Map of Siuna Nicaragua and area.
Many thanks to Ben Jastrzembski; Rafael Aguilera; Victor Cajina; Sinai Rocha Wood; Richard Ramirez; Jeany Obando; Maria Zeledon; Sharon Housser and any others who have submitted photos to help make a more complete pictorial historical overview of the Siuna area. It has been a pleasure to serve you all in a small way and also assist Rafael with his: http://laluzsiuna.info (La Luz Siuna web site). Thanks for all the comments which bring the photos to life with all the personal history.
Region Autónoma Atlántico Norte (RAAN) of Nicaragua.
The mining triangle of Siuna, Rosita and Bonanza.
My family, which included my parents, Allen and Marjorie Drebert along with my brother Doug and myself, moved from Toronto, Canada, to Siuna in 1956 where we spent 5 years until 1961. My father worked in a capacity of managing transportation and the mechanics maintenance garage for La Luz Mining Company. We lived on the staff zone for all of the foreign workers on the top of a hill overlooking Siuna and the mine. My brother and I attended the one room school for all of the English speaking children which taught grades one to nine. After grade nine, the children or young adults had to be sent off to boarding school which would usually be back in their home country. My brother Doug and I, have very fond memories of our time growing up in Nicaragua. The tropical mountain climate was ideal averaging between 65 and 85 degrees F. throughout the year. Most of the following photos were taken by my father, ALLEN DREBERT.
Vista del complejo de la mina de oro de la tomada de la piscina de la zona. Looking down on La Luz Gold Mine complex from staff zone pool.
Mi padre, Allen Drebert en la Zona de La Luz, que tomo todas las fotos siguientes. My father, Allen Drebert at La Luz gold mine staff zone, who shot most of the following photos during the time he worked at La Luz Mine from 1956 to 1961.
Mi padre, Allen Drebert en la mina de cobre de Rosita, que tomo todas las fotos siguientes. My father, Allen Drebert at Rosita copper mine, who shot most of the following photos during the time he worked at La Luz Mine from 1957 to 1961.
Elevador del pozo de la mina.Another view of La Luz Gold Mine picturing the main shaft tunnel cable lift.
Mine site viewed from La Zona.
Open pit mine site viewed from La Zona.
Longitudinal section at La Luz Mines Ltd.
Typical fross section at La Luz Mines Limited.
Cross sections showing standard STOPE (An excavation in the form of steps made by the mining of ore from steeply inclined or vertical veins ) development at La Luz.
Processing the gold ore at La Luz gold mine in Siuna
Processing gold ore
Procesamiento de oro en la mina. Blast furnace for processing gold at La Luz Gold Mine. Mister Edwards is shown overseeing the process.
Alistando el oro en marquetas. Pouring molten gold into ingot mold at La Luz Mine.
Removing slag from gold ingot
Gold bars cooling down at ambient temperature.
Weighing gold ingots
Mi mamá Chequeado las barras de oro. Mom checking out gold bar ingots.
Ingots being stamped with serial numbers
La Luz Mine original Open Pit where gold was initially surface mined. This ridge started to cave in with a large landslide during our time there. This is now a lake or lagoon as pictured next.
Photo taken during the time of the landslide.
View of Lagoon in Siuna today which was the initial Open Pit Mine. Photo compliments of Maria from Siuna
Lagoon in the center of Siuna from La Luz mine today
Maria with Lagoon in background - many thanks to Maria who took these recent photos of the Siuna area and sent them to me.
Photo of La Luz Mines vehicle transportation maintenance shop. My Dad, Allen Drebert, was responsible for the operation of this - who is working under the hood?
Photo of mechanics in vehicle maintenance shop. Does anyone from Siuna recognize yourself?
Another photo inside vehicle maintenance shop checking out a crankshaft
Los Mecanicos reconocen alguno? Photo of mechanics in vehicle maintenance shop. Does anyone from Siuna recognize yourself?
