Caribbean Amerindian Centrelink
(CAC)
General Information Pages
This "general information" page consists of some sites that
are difficult to list in other categories of the CAC, as well as sites
focused on pre-colonial and post-colonial history of indigenous peoples
of the Caribbean that do no neatly fit into the other categories. In addition,
sites pertaining to the indigenous peoples of other territories than those
listed on the current community pages are listed here. They are listed
here given that either they are insufficient in number to form their own
category, or, they do not yet possess any organized asssociations of indigenous
peoples.
MISCELLANY
-
The Ameribbean: Information,
pictures and cultures of Indigenous Tribes in Central America and the Caribbean
(in progress).
-
“Ancient
Beadmakers of the Caribbean”, By David R. Watters: “…The exquisitely
crafted beads, pendants and related objects from Trants attest to the skill
of its Saladoid inhabitants in working stone and shell. Our research involves
analyzing beads held in museum collections as well as conducting new excavations
to document these artifacts in their stratigraphic context, from which
we can interpret their antiquity and cultural implications…”
-
The Fire this Time: a comprehensive
website utilising text, photos, animation and numerous musical mp3's to
examine the links between black and indigenous peoples (Black Indians).
Among other things the site examines the history of indigenous (Amerindian)
people in Jamaica, Cuba, Belize, Bolivia, Peru, Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil
and their struggles and cultures were linked and often joined with those
of black people to form "Black Indian" culture. See especially the sections
on "Black Indian Resistance" and "Supai Reservation".
-
Benjamin
Nicholas, “Processing Cassava to Make Bread”: a painting with Spanish
and Carib annotations on the process. (SEE the painting in detail here:
http://www.sup-infor.com/ultimes/breton/gariIMG.htm
-
Callinago:
An
article by Carrie Martin, providing a brief introduction to the Island
Caribs’ history.
-
Caribs
in the Encarta Online Encyclopaedia
-
Carib
Cooking
-
Carib
Customs: excerpt--"The Caribs or Callinagos, the early inhabitants
of St. Vincent or Youroumei were a very disciplined and fiercely independent
people, far from the savages they were though to be. What is known about
their customs indicate that they were highly organized. The Caribs lived
on fish and wild animals they caught with lines and hooks and bows and
arrows which supplemented their diet of fish, cassava, yams and pumpkins..."
-
“El caribe
insular del siglo XVII”, Tratado sobre la lengua y la cultura de los Callínago:
Traducción
al español del Dictionnaire caraïbe-français (1665)
de Raymond Breton Duna Troiani (CELIA-CNRS)
-
Carib-Spanish
Dictionary, based on the original by Father Breton: a sample is shown
at this site; click on their link to download the entire file to your hard
drive.
-
The
Caribbean Natives Tribe Homepage
-
“The Carib Origin
of Pain, Misery and Death”, by Richard Hooker: this page presents a
Carib legend.
-
CARIFESTA VIII, Suriname,
2003—the official website for the Caribbean Festival of the Arts held
in Suriname, with an orientation towards the indigenous peoples of the
Caribbean Basin, and an extract of an essay on the importance of CARIFESTA
for indigenous peoples of the region.
-
“The Dance of the Condor
& the Eagle” by John Curl—Extract: “….In May of 1990 I met with
Nilo Cayuqueo, a soft-spoken man with a small
mustache and gentle eyes,
a Mapuche from Argentina, director of the South and Meso-American Indian
Information Center (SAIIC), on East Fourteenth Street in Oakland. SAIIC
was organizing the Encuentro in the U.S., together with Indian organizations
in Ecuador and Columbia. The First Continental Meeting of Indigenous Peoples
on the 500 Years of Indian Resistance was scheduled for July 17 to 21 in
Quito. Indian representatives from the Arctic Circle to the tip of South
America were expected to attend. An Indian meeting of this scope and magnitude
had never before been attempted; it could mark a watershed for the American
indigenous peoples. The Encuentro (or Conference) was called to examine
the results of five centuries of colonial occupation, to coordinate activities
around the upcoming 500th anniversary, and to plan political strategies
for the future. Many governments of the world, including our own, are sponsoring
costly year-long 1992 ‘quincentennial’ celebrations, and the Encuentro
was intended to counter this. From the Indian peoples' point of view Columbus'
voyage was not a ‘Discovery’, but the beginning of an invasion….”
