Garifuna - Post Banishment Remnant (1779)

In the long term, the remnant of the Garifuna, who escaped onto the dense forested mountain ridges, on the windward coast of Yurumein, were not as lucky as their banished Garifuna brothers and sisters. Those who were banished from the land they once owned and roamed on freely. One of the disadvantages of the escape Garifuna were, they were not accustomed to losing a war, defeat was new to them, so when they fled, they ended up in small groups in different locations and those groups remained together. The groups were not large enough, to restart a functional Garifuna community as they knew it. Even when the groups grew, to a size where the structure could have been reintroduced, the remnant Garifuna, had became accustomed, to an existence without the formal structure that was a part of their old way of life. They also had a real fear of being captured. This was so, because of the lack of information about the destiny, of their captured brothers and sisters; and as such, the level of their caution grew.

Although they had to and they became adopted to isolated and small dwellings; remaining undetected and uncaptured were always their number one priority. The remnant Garifunas, were in a familiar place, that place lacked what made it home. The absence of those they knew and loved, as well as, the lack of community structure that facilitated, life as they once knew it and the restricted freedom and access to the island as they once had, made it different. The escaped Garifuna, became captive on their own island, restricted to a tiny area, where they did their best to survive, without the benefit of a community as they know it. Without any structure, a default leader and the numbers that was present in the community of Garifuna that was banished to Roatan.

Their willingness to remain undetected, did not provide much opportunity for the unification with the other small groups who were scattered, long the nearby mountain ridges. This also did not lend much opportunity, for an immediate re-establishment of a functional society as they knew it, before the death of their leaders, and the capture of their brothers and sisters.

The small number Garifunas who ended up together basically stayed with the group with whom they ended up. One thing that was sure unique to the Garifunas were: Their retreated was to the dense mountain ridge, even though they all did not become reunited and that became their dwelling place and their own instructed community.

One thing that helped me arrived to this conclusion, is that fact, the residence of Greggs, Lowmans Windward, Lauders and New Prospect the Mountain Ridges on which the remnant Garifuna retreated to, are still occupy by them today. These loactions are within close proximity to each other, but the Garifuna people, who lives in these area today, are not blood relatives. And the sense of community and the level of community interactions that is present within the villages that makes up the Kalinago Community is not present among the four traditionally Garifuna settlement.

I will endeavor to say, the remnant post banishment Garifuna, was worse than that of their banished brothers. For a very long time, the Remnant Garifuna on Yurumein, lived in fear and this was responsible for inhibiting their overall growth as a community and as a people. Even when the English did not saw the Garifuna as a threat to their existence and even when the French took controlled of St. Vincent, for the four years period that ranged from 1779 to 1783; the remnant Garifuna remained suspicious of all European and remained in hiding. They were totally unafraid of the fate, they did not know of (the fate of the captured Garifuna), but were sure they did not want to be a part of.

The SIP Religion Pre-Banishment (1779)

The St. Vincent Indigenous People (SIP) which includes the Garifuna and the Kalinago as the existed between 1635 and 1779, had a religion that was based on that which was being practiced by the Kalinago people with a fusion of that of the ship wreck survivors and to a lesser extent the maroons.

Most people are of the opinion that drums were introduced into the St. Vincent Indigenous people’s culture, after the Ship wreck survivors joined the Kalinago people and merged with them. But there is evidence to suggest, the use of drums was always a part of the Kalinago people existence. As a result, the addition to the indigenous people’s community, with those who were destined to become slaves may have introduced aspects of their varying cultural rituals that required the use of drums. But the Kalinago people used drums in their ceremonies, celebrations and in their healing process.

It is believed that the SIP practiced some level of spiritualism. They believed that their dead relatives, and respected tribal leaders were directly involvement their lives and their fortune or misfortune were based on their pleasure or displeasure. As such, a great deal of time were spent appeasing their dead ancestors. Illness, consistent and unexpected bad fortune were cause by a displease God or the ancestors. They believed illnesses were caused by a bad spirit that possess the ill person and as wellness can only be regained by the casting out of the spirit; and such required a special ceremony, that must be conducted by the Piaye (the priest) to chase out or expel the evil or bad spirit from within the ill person.

