Denavia

Denavia is a former locality in Cape Cross Parish, located near Santa Tereza and largely built on the ruins of the ancient Arabian city of Jabaladar. Denavia is inhabited by two people and until 1966 was classified as a locality.

History
Denavia was known as Jabaladar or Jabal-Akdar under Arab rule, the name meaning The Green Mountain. It was the site of a insurrections and armed actions in the 11th century. It was destroyed by the 1200s.

Aragonese settlers built houses on the foundations of Jabaladar, naming it Denavia. Denavia reached a high of some 220 people in the mid 19th century. Buildings included a chapel, some houses and barns, of which one occasionally served as a drinking establishment. By the early 20th century, the population was slowly decreasing, with people moving to Brezonde or Cape Cross for work. In 1914 the parish planned merging Denavia with Santa Tereza, but all the inhabitants refused.

A number of deaths in the 1960s saw the population drop to below 10, and it lost its locality status. Statistically the people who remained behind were classified under Santa Tereza, for censuses, elections, the post etc. There have only been two people living in Denavia since 1999, which are Edgar Gardines, appointed mayor, and Claudia Serra, secretary.