-
The History
of the Canoe, North America and the Caribbean
-
“Indigenous
Peoples Frustrated at UN Conference”: Maya Norton, Cultural Survival
explains.
-
Pan-Tribal Confederacy of
Amerindian Tribal Nations. Damon Gerard Corrie - On 31 December 1999,
Damon Gerard Corrie was elected unopposed to the position of Sovereign
Chief of the Pan-Tribal Confederacy of Amerindian Tribal Nations. On January
1, 1999, a 25-year-old Barbadian by the name of Damon Corrie became the
second most influential Amerindian leader in the CARICOM when he was elected
to the position of vice-sovereign chief of the 53,000 citizens of the Pan-Tribal
Confederacy of Amerindian Tribal Nations.
-
Penny
Slinger's Arawak Gallery: I lived on the small island of Anguilla in
the Caribbean for over a decade. Exploration of the archaeology of the
island coupled with spending much time alone with nature cultivated a strong
connection in spirit to the original inhabitants -- the Arawak Indians.
I studied and portrayed their art in much detail, and at the same time
completed a series of works on the people and their culture. They seemed
to hold forgotten keys on how to harmoniously co-exist with all creation
by honoring the spirit in all things. The following artworks represent
a selection from the over 100 pieces I created in their honor. This homage
to a forgotten culture culminated in the creation of my video Visions of
the Arawaks in 1994.
-
Penny
Slinger's Visions of the Arawaks: The Video—“A visionary journey into
the pre-Columbian world of the Caribbean. The mysteries of Amerindia are
uncovered by surrealist artist Penny Slinger who has woven together images
of her renowned Amerindian series of paintings with evocative poetry. The
nearly 100 artworks flow into one another, creating a rich tapestry which
envelopes the viewer in an atmosphere of sensuality, mystery and magic.
The little known hidden heritage of the Arawak Indians is brought to life
in this beautiful and unique work of art, which combines rare live footage
of Amerindians with visionary imagery. Evocative music specially created
by Franc Menusan using authentic Amerindian instruments, bridges centuries
and brings the experience straight to the heart….”
-
Renaissance—Caribs:
a sample of artistic images of Carib warriors, by Kevin Dallimore.
-
The Role of Education
in Forming a Strong Sense of Nationalism in the Caribbean
-
Synchronicity
X: Special Report
GENERAL PRECOLONIAL HISTORY:
-
Anguilla
Guide--Anguilla's Pre-Columbian History: Contents include: The First
Anguillans, The Golden Years, Religious Ceremonialism, Who were They--"The
rich and dynamic Amerindian history of the island is beginning to be reconstructed
as a result of recent work by the Anguilla Archaeological and Historical
Society and archaeologists from numerous institutions such as the Carnegie
Museum of Natural History, the University of Maine at Farmington, and the
University of Pittsburgh. Read on and educate yourself about Anguilla's
fascinating archaeological record and find out how you can get involved!"
-
Austin
Cline - your About.com Guide to: Agnosticism/Atheism -- Caribbean Islands,
The Pre-European Population: Before the arrival of Christopher Columbus
in 1492, most of the Caribbean was peopled by three types, or groups, of
inhabitants: the Ciboney or Guanahuatebey, the Taino or Arawak, and the
Caribs. The cultural distinctions among the three groups are not great;
the single greatest differentiating factor appears to be their respective
dates of arrival in the region.
-
Background
for the Teaching of Caribbean Prehistory, by Emily R. Lundberg, March 1997:
this
site presents an extensive series of notes on pre-colonial Caribbean Amerindians
-
The
Caribbean Island Societies: "The largest group of people living in
the islands of the Caribbean were the Tainos. Their villages were governed
by chieftains, or "caciques," who enjoyed some distinctions of rank but
received tribute in times of crisis only. Related families lived together
in large houses built of poles, mats, and thatch."