In such cases, the Piayes were required to perform a ceremony, in the ceremony the Paiye will using rattles, smoke, chanting, drums and dancing. They will inhale large quantity of tobacco smoke to get them to a semiconscious state. This was the state he was required to be in, in order for him or her to communicate with the ancestors. In these ceremony, the priest will summon the help of their ancestor in the eviction of the unwelcome evil spirit and the healing of the ill person.

There were different ranked Piaye; there were also a chief Piaye, who was responsible for leading all official ceremonies. The chief Piaye, was the one who excelled in supernatural affairs, command the respect of the tribal elders and who were better able to get results.

Later as the SIP were separated by the English, the religious practices of the banished Garifuna people, began to evolved to meet their needs and by the influence of the people around them. While the remnant Garifuna, who escaped banishment, were try their best to adopt to whatever would have kept their Garifuna identity from being discovered by the English. The Kalinago on the other hand slowly abandoned their religion to appease the English, who spare them the inconvenience of being banished along with their darker complexioned younger brother: The Garifuna.

Mass banishment a plus for the Garifuna people.

It is hard to understand, what the English was trying to accomplished, when the abandoned the Garifuna on the small, partially barren island of Balliceaux, six or so miles south of St. Vincent and later on Roatan, some twenty five miles north of Honduras. Whatever, they were trying to accomplished, I hereby submit that the mass deportation/banishment, of the Garifuna people, in a neutral and to a singular location, was good for the Garifuna as a people. For one thing, the mass deportation left all of the important structure of the Garifuna society in place, and those that may have been dismantle, by virtue of the mass death that resulted from the intense war with the English and banishment to Balliceaux, where some two thousand, two hundred and forty eight Garifuna died.

Rebuilding the community may have taken some doing, but it was not an impossible task, to put the community structure back into place. There were some supporting factors, which were:

1. The number of Garifuna that were banished,
2. Their knowledge of their community, of their culture and its working.
3. Their ability to communicate using the same language and the virtue of the fact.
4. There were default leaders  remaining within the banished Garifuna community.

I am of the impression, there were a leader of some significant level, among the banished Garifuna. This will account for the high survival rate, which amounted up to over twenty five hundred Garifuna, that survived the Balliceaux experience, after eight months of banishment on the island that was unable to sustained human life for any significant period of time. Balliceaux is an island with no ready usable fresh water source and no edible plant food source. This was not a case of survival of the fittest, there must have been some form of default leadership, who coordinated activities on the island, where fresh water were collected and stored, and where food were collected and systematically distributed (mainly fish) to satisfy the needs of so large a group. Not only did the Garifuna who left Balliceaux survived the harsh conditions of the island that should have killed them all, they were fit and strong enough to survive the long difficult voyage of over 16 hundred miles, at sea, in slow wind propelled vessels; under extremely poor conditions to their new home.

 

The Banished Garifuna people had no choice but to regroup, they were dispossessed from their island, their homes were destroyed, their brothers, sisters and leader were killed and they were shipped off to a land they did not know. One of their gold as a people, was to return and retake Yurumein their island home, from those people who have dispossessed them. It was this burning desire that motivated the banished Garifuna to regroup. They had the knowledge of their culture, they had their language which facilitated easy communication, and they had some default leaders among the banished and they had a goal.

With the knowledge and community structure somewhat still in place and the dreams of the Garifuna people to return to Yurumein to take back and resettle their islands; was all that was needed, for this proud people, to preserve their culture, their language, their heritage and their sense of self.

Today, the Garifuna people who were banished have grown tremendously, and their culture have survived over 236 (1779-1015) years. Although it is slowly dying; because of modern migration and foreign assimilation of the migrated Garifuna, however the culture it is still fairly strong. The language is always the first to go. But there is hope for the language. And the hope for the sustainability of the Garifuna language lies in the original home land of Garifuna: Yurumien modern day St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines have to ensure that the Garifuna language is preserved. They has an moral and cultural obligation, to ensure the history and the language of the Garifuna do not die. The Government need to implement a massive five years plan. and the main objective of this plan is to have the Garifuna language, spoken by at least one quarter of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines population.


