Indians and Spaniards
Curaçao was probably first inhabited some two thousand years ago. These original islanders, the Arawak Amerindians of the Caquetíos tribe, came over from the South American mainland. By the time the Spaniards arrived in 1499 there were an estimated 2,000 Indians on Curaçao. They formed several tribes, spread over fifteen villages. In 1515, the Spanish deported the Indians as slaves. There was a meager trade during Spanish period from 1499-1634.
The Spaniards made little use of Curaçao and marked the island as an useless island.