-
Caribbean
Mythological Characters: lists a few names of Amerindian deities from
around the Caribbean region
-
Indigenous
Peoples in Caribbean Prehistory, Elementary School Level Lesson Plans:
an
in-depth outline of lessons and activities designed to teach the Indigenous
pre-Conquest history of the Caribbean.
-
Indigenous
Caribbean Peoples and Events: A teaching guide that includes the following--Reading
Assignments, The Pre-Columbus Amerindians, Video Guide: Caribbean Eye Series:
Indigenous Survivors.
-
Lecture
5 - Aboriginal Geography of the Caribbean, Aboriginal Patterns on Eve
of Conquest: Lecture notes from a Geography course at the University of
Colorado.
-
Native Americans
of the Caribbean and Florida --The history of Caribbean peoples of
Amazonian origin in general, The history of Native Americans in Bimini
(Florida), The history of Native Americans in Boriken (Puerto Rico)
-
World History
Archives--History of Caribbean peoples of Amazonian origin in general:Retrospective
history, The Taino peoples of the Caribbean in general, The Taino people
of Cuba, The Taino people of Montserrat.
GENERAL POST-1492 HISTORY:
-
Annotated
Guide to Internet Resources related to Caribbean History created by the
students of HST 383: Caribbean History, Department of History, Michigan
State University, Instructor: Aims McGuinness —reviews of books and
websites, a number of which relate to Caribbean Amerindian studies are
included here
-
Austin
Cline - your About.com Guide to: Agnosticism/Atheism -- Caribbean Islands,
The Impact of the Conquest: The Europeans who invaded and conquered
the Caribbean terminated the internally cohesive world of the native peoples
and subordinated the region and the peoples to the events of a wider world.
-
The
Cambridge History of the Native Peoples of the Americas Hardback Set: Includes
Chapter 8. Archaeology of the Caribbean region, by Louis Allaire; Chapter
11. The crises and transformations of invaded societies: the Caribbean,
1492-1580, by Neil Whitehead; and, Chapter 20. Native peoples confront
colonial regimes in northeastern South America, c. 1500-1900, by Neil Whitehead
-
CARIBBEAN
HISTORY (HST 383), Department of History, Michigan State University, Instructor:
Aims McGuinness —“Course Description: This course will trace the history
of the Caribbean from the fifteenth century to the present. The concept
of "nation" in the Caribbean will receive special attention throughout
the semester. The course will begin with a discussion of indigenous peoples
and the early years of European settlement and colonization.”
-
Caribbean Indigenous
people: This page includes links on--General background; Mythology
and Culture; Ferdinand letter to the Tainos; From Canima/Caniba to Caribs
and cannibal; The Karibs; The Tainos; Tainos /Caribs map; and sketches
of Caribs.
-
History
of the Caribbean: Terms: Plus: excerpted from Encyclopedia Britannica Online
entry on Arawak: "The Caribbean region has undoubtedly lost more of
its aboriginal character than any other region of the Americas. The total
extirpation of the islands' population shortly after the Conquest and the
subsequent repopulation of the area by black slaves made any carryover
of Indian cultural expressions impossible. For this reason the residents
of those islands rarely feel any sense of relationship to the ancestral
inhabitants. Certainly it is true that the average non-Indian has no understanding
of the wealth of arts that were to be found there in the past..."
-
Interdisciplinary
Studies, "The Rhetoric of Travel, Exploration and Discovery", First Year
Seminar 100 (Scholars Seminar), Dr. Ramirez- Department of English, SUNY,
Oneonta: "Let's examine the idea of cannibalism which seems to linger
throughout Hernando Colon's account of Columbus's trip from 1492-3. Keep
in mind the following definitions (or senses) of the word cannibal, Carib
and Caribbean".
-
“New World Explorers, part
I: South America”, Special Issue of The Athena Review, Journal of Archaeology,
History, and Exploration, Volume I, no. 3: 1997.