They have an obligation to make it mandatory, for the language to be a part of the primary school and secondary curriculum. They should also encourage locals to write songs, stories and other material in the Garifuna language for every day usage. They need to Organized Garifuna debating societies and have debates and other public forum where all oral presentations are done in the Garifuna tongue. And there must be vocal competition to celebrate the Garifuna music. And Finally we need to change the holiday that is still celebrated as discovery day (January 22rd) to another and more appropriate day and call it St. Vincent Indigenous People Day. This is where we will celebrate and honor our indigenous people.

The Remnant of the Garifuna - St. Vincent settlement

Today, on the Island named Yurumein (St. Vincent) by the Garifuna (The Black Caribs), are a remnant of the Garifuna People, who were never captured, banished and who never knew slavery. Remnant of whom, still lives on St. Vincent today. There is also a settlement of a people who are, direct descendants of the Kalinago (The Yellow Caribs) People, who received favorable treatment from the British. They to are still living in small Villages on the island of St. Vincent today.

The Garifuna People
Language and Culture

There are some things that are common, to the two groups that makes up the St. Vincent Indigenous People (SIP). Over the years, they have both lost all aspect of their culture, as well as, the ability to speak and understand, the language that was native to them. The reason the Garifuna people, abandoning of their culture, especially their language, must have been to fit in and avoid being detected as Garifuna, thus they avoid suffering the same fate, of their banished brother and sisters. 

The story of the remnant of the Garifuna people or the Black Caribs, were completely different in most aspects of the life of the Kalinago people. While the Kalinago people were told where to live and basically how to live (what they can and can't do) by the English, the Garifuna choose their place of habitation based on convenience. A remnant of the Garifuna, who escaped capture, by running off into the dense forest. They wanted to remain hidden from prying eyes, especially the eyes of the English, who wanted them off the island. Because of this, they choose their dwelling locations carefully.

As a result, the Garifuna People who fled, retreated to the extremely high, dense, steep and treacherous forested mountain ridge. Today those villages are called Greggs, Lowmans and Lauders; they are the primary settlements of the Garifuna. These settlements are strategically located on the windward side of the island; where they still live to this day. The Garifuna community, is a very closely knitted one; even more so than the Kalinago people’s community. They (The ridge dwelling Garifuna people) rarely ever allow any new resident (None Garifuna) into their community, for any significant period.

Distinct feature:

Although the Garifuna are dark in complexion and are often mistaken for descendants of slaves, the Garifuna people have totally distinct feature, which they inherited from their Kalinago ancestors. The square and flat forehead, and basically the nose and their height or lack thereof are some of their distinct features. The shade of their skin or their complexion, they inherited from their slave ancestors; those who came on ships, from the West African course and were bound for the new world; destined to be slaves; but never made it to their intended destination.

The temperament of the Garifuna people:

The remnant of the Garifuna people that exist on the island of St. Vincent today, are somewhat aggressive in nature, unlike the Kalinago people. They are quick to fight, when provoke and at times will go to the extreme. There have been some of the more gruesome killings, within those communities. The fact that they are traditionally farmers, their weapon of choice is a popular tool that is use for farming: the machete.

Because the Garifuna people choose to live in seclusion, the remnant of the St. Vincent Garifuna People, did not have access to the sea, so they make full use of the rivers, and streams and the wild life that dwell in these inland bodies of water. They often use trees and other material found in nature, to create dam that allow the water to accumulate into a large bodies, where they fish, swam, etc.


Today, as more of the Garifuna people began to appreciate the value in formal education and began to go in pursuit of higher education, more of them have begun to enter into the general work force. The Garifuna were better able to become integrated into the society than the Kalinago did. And they have reach to the point where most people have forgotten that these people who for generation, occupied these Mountain Ridge Villages of Greggs, Lowmans and Lauders which are located in the windward side of the island, are remnant of the Garifuna who were never captured, enslaves or banished.