Trabajadores en la Mecanica de Autos en la Mina creo que uno de ellos es Ronback (Lorenzo Rios) papa de los Rios - Another photo inside vehicle maintenance shop checking out a crankshaft
Tire shop
Mechanics shop
Los Mecanicos reconocen alguno? Photo of mechanics in vehicle maintenance shop. Looks like it is Christmas time as everyone has a gift. My father would give out gifts at this time. Does anyone from Siuna recognize yourself? NOTE: Pictured third from the upper right is JOSE ARQUIMEDES ROCHA, the garage foreman. My father helped to sponser him to move to Waco, Texas, in August of 1962 and get a job. Jose was able to bring his family to Waco from Managua a year later in August of 1963. They are pictured in the next set of photos.
Jose Arquimedes Rocha in 1956 in Siuna. Jose worked in Siuna several times moving back and forth from Managua. It was during his last time in Siuna that he became the shop foreman and that is where he first met my father, Allen Drebert. He married in 1948. His oldest son, Arsenio Rocha was born in 1950 in Siuna, Brenda Rocha was born in 1951 in Siuna, his son, Joe who is named after Dad, was born in Managua in 1955 and Sinai, his youngest daughter was born in Siuna in 1960.
Arsinio, oldest son of Jose Rocha, in Siuna.
Arsenio, Brenda, Sinai and Joe Rocha (left to right) pictured in 1963 when leaving Managua, Nicaragua, to move to Waco, Texas.
Brenda disembarking from airplane in Mexico City in 1963. NOTE that aircraft is an old Viscount jet-prop which was high-tech for that era.
Joe disembarking from same airplane in Mexico City in 1963.
The happy Rocha family years after their move to Waco, Texas.
Arsenio Today.
Jose Arquimedes Rocha and Mrs. Rocha fishing at Lake Whitney north of Waco, Texas.
Jose Arquimedes Rocha at home in Bellmead, Waco, Texas, with his garage and shop in background.
Gate at Mine entrance.
Día de pago de los trabajadores de la mina. Pay day at Siuna Gold Mine - just outside the main gate.
Calle Principal de La Luz - Street scene in La Luz
Siuna Main Street.
Road between open pit and mine complex.
This is the main street in Moskito Town with Moravian Church up the hill.
Children looking into mine complex.
Some of the cute young lads of La Luz.
Commissary group photo.
Photo of is Mr Juan Cajina's House...they lived on the upper floor with the barber shop being on the lower floor.
Inside the Commissary, I think
Inside the Commissary.
Farewell party for Fitzpatrick family in 1956. Do you recognize anyone?
Siuna home or store.
Siuna men.
Hospital pictured in background.
Siuna children.
Siuna men and old pickup truck.
Siuna 'Wild-West' saloon.
Siuna men and children.
Siuna ladies smocking (Needlework decoration of small, regularly spaced gathers stitched into a honeycomb pattern) class. Nora Adams (Moravian missionary) pictured here.
Mr. Fitzpatricks secretary in the Commissary is pictured here.
Cute young lad.
Who is this?
Some cute girls.
Turtle farm - where is this?
Group photo.
Siuna church.
Siuna area - staff house cabins?
Left to right - Mrs. De Voog, my Mom and Mrs. Solizaris, wife of the Doctor in Siuna.
Someone's yard?
La Luz village with Moravian church shown on hill which we attended during our time in Siuna.
Taken from steps of Moravian Church.
Moravian Church property.
Equipo Infantil de Beisbol de Siuna - Our baseball team - I am the 'gringo' in the center
Mi equipo de béisbol en el estadio de béisbol cerca de la pista en siuna. Another photo of our baseball team - I am in the center with the big glove - this is where I learned to play ball.
Baseball team
Teams assembling for a ball game
Raising the Nicaraguan flag before a game.