-
Some
notes while reading ON THE TRAIL OF THE ARAWAKS, Bob Corbett, 1990: “I'm
currently reading the book: ON THE TRAIL OF THE ARAWAKS by Fred Olsen,
Norman, Oklahoma, University of Oklahoma Press, 1974. I want to report
some of the things I'm reading, and some of the puzzles that this book
raises for me and for understanding the Taino populations of the island
of Hispaniola when Columbus first visited there and in subsequent years….”
-
Vespucci
and the Amerindians: Colonial and Post-Colonial Literary Dialogues,
a Website created by students and faculty at Western Michigan University.
ARUBA
-
“Aruba
500 Years?”, By Drs. Raymundo A. C. F. Dijkhoff, Archaeological Museum
of Aruba: topics of this essay include, “the First Europeans in Aruba”,
“Historic Misconceptions in the History of Aruba”, “the First Years of
the Encounter of Two Cultures (to 1515 AD)”, and a summary—author speaks
of the Caquetio Indians of Aruba, and the Spanish claims that the indigenous
inhabitants of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao were of the “stature
of giants. The Caquetio were of Arawakan stock and presumably spoke a Maipuran
language. Some of the Caquetio’s words have survived and are present in
the modern creole language, Papiamento. Dijkhoff explains that, “the name
Aruba is probably an Arawakan name, certainly of an Indian origin. When
the Spanish occupied our island they named it Orua, Oruba and Ouraba. Names
they used later were Curava, Uruba, Arouba and Aruba”.
BAHAMAS
-
The
Lost Past: "On Grand Bahama Island, the sea has always provided. The
earliest settlers, the Siboney Indians, were a people who lived off conch
and fishing, and the shells and jewelry they left behind form the majority
of what we know about them. Their remains suggest that they were here as
early as 7,000 years ago, but disappeared after they were superceded by
another Caribbean group, the Lucayans."
-
"The
Lucayans: The People Whom Columbus Discovered in the Bahamas" by
George A. Aarons, in "Five Hundred" Magazine (April 1990, Vol. 2,
No. 1, pp. 6-7)—Extract: “When Columbus, the great admiral and navigator,
arrived at San Salvador in the Bahamas on October 12, 1492, he found there
a group of people known to us as the Lucayans. It was at this juncture
that the 15th century inhabitants of the Bahamas entered written history.
But their history, as can today be pieced together through archaeological,
anthropological, ethnographical and historical research, actually predates
this momentous event by many centuries….”
BARBADOS
-
The Abbreviated History of Barbados--
1540 - Amerindian Civilisation
-
Arawaks and Caribs in
Barbados: “There are few remaining ancestors of Caribs and Arawaks
scattered amongst the islands of The Caribbean. Though these ones live
very different lives from those of their ancestors…” --editorial note:
this is a fairly conventional repetition of old themes on Caribbean Amerindians,
applied to Barbados.
-
THE
CARIBBEAN Background & Influences by Mimi Rippee: "Originally,
two Native American tribes occupied the islands - the Arawaks and Caribs.
Food historians claim that the Caribs began the institution of spicing
food with chili peppers, a culinary feature maintained today. The Caribs
were also carnivores, a gastronomic trend that fortunately did not carry
through to present."
CUBA
-
Cuba’s First Nations:
“We are not Extinct!”-- Annual Interdisciplinary Conference and Field
Study, December 28 - January 04, 1997.
-
Cuba - Indigenous Legacies of
the Caribbean, Interdisciplinary Conference And Intensive Field Study,
November 16 To 23, 1997 in Baracoa, Cuba: “This international encounter
will explore and celebrate the legacy of indigenous peoples of the Caribbean.
Participants will examine elements of indigenous culture and history through
conferences, professional exchanges, workshops and field observations.
The conference also features an historic opportunity for a gathering of
Taino culture from the eastern region of Cuba as well as Puerto Rico and
the North American diaspora….”