The Modern day St. Vincent Kalinago

Today, on the Island named Yurumein (St. Vincent) by the Garifuna (The Black Caribs), are a remnant of the Garifuna People, who were never captured, banished and who never knew slavery, are still living on St. Vincent. There is also a settlement of what may be considered, direct descendants of the Kalinago (The Yellow Caribs) People who received favorable treatment from the British, are still living in small Villages on the island of St. Vincent.

There are some things that are common, to the two groups that makes up the St. Vincent Indigenous People (SIP). Over the years, the Kalinago people have both lost all aspect of their culture, as well as, the ability to speak and understand, the language that was native to them.

I greatly suspected that in the Kalinago people case, this was done to remain in the Good graces of the English, who had banished them to the far north of the Island.

The Kalinago People

The Kalinago people that can be found on the island of St. Vincent are the direct descendants from the original people who first settled the island. The main settlement of the Kalinago, can be found on the extreme north of the island and encompasses villages such Sandy Bay, Owia and Fancy, which are the main or original Villages they settled. Later, they moved more south, closer to the imaginary dividing line, which marked the Kalinago territory: the Rabacca Dry River. Although the Kalinago occupies lands on the Windward side of the Island, there are also settlements on the Leeward course. Examples of these settlements are Clay Valley which is just on the outer limits of the capital Kingstown, Rose Hall and Rose Bank are also Kalinago or Yellow Carib settlements.

Unlike the small islands that is found on the south of St. Vincent that today is called the Grenadines; St. Vincent is an extremely fertile island. The Kalinago People, were allowed to settle St. Vincent, which meant that they had very fertile farm lands, which they were able to utilized to feed themselves. However, this sea fearing nation, was unable to utilize the see in the same manner they once did. This was and still is so, because the sea in the area of the Kalinago's arranged settlement, is a part the open Atlantic Ocean. As a result, of this simple but profound fact, the sea in these area are consistently rough and gives way to boisterous waves that crash onto the shore; waves which keeps the sea in that part of the Island, rough and dangerous. This did not stop the Kalinago People from adopting and from feeding themselves as well as, making a living from the sea as: Fishers.

Distinct feature:

The Kelenago, people may have taken longer than expected to become properly and fully integrated in the community, this may be so, because of their totally distinct appearance. Their beautiful yellow skin, that appear to glow are hard to miss, their square forehead and their lack of height, are all unmistakable, identifying features of the Kalinago people. The basic characteristics of the Kalinago people, have not change much and they can still be identified on site even though they are quickly becoming integrated into the community.

　

The Temperament of the Kalinago People.

The Kalinago people, have somewhat of a docile or submissive, peaceful nature. There is not much violent crimes that is reported to have been committed in that part of the island. They are a closely knitted community, who for the most, part keep primarily to themselves. Although they are very hospitable, they rarely let outsiders to settle in their community. The occupation of choice are generally farming and fishing; however, as more of the Kalinago people come too acknowledge and appreciate the value of formal education and more of them began to go in pursuit of higher education, they have been venturing out and taking up more nontraditional (for Kalinago) jobs.

Were there an ethnic divide within the SIP?

Buried beneath the years of St. Vincent Indigenous People's (SIP) history, are the answers to some very important questions about the truth as it related to what actually happened, to bring an end to the SIP habitation of St. Vincent as they did before 1796, as well as before the actual documentation of the SIP's history began.

There is no documentation of what actually happened and no one can say with any degree of certainty, what actually transpired, or what led to the defeat of the SIP and the final banishment of the Garifuna people. Although there have not been any actual records of what actually happened, we can learn a lot from the post conquered adopted personalities, behaviors, and lifestyle of the remnant of the SIP that remain on the island, as well as from the English attitude towards the SIP, pre and post banishment of the Garifuna people. These two characteristics, are loaded with vital information and can be instrumental in understanding what happen and in arriving to what is called: speculative conclusions.

There is a question that have been worrying me that I cannot find answer for. That question is; Why did the SIP entered into an agreement with the British? What was at play to have change the attitudes of the SIP?

