Caquetio
Encyclopedia
Caquetio, Caiquetio, or Caiquetia, were Indians of northwestern Venezuela
, living along the shores of Lake Maracaibo
at the time of the Spanish conquest. They moved inland to avoid enslavement by the Spaniards but were eventually destroyed as were their neighbours, the Quiriquire and the Jirajara. The Caquetíos were also present in Aruba
, Curaçao
and Bonaire when these islands were first discovered by Alonso de Ojeda
in 1499.
The Indians occupying this region were known as Caquetíos by the Spaniards and their language (Caquetío) belongs to the Arawakan family of languages. The Caquetío and the Jirajara spoke the same language, and their cultures were quite similar. The Arawakan or Caquetío language is termed a "ghost" language because virtually no trace of it survives. Only the name remains, saved in 17th century texts.
. These Indians had probably migrated to Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire in canoes made from hollowed out logs they used for fishing. Such crossings from the Paraguana peninsula in Venezuela
, across the 17 miles of open sea to Aruba, would be possible in the canoes the Caiquetios of Venezuela built.
During the first years of colonization, the native Indians of Aruba were described by the Spaniards as Caquetíos. In addition, the Caquetíos in the mainland were the tribe geographically closest to Aruba, and archaeological evidence points towards close ties between both groups during pre-Columbian
times. Thus, the most likely scenario is that most of the Indians who returned to Aruba from Hispaniola
were Caquetíos, as were also most of those found in Aruba at this time. The latter were likely either deportation escapees or mainland migrants. This scenario is supported by the fact that the Indians that migrated from Aruba to the mainland in 1723 to found the town of El Carrizal were described as Caquetíos.
Perhaps as many as 600 Indians lived in Aruba at the time of the Spanish discovery in 1499. Together with Curaçao and Bonaire, Aruba was declared an island without use in 1513, and two years later some 2000 Caquetío Indians from the three islands combined were transported to Hispaniola to work in mines. These Indians presumably comprised the entire population of the islands, but 150 to 200 were returned to Aruba and Curaçao in 1526 to work on the exportation of brazilwood
, kwihi
, and divi-divi
. The Indians returned to Aruba and Curaçao were mainly Caquetíos, but some Arawaks from other Caribbean islands were included in the group. Because of the complexity of the Aruba cave labyrinths, it is possible that the Indians were mostly natives who had escaped deportation, but they could have been recent migrants from the mainland.
In addition, substantial mainland to Aruba migrations of Indian escapees occurred from 1529 to 1556 during the development of the Venezuelan colony (Haviser, 1991). Aruba was neglected by the Spaniards from 1533 until the Dutch conquest of 1636, when Spanish and Amerindian languages (especially Caquetío) were widely spoken. Upon the Dutch conquest the Spaniards fled, and all the Indians were deported to the mainland because they were regarded as sympathetic to the Spaniards.
However, in that same year of 1636 the Dutch West Indian Company assigned Aruba the duty of breeding horses and cattle, and Indians were chosen for these endeavors because they had a good reputation as wild-horse hunters. Thus, Indian migration to Aruba was stimulated. Also, some Indians in war with Spaniards west of Maracaibo fled to Aruba. The importance of Aruba diminished after the 1648 Dutch Peace Treaty with Spain and the island was neglected again. In 1655, the Dutch West Indian Company recognized free Indians in Aruba as trade partners. These Indians were assigned a piece of land on which to maintain themselves through cultivation; they also cut and sold wood and exploited marine resources. In his description of the Aruban way of life during the second half of the 17th century, A.O. Exquemelin points out that the Indians spoke Spanish, were Catholic, and were visited frequently by Spanish priests from the mainland. As an example of their strong links with the mainland, some 200 Indians agreed to leave Aruba in 1723 to raise the Venezuelan town of El Carrizal under the ecclesiastic jurisdiction of the city of Coro
.
The Dutch record that the last true Indian died in Aruba around 1862, however, even today, the Indian features remains in the faces of many of the native Arubans.
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, living along the shores of Lake Maracaibo
Lake Maracaibo
Lake Maracaibo is a large brackish bay in Venezuela at . It is connected to the Gulf of Venezuela by Tablazo Strait at the northern end, and fed by numerous rivers, the largest being the Catatumbo. It is commonly considered a lake rather than a bay or lagoon, and at 13,210 km² it would be the...
at the time of the Spanish conquest. They moved inland to avoid enslavement by the Spaniards but were eventually destroyed as were their neighbours, the Quiriquire and the Jirajara. The Caquetíos were also present in Aruba
Aruba
Aruba is a 33 km-long island of the Lesser Antilles in the southern Caribbean Sea, located 27 km north of the coast of Venezuela and 130 km east of Guajira Peninsula...
, Curaçao
Curaçao
Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
and Bonaire when these islands were first discovered by Alonso de Ojeda
Alonso de Ojeda
Alonso de Ojeda was a Spanish navigator, governor and conquistador. His name is sometimes spelled Alonzo and Oxeda.-Early life:...
in 1499.
