Mind you, even though the Caquetíos have been “pardoned” and “free”, they still were obliged to work for the Spanish. Albeit upon availability, in practice they were often forced and could still be considered slaves. Juan de Ampiés himself had a history of being an “indiero”, a hunter of indigenous people as slaves.

Unfortunately we do not know much about the people living on Aruba in this period. What we do know, in broad terms, is discussed in some of my previous blog posts. It remains a challenge to me to really construct a detailed timeline of the population and social developments of Aruba before the arrival of the Dutch.

It was not until the 17th century that many important events took place that influenced the development of Aruba. It can be considered the start of Aruba’s first mayor social and population developments. One can look at these as positive, negative or a combination. For me, it is what happened, and without judging I want to understand this. It can help in discovering more about Aruba, my heritage and why things are why they are now.

Main take away here is

  • Very little to nothing of the original inhabitants of Aruba remained
    • therefore the current population is a result of approximately only 400 years of developments
  • No mayor developments occurred on Aruba untill the 16th century
  • For the Caquetíos on Aruba, it remained a hard life throughout history

 

An interesting blog, going a bit more into detail:

http://dutchcaribbeanroots.blogspot.com/2018/05/myth-or-real-amerindians-in-curacao.html

Aruba and the region in the 18th century

The Impact of the 1700’s on Aruba’s Development

Posted on by tirsotromp

Aruba may be a small island in the Caribbean, but it’s part of a much larger story that began when Christopher Columbus stumbled upon these parts of the world. Today, approximately 87% of Aruba’s economy depends on tourism. A key component of modern tourism marketing is storytelling, driven by a growing demand for authentic experiences from tourists, visitors, and travelers. But it’s not just visitors seeking authenticity—locals are also searching for a deeper connection to their identity, which is often rooted in Aruba’s rich history and cultural heritage.

As a result, many stories have emerged about Aruba’s culture, history, and what makes the island unique compared to the rest of the world. While most of these narratives are based in truth, they often lack depth and cover vast periods in a simplified manner. In my view, this leads to a somewhat distorted understanding of our history and roots. That’s why I started this blog—to dive deeper into the true origins of modern-day Aruba.

Now, after six chapters, we’re getting into the real heart of Aruba’s story.

As covered in previous chapters, one of the main points is that Aruba played a relatively minor role in the grand history of the Caribbean—but that depends on perspective. For the indigenous Arawak and Caiquetios, who came from present-day Venezuela and Colombia, Aruba was incredibly significant. It offered them refuge, allowing them to live free from religious persecution. For the Dutch, who arrived later, the nearby island of Curaçao held more importance due to its strategic position in the Caribbean and the Americas. However, Aruba was essential for them to maintain control over both Curaçao and Bonaire, as well as the trade routes the Spanish used to ship wealth back to Spain.

From 1499 to the late 1600s, Aruba’s social and cultural development was fairly straightforward. Neither the Spanish nor the Dutch allowed European colonization on the island, so the population mainly consisted of the Arawak people, who had converted to Roman Catholicism. Despite this religious shift, they didn’t fully assimilate into European culture.

Aruba’s first major shift came under the control of the Dutch West India Company (WIC) around 1639. When the first iteration of the WIC went bankrupt, a second was founded in September 1674, continuing Aruba’s journey under Dutch influence. It’s important to note, however, that Aruba was not yet officially part of the country we now know as the Netherlands.

West-Indisch_Huis Amsterdam
WIC headquarters in Amsterdam. Aruba fell under its rule.

So, what shaped Aruba into the diverse melting pot of nationalities, cultures, religions, and traditions that it is today? Why is the standard of living on the island relatively high compared to the rest of the region? Has it always been this way? My research reveals that Aruba has endured its fair share of challenges, including famine, poverty, and economic stagnation. Yet, I believe that the people who lived and worked on Aruba from the late 1600s onward laid the foundation for what we now recognize as the true roots of modern Aruba.

In the upcoming chapters, I’ll dive deep into the period between 1639 and 1791, when Aruba was under the control of the Dutch West India Company (WIC). This era played a crucial role in shaping the island, and it wasn’t until December 31, 1791, that Aruba officially became a colony of “The Netherlands.” There’s much more to uncover about this significant period in Aruba’s history.

