Brakkeput

What we know today as Montaña was still called "Plantage Vaerscheput", or Varse Put, around 1855, in the sense of "fresh" or sweet (drinking) water. This raises the question whether the nearby Brakkeput refers to brackish or salty well water. But according to various authors who have carried out historical research into the origin of the name, it is not that simple.

They indicate that the names "brak", and thus also Bracapoti, Bragapoti or Brakka Put, probably come from the yacht De Brack, which lay in the Caracas Bay in 1634. The ship was part of the fleet that called at Curaçao in 1634, led by Johannes van Walbeeck and Pierre Le Grand. De Brack was a so-called "fast yacht" and, after the conquest of Curaçao, was used to transport the Spaniards and the indigenous population to the South American mainland. It was also used to explore the Venezuelan coast and to transport fresh water from the "Krakebaai" (Caracas Bay) to Willemstad.

Brenneker tells that the yacht De Brack formerly drew water at the large plantation north of the Spaanse Water. According to him, the name Cunucu Pos on older maps may have been "Grootte Bracke Putt". Until 1828 Brakkeput was in fact still one large plantation.

The Spaanse Water (Spanish Water) owes its name to the fact that the administration of the island was based here during the time of Spanish rule (1499–1634). At Santa Barbara, to be exact.

Brakkeput has several former indigenous dwelling sites. In 1828 the plantation was owned by the Ellis family, with 22 enslaved people working there. In 1836 the estate was divided into three plantations with the same name. In the 19th century this caused a lot of confusion in the transfer documents, and the solution that was arrived at was the Papiamentu additions: Ariba, Meimei and Abou (Upper, i.e. eastern; middle; and southern Brakkeput).

Brakkeput Ariba

Brakkeput Ariba — also known as Nooitgedacht — was once owned by one of the richest residents of the island, M. Penso, a mortgage lender who also owned Nijdrust, alias Casa Grandi. The Isla di Penso is a small peninsula in the Spaanse Water, the longest spur of Brakkeput Ariba. It lies south of Brakkeput Ariba and is named after him.

Maria Martha

In 1803 Maria Martha, a free woman of colour, was the owner of Brakkeput Ariba. The plantation had been given to her by the Jewish owner David Raphaël, together with 40 enslaved people and a considerable herd of livestock. Maria Martha was therefore by no means without means when she decided in that same year to also buy the plantation Saliña Abou. She herself preferred to keep living at Brakkeput Ariba, because she appointed someone else as manager of her new property.

Brudernan di Brakapoti (the Brothers of Brakapoti)

In the 20th century Brakkeput Ariba was given an unusual purpose: it was to be converted into a "boys' town", a place for the care and schooling of boys from poor families. In 1937 Monsignor Verriet made the grounds available to the Stichting Johannes Bosco and the Crusaders of Saint John, who went to live there. From that moment the plantation was known as Brakkeput di Brudernan.

The Foundation is named after the 19th-century Italian priest Giovanni (Johannes) Bosco, also known as Don Bosco. He developed his own educational system worldwide, with special attention to the formation of young people. Don Bosco was declared a saint in 1934.

Under the leadership of the brothers on Curaçao a work camp and a boarding school were set up for Catholic boys who could not go to a trade school. Here they were trained as, among other things, carpenters and car mechanics. Boys from Aruba, Bonaire, the Windward Islands and from Bándabou who attended school in Punda and Otrobanda also stayed at the boarding school. But the plan to expand the facilities did not go ahead because the brothers were transferred to developing countries in South America.

Very well known among the young people of the area was the Vèlt di Brakapoti, a sports field that had been laid out by the brothers. The peninsula of Brakkeput Ariba was also for years a fishing spot for boys from the neighbourhood.

Kinderoorden Brakkeput (Brakkeput Children's Homes)

In 1962 the vacated spaces were used again for the care of children, this time under the Stichting Kinderopvang Brakkeput (Brakkeput Childcare Foundation), where girls and toddlers aged from zero to sixteen were placed on social grounds. The three pavilions on Brakapoti Ariba were set up as day and sleeping quarters for girls and toddlers, a kitchen with a dining hall, and also a day and sleeping quarters for older boys from poor families.

Later only boys were housed at Kinderoorden Brakkeput. This lasted until 2024, when for lack of financial means the boys were placed in other boarding homes on Curaçao. Sadly this also brought an end to the youth welfare facilities that had once been set up by the Brudernan di Brakapoti. Thanks to the Brudernan di Brakapoti and the Kinderdagverblijf Brakkeput (Brakkeput Day Nursery), many less privileged children got better opportunities in our community.

After the departure of the Brudernan di Brakapoti, the Don Bosco foundation focused on "financial support of projects for the socially weak in society, with special attention to disadvantaged young people", as can be read on its website. This also includes the rental and sale of plots on the former plantation.