The Indians occupying this region were known as Caquetíos by the Spaniards and their language (Caquetío) belongs to the Arawakan family of languages. The Caquetío and the Jirajara spoke the same language, and their cultures were quite similar. The Arawakan or Caquetío language is termed a "ghost" language because virtually no trace of it survives. Only the name remains, saved in 17th century texts.
Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire
When the Spanish arrived in Aruba around 1500 they found the Caiquetios in Aruba, living much as they did in the Stone AgeStone Age
The Stone Age is a broad prehistoric period, lasting about 2.5 million years , during which humans and their predecessor species in the genus Homo, as well as the earlier partly contemporary genera Australopithecus and Paranthropus, widely used exclusively stone as their hard material in the...
. These Indians had probably migrated to Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire in canoes made from hollowed out logs they used for fishing. Such crossings from the Paraguana peninsula in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, across the 17 miles of open sea to Aruba, would be possible in the canoes the Caiquetios of Venezuela built.
During the first years of colonization, the native Indians of Aruba were described by the Spaniards as Caquetíos. In addition, the Caquetíos in the mainland were the tribe geographically closest to Aruba, and archaeological evidence points towards close ties between both groups during pre-Columbian
Pre-Columbian
The pre-Columbian era incorporates all period subdivisions in the history and prehistory of the Americas before the appearance of significant European influences on the American continents, spanning the time of the original settlement in the Upper Paleolithic period to European colonization during...
times. Thus, the most likely scenario is that most of the Indians who returned to Aruba from Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
were Caquetíos, as were also most of those found in Aruba at this time. The latter were likely either deportation escapees or mainland migrants. This scenario is supported by the fact that the Indians that migrated from Aruba to the mainland in 1723 to found the town of El Carrizal were described as Caquetíos.
Perhaps as many as 600 Indians lived in Aruba at the time of the Spanish discovery in 1499. Together with Curaçao and Bonaire, Aruba was declared an island without use in 1513, and two years later some 2000 Caquetío Indians from the three islands combined were transported to Hispaniola to work in mines. These Indians presumably comprised the entire population of the islands, but 150 to 200 were returned to Aruba and Curaçao in 1526 to work on the exportation of brazilwood
Brazilwood
Caesalpinia echinata is a species of Brazilian timber tree in the pea family, Fabaceae. Common names include Brazilwood, Pau-Brasil, Pau de Pernambuco and Ibirapitanga . This plant has a dense, orange-red heartwood that takes a high shine, and it is the premier wood used for making bows for...
, kwihi
Prosopis juliflora
Prosopis juliflora is a shrub or small tree native to Mexico, South America and the Caribbean. It has become established as a weed in Asia, Australia and elsewhere. Its uses include forage, wood and environmental management. The tree grows to a height of up to and has a trunk with a diameter of...
, and divi-divi
Divi-divi
Caesalpinia coriaria is a leguminous tree or large shrub native to the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. Common names include Divi-divi, Cascalote, Guaracabuya, Guatapana, Nacascol, and Watapana .- Description :C...
. The Indians returned to Aruba and Curaçao were mainly Caquetíos, but some Arawaks from other Caribbean islands were included in the group. Because of the complexity of the Aruba cave labyrinths, it is possible that the Indians were mostly natives who had escaped deportation, but they could have been recent migrants from the mainland.
In addition, substantial mainland to Aruba migrations of Indian escapees occurred from 1529 to 1556 during the development of the Venezuelan colony (Haviser, 1991). Aruba was neglected by the Spaniards from 1533 until the Dutch conquest of 1636, when Spanish and Amerindian languages (especially Caquetío) were widely spoken. Upon the Dutch conquest the Spaniards fled, and all the Indians were deported to the mainland because they were regarded as sympathetic to the Spaniards.
However, in that same year of 1636 the Dutch West Indian Company assigned Aruba the duty of breeding horses and cattle, and Indians were chosen for these endeavors because they had a good reputation as wild-horse hunters. Thus, Indian migration to Aruba was stimulated. Also, some Indians in war with Spaniards west of Maracaibo fled to Aruba. The importance of Aruba diminished after the 1648 Dutch Peace Treaty with Spain and the island was neglected again. In 1655, the Dutch West Indian Company recognized free Indians in Aruba as trade partners. These Indians were assigned a piece of land on which to maintain themselves through cultivation; they also cut and sold wood and exploited marine resources. In his description of the Aruban way of life during the second half of the 17th century, A.O. Exquemelin points out that the Indians spoke Spanish, were Catholic, and were visited frequently by Spanish priests from the mainland. As an example of their strong links with the mainland, some 200 Indians agreed to leave Aruba in 1723 to raise the Venezuelan town of El Carrizal under the ecclesiastic jurisdiction of the city of Coro
Santa Ana de Coro
Coro is the capital of Falcón State and the oldest city in the west of Venezuela.-History:The city was founded on July 26, 1527 by Spanish colonists. The name "Coro" is believed to be an indigenous word meaning "wind".The city had a turbulent history in colonial times and suffered a number of...
.
The Dutch record that the last true Indian died in Aruba around 1862, however, even today, the Indian features remains in the faces of many of the native Arubans.