Aruba nature shot of the north coast near Alto Vista

The “quiet” years of Aruba (1639 – 1700); Exports and Pirates

Posted on by tirsotromp

In the era that Aruba was property of the WIC, from a history timeline perspective, it was quite unremarkable. That does not mean that nothing noteworthy happened. There is not much documentation to be found on these “forgotten” years. Nevertheless, here are some chapters in Aruba’s history worth telling. Even though one tends to forget, it is interesting to realise that during this Period The Dutch were at war with the Spanish, till 1648, the Portuguese and with the English. The latter was called the Anglo-Dutch wars of 1652-1654 and 1665-1667. In the end it resulted in the Dutch losing New Amsterdam (New York) to the English (but getting Surinam in return).

The first economic activity on Aruba – Export to New Amsterdam

Of the 3 islands, Curacao was the most important one. And Aruba was always under the shadow of its larger sister Island. Nevertheless, the Dutch WIC started breeding horses on Aruba, that they would export. Remarkably the first export of Aruban horses was to New Amsterdam, current New York. I say this, because for the past decades from the late 1980’s up to now, New York is still the number 1 source market for Aruba’s tourism industry.

The export endeavour was not successful though. There is not much of this history to be found. There is a report however, of a ship called “De Eyckenboom” that transported 20 slaves from Curacao and 50 horses from Aruba to New Amsterdam. Unfortunately half of the horses perished during the journey and the rest arrived to weak to even stand on their own feet. The original documentation, a letter from the Governor Peter Stuyvesant dated June 25 1660, mentioning this can be found HERE. Four years after the journey of “De Eyckenboom” the British captured New Amsterdam from the Dutch, and changed the name to New York.

Letter from Peter Stuyvesant to the Directors of the WIC June 25 1660

Pirates of The Caribbean…..on Aruba

The Dutch were engaged in various wars, such as the Franco Dutch war and the 4 Anglo Dutch wars. During these periods there were many privateers or buccaneers, also known as pirates, roaming the sees between the Caribbean islands. These were seamen and sailors who would attack military and merchant vessels of a specific country with the blessing of another one (privateering). Jan Erasmus Reining, a Dutch buccaneer was one of them. He even served under the more famous Henry Morgan & Rock Brasiliano. Reyning’s visit to Aruba is documented. See it HERE on page 237. He landed on Aruba in 1677, fleeing from St. Maarten after being defeated by French Admiral Duc d’Estrées. His fame stems from the book: The Devils Anarchy; The very remarkable travels of Jan Erasmus Reyning, Buccaneer. Or as the book is called in Dutch: “Zeer aanmerkelijke reysen gedaan door Jan Erasmus Reyning”.

Zeer aanmerkelijke reysen gedaan door Jan Erasmus Reining

These visits from pirates have also found their way into Aruba’s folklore. I remember my grandmother telling me stories about fishermen seeing ghosts at night. These fishermen would tie up and hide their boats between mangroves or other vegetation on and near the beaches. Legend has it that there have been pirates who buried treasure on Aruba, and cut off the head of one of their crew and buried the body and head with the treasure to guard it.  I don’t know if it is true, but I hope that someday someone does find treasure dating back to these years.

Aruba is still Spanish property…..or is it Dutch?

During the 80 years war with Spain, the Dutch captured Curacao, Aruba and Bonaire for their salt pans and strategic positions off the coast of the mainland. This happened without fierce battles or dramatic events. It happened so swiftly and quiet that the Spaniards did not realise they lost the Islands. Proof of this is the fact that it was not until almost 100 years later, that the then Spanish ambassador to the Dutch Republic, Vizconde de Herreria, asked an official status of specifically Aruba. The Dutch replied that they did not understand the fuss. Aruba has been theirs for a long time already. The original letter still exists in the archives of Simancas, Spain.

So the take-away on our Aruba roots here are:

  • Aruba was property of the WIC and not really part of the Dutch “7 province republic”
  • The population consisted of Arawak Indians that emigrated from the mainland &     a few Europeans employed by the WIC
  • Aruba was an “experimental” ranch for breeding goats and horses
  • Aruba was spared much of the violence and battles of the many wars waging in that period

 

 

 

Aruba Arawak

Aruba’s first encounter with Europeans in 1499

Posted on by tirsotromp

Without a doubt, the first inhabitants of Aruba were the Caiquetio Indians, part of the Arawak tribe who migrated from the mainland and settled on the island. Archaeological excavations have shown that the Caiquetios have lived on Aruba for around 16,000 years, with major settlements in what we now know as Tanki Flip & Malmok (Noord), Santa Cruz, Canashito and Savaneta.

aruba-political-map

However, as I mentioned in the introduction, my main focus is on Aruba’s history starting in 1499, when everything changed with the arrival of Europeans. The world was transformed after Columbus’ discovery of the Americas, and Aruba was no exception.