-
Cuba - Indigenous Legacies
of the Caribbean, A Tour - Conference, January 5 -12, 2001: “An encounter
with the origins of Cuban music, its uses in healing ceremonies with plants
and other natural medicines and its foundation in the use of the land,
this January, 2001 tour is an excellent opportunity to understand the genesis
of Cuban culture, while enjoying the charm and hospitality of eastern Cuba,
its forests and coasts, its people. From the Taino areito to the changiil'
of the mountain guajiro, this seven-day tour/conference traverses through
the mountains and coasts of eastern Cuba, the fabled "Oriente," to study
with herbalists and other medical practitioners in Cuba's health care system
and to hear and experience the rhythms of the most autochthonous instrumental
musicians and vocalists on the island. Participants will meet and share
with Native peoples of Cuba, the Caribbean and elsewhere. They will visit
Santiago de Cuba, Guantanamo and Baracoa….”
GRENADA
-
Grenada’s
Ancient Caribs’ Culture: sample images of petroglyphs and Carib’s Leap,
site of the famous mass suicide of Caribs escaping French persecution.
-
Grenada
Archaeological Artifacts: “About The Artifacts: Excavated at the Pearls
Site on the Island of Grenada. This collection consists of decorative pottery
elements. The elements depict a variety of motifs, sculpted as mythological
creatures, birds, bats, frogs, monkey etc. The pottery elements date from
the First through the Fourth Centuries AD.”
-
Grenada, History
and Culture: an extremely brief history of the Island
-
Grenada--A
Look at the Past: "Did you know? The town of Sauteurs ('leapers' in
French) is so named because it is believed that the last Carib warriors
jumped to their death from a nearby cliff, rather than submit to the Europeans".
-
Our History—“Christopher
Columbus discovered Grenada in 1498.The island was already inhabited by
the Carib Indians, who had migrated from the South American mainland, killing
or enslaving the peaceful Arawaks who where allready inhabiting the island.
The Amerindians called their island Camerhogue”
HAITI
-
Tainos
of Haiti: “There is interest in Haiti in Taino artifacts as well as
in the apparent remnant of Taino still thought to be present in the nineteenth
century as evidenced by laws against intermarriage…”
-
Taino influence
in Haitian Vodou, from the American Museum of Natural History—extract:
“Escaped slaves, called Maroons, mingled in mountain hideaways with indigenous
Taino people. Both peoples had much in common. Taino memories are still
evoked by stone celts placed on altars. Other Native American traces persist
in Vodou as well, from words to musical instruments, dance and dress styles,
and weaponry. Although discrete Taino survivals are difficult to isolate,
the secret Bizango rites keep alive the history of the intermingling, as
do bands of Rara performers during their post-carnival celebrations….”
-
Haitian
History, Main Page of Topics covered by Bob Corbett: includes materials
on the Pre-Columbian period and the colonial period. Well worth examining
in detail.
-
Hubert
Montas’ “Early History of Haiti”: “The island on which Haiti is located
(Hispaniola) had been inhabited by various cultures before the arrival
of Columbus. The first known settlers of the island were the Ciboneys who
migrated from what is currently the North American continent in 450 A.D.
These people were followed in 900 A.D by the Tainos (good people) who were
members of the Arawak nation and had origins in the Amazon valley…”
-
Austin
Cline - your About.com Guide to: Agnosticism/Atheism -- Haiti: Spanish
Discovery and Colonization: The Taino Indian (or Arawak) inhabitants
referred to their homeland by many names, but they most commonly used Ayti,
or Hayti (mountainous). Initially hospitable toward the Spaniards, these
natives responded violently to the newcomers' intolerance and abuse.
-
Anacaona,
from www.windowsonhaiti.com: a brief page, in French, on the history of
Anacaona: excerpt—“Aux premières pages de notre histoire apparaît
une belle figure de femme d'Haiti: Anacaona. Indienne, Anacaona est la
soeur du cacique du Xaragua Bohéchio, et l'épouse de Caonabo,
cacique de la Maguana”
-
Anacaona history,
from www.haitiwebs.com: a more detailed page, in French, base don historical
sources, on the life and history of Anacaona. Excerpt: “Femme aux multiples
talents et qui, par les avatars fourbes d'une Histoire, s'est vu faire
le sort injuste d'une renommée de samba irrémédiablement
muette de ses areytos. A quoi, se demandeton admiratif, tient-elle cette
gloire pour ainsi dire unique dans la galerie réchappée taïno?