Dairy trade

At the foot of the little hill with the plantation house Brakkeput Ariba stood the largest dairy business on Bándariba, and at one time hundreds of cows roamed here. On both sides of the road to the plantation house kurá's di baka (cow corrals) had been laid out, where the cows were cared for by Portuguese workers and from where large quantities of milk and yoghurt were delivered. The extensive fields east of the plantation house up to the plantation Jan Sofat were planted with small maize for the cows.

On the east side of the road between the cow corrals there is still a large water tank that was called Bak'i Bion. The well-known radio commentator Carlito Bion once fell into it. He could be heard every Sunday on Radio Hoyer and invariably ended his programme with the sentence: "Ami ta Carlito Bion!" ("I am Carlito Bion!").

Kima Kalki

Since Montaña did not border the sea, many young people from the neighbourhood learned to swim at Brakkeput, at Kima Kalki. This is a part of the Spaanse Water where a small marina is now located.

A unique place because lime was once burned here (kima kalki = burning lime). The masonry lime kiln where this took place is still there; it is one of the two lime kilns still existing on Curaçao. There is also such a lime kiln on the inner bay of Sint Marie, though in a dilapidated state.

The one at Kima Kalki has been preserved because the brothers had rented out the lime kiln with its extension, and the tenant had turned it into a weekend cottage. Coral stone was formerly burned into quicklime and doused with water to obtain slaked lime. This was the basis for paint and limestone cement used in housing construction.

Another, larger marina is the Curaçao Yacht Club, where fishing tournaments are held by the elite. This marina was built on an artificial peninsula at Brakkeput Ariba, on which a residential neighbourhood was also built. This peninsula used to be an island, but was made accessible via a road lane on a landfill. Close to here lies the Isla di Willemberg, a small island in the Spaanse Water, north of the

Kabrietenberg

Finally, Brakkeput Ariba also had a hofje (small garden estate), situated directly next to that of Brakkeput Meimei.

Brakkeput Meimei

Brakkeput Meimei, alias Klijne Bracke Putt (with a double "t"), was 82 hectares in size. The beautifully restored plantation house has the characteristic features of the Curaçao landhuis, but the core is built in a U shape. On the east and west sides lie fine terraces with a wonderful view of the Spaanse Water. The outbuildings have also been fully restored. Brakkeput Meimei was not a profitable business; in 1833 the owner asked permission to burn lime in order to be able to buy maize, and the plantation was sold at auction several times.

A work camp for boys, set up by the Salvation Army and supported by the government and the oil refinery, was also once located here.

Sailing harbour Asiento

In 1929 the oil refinery bought the plantation and it was set up as a recreation area with a clubhouse and marina for the higher-ranking employees. During the long summer holiday Shell organised a holiday camp there for the children of employees as part of a Holiday Plan. Participation was voluntary, but almost all children took part enthusiastically. Next to the outbuilding on the west side is an entrance to the fairly large green hofje that leads to Zeilhaven Asiento. This lies on the Spaanse Water and is managed by the former Shell association Asiento. Various former employees of the refinery keep their boats here.

The plantation house of Brakkeput Meimei has now been fitted out as a restaurant, and the rest of the former plantation is nowadays built up with resorts and luxury villas.

Brakkeput Abou

Brakkeput Abou, also called Bragapoti Abou, Rust en Vrede or Rust van Bonayre (with a "y"), is the westernmost and the smallest of the Brakkeput plantations. The plantation house was built in the 18th century and has since been restored. The accompanying plantation was 41 hectares in size and in 1828 only six enslaved people worked here.

Around 1940 the plantation was bought by James van Henneigen, originally from the Windward Islands, and Margo Mercelina. Besides their trades as a tailor and a hat plaiter, they were also active in commerce, which enabled them to buy the plantation. Brakkeput Abou became a livestock plantation with cows, sheep, goats and chickens. They also had as many as seven hundred Lahara (laraha) trees, which supplied the base product for the world-famous Curaçao Liqueur.

The former plantations Brakkeput Ariba and Brakkeput Abou are privately owned.

Sources

J. Neder Helman, Namen in en rond het Spaanse water (Names in and around the Spaanse Water);
J. van Soest, Olie als water (Oil like water);
J. van Ditzhuijzen, Landhuizen van Curaçao. Juwelen uit het verleden (Plantation houses of Curaçao. Jewels from the past);
W.E. Renkema, Het Curaçaose plantagebedrijf in 19de eeuw;
P. Brenneker, Sambumbu, various editions

With thanks to Francois van der Hoeven, Frensel Mercelina, André Rancuret, Carel de Haseth and Christel Monsanto.