Equipo de béisbol de La Luz. The La Luz Mine baseball team - the real pros - Last Row, Left to Right: "Pastor," Darry Timpson, "Nene" Harvey from Bluefields, Albert Atlesberg, Harold G., Onzuelo Martin (lives in Siuna), John Alexander (boss in Materials and Supplies shop). Middle Row: Unidentified, Orlando Perry (Bluefields), Orley Martin (Brother of Onzuelo), "Ponga" (Father of Marvin Benard), "Pepe" Ulrich Havert (Pearl Lagoon) On Ground: Alfonso Havert (Brother of "Pepe")
Baseball team of 1955-56. Do you recognize anyone?
Rodeo day by airport runway in Siuna with baseball field in the background.
Rodeo time in Siuna.
Rodeo site shown with airport and baseball field shown in background.
Rodeo site.
Waiting to fly to Managua.
C46 at Siuna Airport in the early days.
The Tomi family.
DC-4 shown at Guatemala Airport.
Old plane crash in the Siuna area.
C46 airplane crash near Siuna to Rosita road - a passenger who survived this crash stayed at our house for a while until he was able to travel overland to Alamacamba and down the Prinzapolka river to the Caribbean coast and catch a cargo ship home to the States as he would not fly again. I wonder why?
Remains of C46 shortly after it crash landed in jungle after taking off from Siuna Airport.
Another photo of plane crash
The Hydro Electric Power Plant on Yy River commenced construction in 1940 and was completed in 1942. It immediately went into full service allowing for the Diesel Power Plant to be shut down. It initially supplied 3500 KVA of continuous electrical power to Siuna and Rosita mining areas. This resulted in a large cost saving as diesel fuel did not have to be transported to Siuna and Rosita via the Port of Prinzapolka. The diesel plant was used as a standby during the short dry season. In 1968, due to a heavy rainy season, the dam burst, resulting in the closure of the mine, and was never repaired.
Río el Yy tomada contra la corriente en la hidroeléctrica . Yy River upstream of the hydro electric dam.
Dad and Doug at Yy River.
Presa el Mistruz que suministró toda la energía Hidroeléctrica para las minas. Yy River Dam which supplied all of the hydro electric power for the mines and the region.
Photo taken behind the dam - note the overflow during the rainy season
Agua de abastecimiento de la presa el Mistruz a las turbinas. Yy River Dam spillway pipe supplying water to turbines.
Central eléctrica de la presa el Mistruz. Photo of Yy River Hydro Electric Power Plant area.
Photo of Felipe Ramirez - a Miskito Native - working as an operator in the power plant
Generadores en la Presa del Salto - Another view of one of the Generators
Another view of one of the Generators
Diesel Power Plant area
Another view behind dam of turbine supply pipe
Photo of Yy River Hydro Electric Power Plant area
View of the Yy River where Hydro Electric Power Plant is located
Rio Abajo del Salto - Yy River - Downstream of dam.
View of what is left of the Yy River hydroelectric dam today after it burst in 1968. Thanks to Richard Ramirez for sending me these photos. (Notice how long it takes for things made by mankind to return to nature).
View of what is left of the Yy River hydroelectric dam today after it burst in 1968.
Mi mamá en unos de los jardines del Mistruz. Mom posing in front of a breadfruit tree at Yy River Dam area.
A drive into the beautiful Nicaraguan wilderness - notice that there is nothing around except jungle and mountains
Beautiful Nicaraguan countryside.
Volcanic area near east coast.
Construction site?
Volcanic area near east coast
Hydto line from Yy River Dam to Siuna area.
Driving through wilderness.
Clasico Lavado de Ropa en Siuna Creo que es Siunawas - Woman washing cloths in a stream - no need for the Maytag Repair Man
Jungle stream
Swim day in one of the jungle streams
Cooling off in a jungle stream
Mom in countryside.
Mom in jungle stream.
Mom and Doug at jungle stream.
Family photo in the Rosita or Bonanza area
The Bonanza or Rosita area.
Dad with three cute girls.
Jungle river.
View of an Ox team
A mule train - a popular mode of transport during these years
Vista de una curtiembre. View of a tannery where they cure cow and horse hides.