Au prestige d'un rôle, d'autant plus brillant à nos yeux qu'il
ne laisse, en dépit d'exemples illustres, d'être intimement
associé à un monde ordinairement donné pour l'apanage
des hommes?”
-
Anacaona,
1474-1503, from Ile en Ile: A brief page, in French, containing an
extract from Femmes des Antilles: Traces et voix de Gisèle
Pineau et Marie Abraham. Paris: Stock, 1998: 21-22. Excerpt:
“Seule la mémoire retient comme référence féminine
la figure symbolique d'Anacaona, emblème des trahisons et des brutalités
qui président à l'installation des Européens aux Amériques.
Martyrisée par les Espagnols sur l'île de Saint-Domingue,
cette princesse offrira sans défiance l'hospitalité de son
caciquat à ses futurs bourreaux.” This page also contains a list
of references to published works in French and Spanish on the history of
Anacaona, as well as a select list of links to Anacaona websites. A good
starting point for some further scholarly investigation.
-
Caonabo
and Anacaona, from www.haitiglobalvillage.com: a very brief in French,
with an illustration, provides a short account of Anacaona the historical
personage and her death by hanging at the hands of the Spanish.
-
Anacaona, on
the Famous Haitians list: a concise page, in English, accompanied by
an artistic illustration of Anacaona painted by Marie-Denise Douyon. A
link to more information on Anacaona is also provided. Excerpt: “….In Xaragua,
she soon asserted her authority over her brother and ruled as a queen famed
for the ballads, ballets, poetry, plays and ornaments of her court. Xaragua
was the only Taino kingdom on the island that had not succumbed to Spanish
conquest when a new Spanish governor, Nicholas Ovando, arrived with some
2500 troops in 1502….”
JAMAICA
-
Jamacian
History, The settlement of the first people: "The first people to come
to Jamaica were people from Venezuela, known as the Arawaks. They are thought
to have come to Jamaica in two major waves, the first in 650 AD, and the
second in 900 AD. They were then joined by the Caribs, who came from Guiana.
While the Arawaks were a peaceful people, the Caribs were cannibalistic
and fierce fighters. Much fighting arose between these two groups."
-
“The Taino of
Jamaica: A Brief History of the Indigenous Population of Jamaica”, by Glenn
Woodley—extract: “….However they were not fully exterminated , as history
has led us to believe. In 1655 when the English expelled the Spaniards
, Tainos were still recorded as living in Jamaica. It was noted at this
time that rural farmers spoke a dialect that was mixture of Spanish, Taino
and African languages. Later archaeologists were to discover English lead
shot amongst Taino artifacts , and almost 60 years earlier in 1596 English
privateer Sir Anthony Shirley sacked St Jago de la Vega ( later Spanish
Town), after being guided there by Taino tribesmen. Further archaeological
finds were later to confirm that Taino extinction was a myth, although
being enslaved and cruelly treated by Europeans some Taino did survive.
Many escaped into the mountains to coexist with the Maroons , where still
today many non African plants are used medicinally , plants that were once
part of the Taino pharmacology. Hammocks also are still made in Accompong
in the Taino fashion, proving that the Taino still survived , for many
years after the Spanish had left ,with the Maroons in the mountains of
inland Jamaica….”
