Dokterstuin

Dokterstuin is a former plantation west of the Weg naar Westpunt and south of Barber.

The plantation Dokterstuin already existed in the 17th century, and at the beginning of the 18th century it was fallow government land and a bone of contention among the surrounding planters.

Els Langenfeld writes that in the mid-18th century a few families called the shots in Bándabou and, besides their own plantations, also lorded it over the surrounding government lands. Enslaved people of the various plantation owners fought each other, and one of them was even fatally wounded during one of these “trankeer disputes” (fence disputes) between Dokterstuin, Patrick and Cabrietenberg (Barber).

Boeriek

Dokterstuin, also called Klein Ascension (1826), was a fairly large plantation of 526 hectares and in 1699 was still owned by doctor Jan Bernagie. According to the author M.A. Visman the estate was named after him and was then still called Doctors Tuin (the doctor’s garden). In documents the name later appeared as Dokterstuin, as we know it today.

In an inventory of the plantation Visman also came across the word boeriek, as a translation of buriku (donkey) – according to him the only time this word was translated in this way. People probably thought: if kabritu (goat) is translated as kabriet, why not buriku as boeriek?

J.M.P. Rojer

In 1838 the underage Jacobus Martinus Polder Rojer was the owner, after his parents had bought the estate for him. He remained owner of Dokterstuin until 1856 and also bought and sold various other plantations, but evidently lived beyond his means: in 1884 he had to apply to the government for a piece of public land to plant on and so provide for his living. In the end he lived in a little thatched house in the kunuku until his death.

District master

During the second English period, 1807-1816, the island was divided into districts, each headed by a district master – usually a plantation owner. His task was to register births and deaths and to report every year on the number of enslaved people and the agricultural production of the plantations in his district. He also had to help track down runaway enslaved people and criminals in his district. Another important task was to spread official government announcements in his district.

In a time before WhatsApp and the internet, the rural policeman was sent out by boeriek (donkey) to spread the messages through the district. The plantation house of Dokterstuin served as the official residence and office of the district master from 1863 to 1871 and from 1913 to 1953.

Police at Dokterstuin

But when Dokterstuin became the district master’s lodgings in 1863, the house was so dilapidated that he settled at nearby Pannekoek instead. The former house of Dokterstuin crumbled further, and in the end the roof tiles were taken to Pannekoek.

At Dokterstuin only the military police post remained, built right in front of the plantation house, with a separate small building with two cells for detainees. The ruins of these small buildings have been restored and are still standing.

Here the transport documents for agricultural produce being taken to the city were checked. These documents were needed because of theft on the plantations further west.

Small kunukus

In 1866 Dokterstuin (and Pannekoek, to the west) belonged to the government, which tried to breathe new life into farming by leasing small plots of 2 to 5 hectares to smallholders. In the subdivided valley of Dokterstuin, besides the usual maize, divi-divi pods were also produced. In 1871 the government sold Dokterstuin (and Pannekoek) to Willem – Shon Wilmu – da Costa Gomez, who built the present plantation house and went to live there himself from 1888.

In 1906 the government bought Dokterstuin back from Shon Wilmu, and the office of district master was introduced again, but now as a fully paid civil-service post with an official residence. This time the district master was not allowed to be a planter or to trade, but he was allowed to keep chickens, goats and a fruit garden for his own use.

In 1953 the last district master, Johan Marin Statius van Eps, left, and Dokterstuin was used only as an administrative office and as a polling station during elections.

The Mogen family

In 1966 it was rebuilt and fitted out as a special primary school, but after six years the Alablanca school disappeared because of the poor state of the plantation house.

In 1976 the government again fitted out the two-storey building as a doctor’s surgery, after which it was once more on the verge of collapse.

In 1995 Mama Bebi Mogen was allowed to rent the plantation house from the government on condition that she would take care of the restoration herself. And since 1997 Landhuis Dokterstuin has been known above all as the popular restaurant Komedor Krioyo, where the Mogen family has been serving local dishes for 3 generations. Where small livestock such as chickens, hens, ducks and pigeons used to scratch around, a large covered terrace has now been built for restaurant guests.

Outbuildings

Besides the former police post with its cells, a rain-cistern building also still stands next to the plantation house. In the area behind the plantation house the Werkgroep Archeologie also discovered the foundation of the threshing floor and the magasina (storehouse) above it. The magasina has been demolished, but most of its sturdy foundation is still there, as is a large part of the “back” wall.

Reportedly there was also a small building at Seru Magasina near Dokterstuin where coffins were kept. Apparently the doctor was also an undertaker, but nothing could be found of that building.

Places in Dokterstuin:

Kadushi Kanga lies in the east of Dokterstuin;

Seru di bandera means Flag Hill and is 95 metres high;

Seru di Mangasina lies south-east of the plantation house and is 82 metres high;

Seru di Kalbas, Seroe Kalebas on the Werbata map, is a hill in the north of Dokterstuin, and Cunucu di Kalbas is a spot in Dokterstuin, west of the Weg naar Westpunt;

Behind Seroe Kalebas lies Seroe Cabajé / Seru Kabayé, which has two peaks, is a little higher, namely 136 metres, and lies further to the north-west of Dokterstuin. According to Brenneker the ruin of a small fort used to stand here. The name Kabayé may mean horseman and refer to the time, in the 18th century among others, when mounted soldiers did their rounds and could look out over the land from the hilltops.

Sources:

• Buurtprofiel zone Barber: Ministerie SOAW, Dolf Huijgers and Lucky Ezechiëls
• Various reports of the Werkgroep Archeologie on Dokterstuin
• Landhuizen van Curaçao: Jeannette van Ditzhuijzen
• Herkomst van onze streek- en plantagenamen, publication Waya: Martin A. Visman
• Een ‘batalje’ op Bandabou, Antilliaans Dagblad, 22 May 2006: Els Langenfeld

With thanks to François van der Hoeven and the Werkgroep Archeologie

Unless stated otherwise, the photos of Landhuis Dokterstuin are by Anita de Moulin, R.I.P.