Mis amigos Terry y Juan, nuestra madre, Doug y Jim, a la derecha viendo la serpiente que había sido aplastada por el camión al fondo. Friends Terry and John, our Mother, Doug and myself, Jim, on the right checking out snake that had been run down.
Another photo of snake roadkill
Baby Ocelot
Pet monkey.
A drive into the beautiful wilderness of Nicaragua
Mom by a waterfall and stream
Mom at base on one huge tree
La zona, donde vivió el personal internacional que trabajo en la Luz Company en Siuna. La Luz Mines International staff zone in Siuna.
Vista de la zona del área de piscina y del club en la parte superior de la colina estaba el campo de tenis. Staff zone view of pool area and clubhouse at top of hill along with tennis court.
Mamá que junta con te apagado en el agujero número 4 en nuestra zona circundante del personal del campo de golf de 5 agujeros. Mom driving to #4 green on staff zone golf course - note open pit mine area in the background.
Mi mamá Jugando tenis. Mom at tennis court.
Mi mamá con el campo de golf al fondo. Mom in our front yard in the last house we lived in during our 5 years in Siuna.
Vista del & del agujero #4 y # 5 del campo de golf; tomada del pórche de la entrada de nuestra residencia. View of golf course from our front yard.
View of the last house we lived in shown on the right
Mi mamá en el agujero #3 del campo de golf - note las camionetas pickup de la calle todas fueron numeradas en sus puertas. Mom golfing on hole #3 - note the old pickup trucks.
Another staff zone house
La Zona house.
Jim teeing off on #1 hole - President and Vise President's houses are located up on the hill.
#1 green looking up #2 fairway.
Vista del verde del campo de golf y el espacio abierto #5 - observe que la pista de aterrizaje está situada en hondonada más allá del campo de golf. Approaching #5 green.
Papá que salta al agujero #5. Dad chipping to #5 green.
Christmas in our last house
Family photo
Jim & Doug in front yard
Dad and his sons
Mom and Dad in front yard
Dad in front yard
Mom in front yard
Jim and Doug posing as 'twins'
Looking up from Zona entrance road to Club House and living quarters for the single men - pool is located behind these buildings.
Mom teeing off on #1 hole.
Mom on La Zona.
My Grandmother (Gammy), who visited us in 1956
Dad and Mom.
Mom and sons.
Jim and pet dog.
Mom and my Grandmother (Gammy) in our house.
Mom and Gammy (grandmother) and our maid, Lily, who we employed for our 5 years in Siuna.
Gammy (my grandmother) and Mom in our house. Note the dark mahogany walls.
Party time for us kids.
Mom on front steps of our house.
Gammy (my grandmother) in our yard.
Gammy my grandmother.
Mom and flower.
Dad all dressed up - must be Sunday and going to Church.
Gammy.
Macaw by pool - single mens dormitory in background.
Mom and Gammy in our house.
Mom in back yard.
Gammy with lady?
Jim diving.
La Zona yard.
La Zona house by #1 tee.
Men's dormitory and club house by pool.
La Zona house near entrance gate.
Dad going to Church.
Gammy picking grapefruit with mine site in background.
Mom on tennis court with our house in background - note the tank for catching rain water.
Dad and Mom in our yard.
View just outside La Zona entrance gate.
View of tennis court and playground with our house on the left.
Looking down from club house - pool area.
Jim & Doug, at our pool on La Luz Mines staff zone
Juntos con mi mamá en la piscina. Doug, Mom and Jim at pool.
Sharon and sister and friend in pool.
Mom at poolside
Another view of pool - mine is located down hill behind diving board and hedge
Dad and Mom in pool
Brothers getting wet
Boat ride
La Zona ladies by the pool
Four kids in one inner tube
Mom and Doug
Cooling off in jungle stream.
Pool area.
Our school pictured in foreground.
Gammy in pool.
Mom and Doug.
Gammy and Mom.
Mom and boys.