Aruba’s first European visitor was a Spaniard named Alonso de Ojeda (1466 Cuenca, Spain – 1515 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic). Ojeda, a participant in Columbus’ second voyage, later embarked on a separate mission sponsored by Bishop Juan Rodríguez de Fonseca. During this expedition, he explored the coastlines of modern-day Venezuela and Colombia, and in September 1499, he landed on Aruba. Despite this discovery, Ojeda found no gold and labeled Aruba, along with Curaçao and Bonaire, as “Isla Inútil”—Spanish for “worthless island.”

Image of Spanish Conquistador Alonso de Ojeda
              Alonso de Ojeda

Alonso de Ojeda was an interesting character. He embodied, the good, the bad and the ugly of early European exploration in the Americas. But for the continuing history discussed on this site, after the discovery, his relevance diminished. The question I have is: “what happened to Aruba after 1499?”

Aruba automatically became part of the Spanish Empire and was included in the region known as Nueva Andalucía, governed by Ojeda. However, by 1513, the indigenous Caiquetios were enslaved and deported to Hispaniola (modern-day Dominican Republic) to work in copper mines, under the orders of Diego de Salazar. Around 2,000 Caiquetios from Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao were taken, leaving Aruba devoid of human inhabitants for nearly six years. Imagine how that must have been.

In 1519, the surviving Caiquetios were allowed to return to Aruba, thanks to Juan Martínez de Ampiés, a Spanish official who recognized the intelligence of the Caiquetios, referring to them as “Guatiaos”. He successfully advocated for their protection from slavery in exchange for their conversion to Christianity. Juan Ampiés, or possibly his son (there’s some historical debate), played a key role in the re-population of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, and later founded the city of Santa Ana de Coro in Venezuela in 1527 with the help of Cacique Manaure. This city played a key role in the re-population of the Islands, especially Aruba.

Unfortunately, Juan Ampiés eventually lost control of the region due to financial difficulties and disputes. King Charles I of Spain (Charles V of Germany) granted control of Venezuela’s coastal area to the Welser family—German bankers who had financed the Spanish Crown. Juan Ampiés died a poor man in 1533, and although the islands remained under Spanish control, they were largely forgotten, allowing the local Caiquetio population to live with a degree of autonomy.

Juan Ampiés’ influence was significant in shaping the post-1499 history of Aruba. He ensured that the island was re-populated with both the original Caiquetios and new arrivals from the mainland, while also introducing European agricultural practices such as the breeding of goats, pigs, and horses, as well as the cultivation of fruit trees.

Key Takeaways About Aruba’s Roots:

  1. Caiquetio heritage: Aruba’s indigenous roots trace back more than 16,000 years to the Caiquetios.
  2. Spanish colonization: Aruba was colonized by Spain and annexed into Nueva Andalucía.
  3. Enslavement and deportation: In 1513, the Caiquetio population was deported to the Dominican Republic, but later freed and allowed to return.
  4. Cultural exchange: After their return, the Caiquetios were encouraged to convert to Christianity and integrate European agricultural practices, forming the foundation of Aruba’s Catholic heritage.
  5. Mix of populations: By 1499, Aruba’s population had become a mix of original Caiquetio inhabitants, mainland indigenous people (from Santa Ana de Coro), and Spaniards.
Manaure
Manaure
Ampies
Juan de Ampies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of my primary conclusions from this chapter, based on extensive research, is that from 1499 onward, Aruba’s population became a blend of Caiquetio natives, indigenous people from the mainland, and Spanish settlers. This also explains the strong Catholic presence in Aruba today. Given the relatively short distance between Aruba and Venezuela (126 km), this cultural exchange makes perfect sense.

In the next chapter, I’ll explore the period from 1533 to around 1600, investigating the events and contributions that further shaped Aruba’s roots.

Paraguana
Coro and Paraguana Peninsula 1885

To confirm the above, check out a.o:

A Short History of the Netherlands Antilles and Surinam; By Cornelis C. Goslinga

Note: The Kingdom of the Netherlands did not yet exist during this period. The Dutch provinces of Holland, Friesland, Zeeland, and Utrecht were involved in the Eighty Years’ War against Spain.