KAS DI PA KACHI CRAANE
MANY GUESTS VISIT THE RESTAURANT and enjoy its culinary offerings, outstanding service and appreciate its architecture, unaware of the history of the actual building. As the building is more than 100 years old, allow us to enlighten you with a historical account of the “Kas di Pa Kachi Craane and Ma Seshi Craane Graavenhorst”.
Kas di Pa Kachi Craane
“Kas di Pa Kachi Craane i Ma Seshi Craane Gravenhorst” is a house situated on the waterfront of Playa Pabou. This architectural style is what Frans Booi calls “Kas di Kaha” (Box Model). The structure consists of three rooves a hipped roof with dormers around it.
The peaks of the rooves are usually decorated with figures or statues. These houses were built by merchants, owners of plantations or owners of sailing vessels/schooners or seamen and were constructed at the end of the 19th century, beginning of the 20th century. Various houses of this same architectural style can be found in this area.
To name of few: The Herrera family lived in the bredestraat, now known as Kaya Grandi, in a two store building on the opposite side of littman. Later in 1970 the building was owned by the family Gerharts and (also previously "E Wowo" disco). There is also the one storey house of Hart, now Maduro Travel,
in the Kaya Grandi. Another house situated in the Kaya Grandi, now Atlantis and Passangrahan, was previously owned by the Debrot family. Moving towards the direction of the Kas di Regatta, there is a house in this same style belonging to Els Craane, who constructed boats and tall ships (schooners). The Hart, Herrera and Gerharts families were merchants and owners of plantations. Kachi Craanes given name is Jan Nicolaas Erasmus Craane (1879-197 4) and was a seaman on a schooner. Kachi built more than 80 boats and tall ships in the yard of this house under the tamarind tree with the help of Johanse "Jonchi Pushi" Craane. The children of Kachi Craane and Ma Seshi Craane-Gravenhorst who grew up in the house were also well known. ldi Snijders, Buchi Craane became a well known captain at the harbour on the island of St. Maarten, Caridad "Shon Da" married Julio Abraham and are the parents of the well known local politicians Lorensio Antonio "Toon" Abraham and Johan Evert "Jopi" Abraham. Ma Seshi was a descendant of the Bennebroek Gravenhorst family who was the Head of State of the Netherlands Antilles and Jan Hendrik Waters Gravenhorst who was the Governor of Bonaire (1881-1885).
The building
The building bearing Kachis name was first owned by the Debrot family and here is where the poet, politician and GP Nicholaas "Cola" Debrot (1902-1981) was born. The Debrot family also owned Slagbaai and during his visits to the area, Cola was given the nickname "chubatu di Slagbaai" (the ramgoat of Slagbaai). He was greatly influenced by Lourens "Louchi" San Jacobo of Rincon in his writting. He penned the famous book:" Mijn luster de Negerin ". Cola Debrot was the first Antillean to become the Head of State of the Netherlands Antilles.
The building was purchased in 1999. Over the years it has been renovated but the original structure of the house always maintained and with the deepest respect for the history of Bonaire. We hope you feel at home at "It Rains Fishes".