Jim relaxing.
Jim checking out girl.
Jim and Doug putting on #1 green
Montar mi caballo con los amigos fue algo que no olvido, ellos esperaban un paseo al lado de campo de tenis. Jim on his horse with some of the campus kids. At left is Judy Guthridge and the tall boy is Danny Stevens.
A good day of hunting
Great white hunters
Doug and Jim heading off to one room school
Playing ball on campus playground
Going for a bike ride
Pet dog
Pet Parakeets
Doug putting.
Jim on #1 hole
Compañeros y compañeras de clase en nuestra escuela inglesa del primero-cuarto grado en la zona. Classmates in our one-room English school on staff zone.
La Zona children by the pool area
La Zona kids at our one room school - the teacher taught grades one to nine level.
Staff Zone kids at school - Doug on the right.
Halloween on the Zona
Halloween on the Zona - I am Superman and Doug is Robin Hood - Miss Wiggans is our teacher.
Halloween
Another Halloween for Jim the Indian and Doug the Danial Boone.
Edith and Timothy Knectel along with their parents
Christmas play in the club house.
Christmas play in the club house
Doug with pet bunny.
Dad showing son how to shoot a pistol
Dad with an Oscelot skin.
Nearing the mouth of the Prinzapolka River on the Caribbean Mosquito coast
Prinzapolka area
Prinzipolka dock viewed from about half of the way out - note that bulk carrier is off-loading sulfur which is used for the smelting process of gold, copper and other metalic ores - it was then loaded onto semi-trailers and transported up river on a large barge to Alamacamba and finally via mountain roads to Siuna and Rosita and Bonanza mines
End of dock at Prinzapolka
View of sulfur that has been off loaded from cargo ship and being stored along main pier - Doug posing
Jim attempting to catch 'Jaws'
Prinzapolka dock.
Off loading supplies from cargo ship for the mines - note that I ended up becoming a Marine Engineer when I finally grew up - maybe our tour of the cargo ship inspired me
Dad and son on bridgewing of cargo ship
Mom and Doug on bridgewing of cargo ship
Jim and Doug in wheelhouse
Prinzapolka River as it emerges into the Caribbean Sea
Mom and the Sea
Dad teaching Jim some seamanship
Another view of the beautiful mosquito coast - notice the lack of tourists
Hunting on the coast - Doug with bolt action 22.
Mom and Doug enjoying the sand and surf
Mom and Jim getting wet
Cabins on Caribbean Mosquito coast at Prinzapolka owned by La Luz Mines for the accommodation of their employees on vacation or on buisness
Doug and I getting in some extended play-time on beach at Prinzapolka near sundown
Mosquito family living in Prinzapolka
Mom getting wet
Mom relaxing to the sound of the surf
Mom and the Caribbean
Large tree along the Prinzapolka River filled with large white birds
Jungle along the Prinzapolka River
Alamikamba street scene.
Alamikamba along the Prinzipolka River where barges were loaded and off loaded.
Desembarcadero en Limbayca - Semi-trailers loaded with sulfur for smelting being off loaded in Alamikamba on the Prinzipolka River for transporting the the mines - also note yacht belonging to Mr. McGowan, president of La Luz Mines
View of Alamikamba on the Prinzapolka during the dry season - where barges of sulfur and sundry mining supplies are off loaded and trucked overland to Siuna and Rosita and Bonanza mines - note the low river level during the dry season which occurs during the winter months
Barge being off-loaded at Alamikamba.
Monkeys in a tree along the Prinzapolka River
Barge being motored up river on the Prinzapolka carrying trailer fulls of sulfur for Siuna and Rosita and Bonanza mines, used in smelting the ores
Doug and I going down Prinzapolka River towards Caribbean via tug and barge shooting a 22
Jim and Doug on barge going up the Prinzapolka River.
Mocking bird nests in large tree along Prinzapolka River
House under construction along the Prinzapolka River - no need for a building permit
Mosquito Indian family abode along the Prinzapolka River - note their mode of transport - one dugout, aka hollowed out log
Native homes along the river.