ST. KITTS AND NEVIS
-
A Brief History
of St. Kitts and Nevis: see the sections on early settlers and contact
with Europeans—“St. Kitts was called Liamuiga, or "fertile land," by Caribs
which was a reference to the island's rich and productive volcanic soil….In
1626, with the English and French on the island the Caribs became concerned
and plotted to dispose of these interlopers. The English under Thomas Warner
became aware that the Caribs were plotting to destroy the Europeans. The
English attacked the Caribs at night and massacred many of the them and
the few that escaped fled the island. The event is remembered by the place
called Bloody Point on the island…”
-
St. Kitts—a concise overview
of the history of the island. Extract: “The first inhabitants of the
islands were pre-ceramic people called Sibonay. They are believed to have
arrived about 2,100 years ago from Central America. The next people to
colonise the islands were the Arawak who originated from the Orinoco River
area in modern day Venezuela. They in turn were followed by the Caribs,
again from South America. The Arawaks and Caribs left far more remains
than the Sibonay and there are many archaeological sites scattered around
the islands. These sites are marked with piles of shells, pieces of pottery,
and old flint tools and some rock drawings on St. Kitts. St. Kitts was
called Liamuiga, or ‘fertile land, by Caribs which was a reference to the
island's rich and productive volcanic soil. Since 1983 the main mountain
peak, a 3,792-foot extinct volcano, is called Mount Laimuiga. Nevis was
called Oualie - pronounced ‘OO-A-LEE’ - by the Caribs….”
ST. LUCIA
-
History of Saint Lucia:
“No official record of Saint Lucia's discovery, in historic times, has
yet come to hand, but the long held view that the island was discovered
by Christopher Columbus has been reliably disproved. In fact, the navigator's
records of his travels reveal that he never set foot on Saint Lucia. In
spite of this, the belief is still widely held that Saint Lucia was discovered
on December 13, 1502. Many writers still refer to this date as the island's
‘Discovery Day’, and the fallacy is furtherperpetuated by the official
observance of December 13 as the island's ‘National Day’…”
VIRGIN ISLANDS
-
Seven Flags : The History
of St. Croix: "PRE-COLUMBUS Prior to, and less than a century after
Columbus' discovery, St. Croix was inhabited by two tribes of Indians:
the Caribs and the Arawaks. The Arawaks were generally considered to be
a peaceful tribe while the Caribs were warring cannibals."
"ON THE FRINGE":
-
Carib
Indians: K. Kris Hurst, Archaeology “expert” at About.com, proposes
that Caribs went completely extinct within a decade of the arrival of the
Spanish colonizers.
-
Muslim Legacy In Early
Americas: West Africans, Moors and Amerindians by Jose V. Pimienta-Bey—claims
that Caribs were influenced by Muslims before the arrival of Europeans…“The
works of men such as Ivan Van Sertima, Barry Fell and Alexander Von Wuthenau
represent 20th century scholarship which has stated directly or indirectly
- that there has been a significant Muslim presence in the early Americas.
While it is true that there have been a number of Muslim writers such as
Clyde-Ahmad Winters who have sought to enlighten folks to that fact, it
is perhaps more significant that ‘non-Muslims’ have conceded such evidence
of pre and post-Colombian Muslims on this continent….”
-
Muslims before
Columbus? This site contains links to the following topic pages-Columbus:
What If?, Muslims in the Americas Before Columbus, Muslim Legacy in Early
Americas, The Melungeons, Sequoyah and Cherokee Syllabary, Islam in America
1893, Names of Arabic Origin in Spain, Portugal and the Americas
-
Quincentennial,
by William M. Holden: This is an abstract of a novel, designed to interest
propsective publishers, in which the events of 1492 and its subsequent
history are reversed--Europe is colonized by the Aztecs. Interesting is
the following paragraph for continuing to perpetuate the 'war-like' mystique
of the Caribs: "Caribs were cannibals and war-lovers. To hoodoo their enemies,
they donned huge feathered headdresses and painted bizarre designs on their
faces and arms. They were commanded by generation after generation of rawhide-tough
chieftains who didn't know the meaning of defeat. Their enemies, try as
they might never were able to teach them its meaning, because Caribs stubbornly
and willfully refused to learn its meaning".
-
Star Trek Amerindians:
scenes
from an episode of Star Trek featuring 'Native American-like' people.
-
“Undiscovered
Amerindians”: A thought provoking piece on a museum exhibition of two
“undiscovered Amerindians”, Coco Fusco and Guillermo Gomez-Peña.
This page last updated: Tuesday,
30 December, 2003
HOME