Natives along the river.
Jim and Doug by native house.
Storage tank being set up at Alamikamba on the Prinzipolka River
Storage tank setup at Alamikamba on the Prinzipolka River
Rock crusher at Alamikamba for building and maintenance of roads in the Siuna, Rosita and Bonanza Mine areas
Gravel pit
Alligator.
Dad and friend out for a hunt.
Terry Tregarthan and Doug.
Rosita and Bonanza Mine area
Mine area.
Typical jungle stream
Staff zone kids
Saw mill at Rosita and Bonanza Mine area
Managua market area
Highway in the Managua area
Strait highway in the Managua area
West coast highway
View of a volcanic crater lake in the Managua area with Lake Managua in the background
Lava flow on the west coast area of Nicaragua
Vacation house just outside of Managua
Vacation house we lived in for a few months near Managua.
Dad at Managua vacation house which included the use of a 1957 Chevrolet
Jim and Doug sunning
Preparing for a hunt.
Dad in '57 Chevy
Vacation house
Vacation house we stayed at just outside of Managua - note that we experienced a mild earthquake during our time there - the house was violently shaking for about 30 seconds which seemed like an eternity!
View towards Lake Managua
Another view towards Lake Managua from vacation house.
Managua area on west coast
Lava flow
Street in Leon
Catholic Church in Leon
Inside Church
Cemetary in Managua
Belize Airport
Toncontin Airport serving Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Approaching rain storm at Toncontin Airport in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Approaching rain storm at Toncontin Airport in Tegucigalpa, Honduras - I recall that we took off into it - say your prayers!
In flight
Belize from the air
Caribbean coast from the air
River and mountains from the air
Jungle from the air
From the air
Experimental homes in the managua area
Hibiscus
Family photos
Jim and Doug at play.
Siuna today.
Bird's eye view of Siuna today.
View of La Luz Mine site today with lagoon in the background.
A friend of Benjamin Jastrzembski pictured here at the old La Luz mining site.
View of old open pit mine which is now a lake and terraced hill side as a result of ore removal.
Old mine site area.
Old mine site area going back to nature.
La Luz Mine site.
Ben's amigo straining himself trying to open an old sluice valve.
A view down the old shaft tunnel.
Main electrical switchboard on the old mine site.
Old mine site building returning to nature.
Old mine site pipe work.
Old mine site processing area.
Valve returning to nature.
Siuna main street today.
Municipal Hall in present day Siuna
El Senor Dans cerca del Salto
Rio el Mistruz en el Salto
Staff Quarters.
Club Canta Gallo
Bird's eye view of Siuna area - Parte de Moskiton Aereo
Bird's eye view of Siuna area - Vista Aerea de Siuna.
Bird's eye view of La Luz Mine site today - Donde era La Mina el Plantel.
Bird's eye view of Siuna area today - Arenera.
Bird's eye view of Siuna today - Centro de Siuna.
Colegio Maryknoll o Colegio Parroquial.
Siuna area - Silos de Enabas.
Siuna telephone exchange.
Basketball court.
Area near airport and baseball field - Aeropuerto (Cerca) y parte del Estadio.
Baseball field - Estadio Onselo Martin Siuna.
Bird's eye view of Siuna area and Mine complex while some buildings were still standing.
Derelict house near swimming pool site - we probably lived in this house during our time in Siuna.
Present day state of swimming pool now on Yamana Mines property.
Present day state of children's swimming pool now on Yamana Mines property.
Swimming pool today.
Benjamin Jastrzembski is pictured here in Limbiaka talking to a 99 year old guy named Don Nicholas. Many thanks to him for these recent photos and for his 'labor of love' in putting together a Doctoral Thesis on the HISTORY OF SIUNA
Jim Drebert today
Jim and Rosalind on our 25th wedding anniversary in 2002.
Doug with his wife Marilyn, today.