Another thing that troubled me is, why the English, were so particular, to singled out and targeted the Garifuna People for bad treatment; even women and children? Treatment that was so devastating, it resulted in four thousands, seven hundred and seventy six Garifuna being banished on the extremely small island of Balliceaux, which was unable to support life for any significant period of time. After eight months on the island, there were two thousand, two hundred and forty eight fatalities; just under half of the Garifuna people died from starvation and dehydration. Later, the Garifuna was banished to Roatan, a small bay island twenty five (25) miles north of Honduras.

The question is, why the English didn’t saw it fit, to inflict the same level of treatment on the lighter complexioned and big brother of the Garifuna the Kalinago people? What was the criterion that was used by the English to determined who will be banished and who will get a passed? The reason I asked these question, is to help me to understand the rational behind the fact that there were Garifuna children who were helpless, who have never lift a stroke in combat against the European, who were also made to suffer the same fate as the elders who actually participated in the war against the English. While the Kalinago warriors who were apart of the war were exempted.

We must never leave with the impression that all of the inhabitant of St. Vincent during the period of the banishment 1796-1798 were Garifuna. Although the SIP were one tribe, there were a clear distinction between the two ethnic group that made up the SIP; that is why the European use the terms black Caribs and Yellow Caribs to distinguished between the two ethnicity of the tribe.

Why weren’t the Kalinago banished in similar manner? Why the adult fighting men of the Kalinago tribe were not sent to Balliceaux instead of the Garifuna Children? I have a suspicion, there was a rift between the two groups, which led to the Kalinago striking a deal with the British. I do not know if this deal were know by the Garifuna, If the deal were not known by the Garifuna, then it may be considered a betrayal of the brotherly trust and respect the Garifuna had in and for the Kalinago their older brother. Whatever the conditions of the deal, there were some arrangement that was responsible for the division of the tribe base on their complexion, thus Giving the Kalinago people an easy pass and the Garifuna, even the children were made to suffer extreme hardship, when they were banished to Balliceaux and later to Roatan.

A large number of the Garifuna who escaped, escaped into the dense and treacherously, steep mountain ridge of Greggs, Lowman, which is located on the Windward side of the island; where they existed from that time and still occupy those lands today; some 239 years after they retreated there. Why is it, the remnants of Black Caribs: The Garifuna, never felt the need to become reunited, with their Yellow brother the: Kalinago? Or why didn't the Yellow reuniting with the Black? One would have thought, after living together as one undefeated fighting force, for more than one hundred and fifty years, having a common enemy, and becoming greatly intertwined in marriage and government, there must have been something that prevented them from naturally gravitating to each other.

 

Another thing why is it after emancipation, when the remnant of the English became integrated within the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community, the Kalinago people still continue to isolate themselves from the community; even though that have lost every aspect of their culture, their language and their history which was not handed down. Although the remnant of the Garifuna had more reason to be afraid than the Kalinago did, The Garifuna became integrated into the community many decades before the Kalinago people did. There may be a practical reason for this; however. I will conclude that the Kalinago struck a deal with the English and became remorseful at the plight of their small brother the Garifuna.

The error of Chief Chatoyer - Trusting the evil men

No one is perfect and each great general, is plagued with a military mistake, that will follow him. but that mistake will later become eclipsed in the shadow of their future accomplishment and their greatness.  We must always remember; the magnitude of any mistake is generally measured by the reactions that was generated by or from that mistake.

Paramount Chief Chatoyer’s action to bring a sense of peace and stability to his people: the St. Vincent Indigenous People (SIP), showed that at times, doing the right thing, for the right reason; can have totally devastating consequences. For over one hundred and fifty years, the SIP were constantly engaged in what can be considered, a never ending battle to protect their island home St. Vincent, from the ill intended European invaders with whom they have had many extremely bad experiences.

Europeans came and went for many different reason, but the SIP remain and had to contend with the new European arrivals; for this was their home. It seems with each replacement, the European brought, in their effort to settle the island (St. Vincent) had new goals, a new level of greed and a new level of cruelty, which they were willing to employ to accomplish their goals.

Over the years, the SIP as a nation, had lost thousands of brave, many of their children had to go fatherless, and many of the women became widows at an early age. In returned the soil of their land became saturated and the rivers became polluted with blood of their enemy, who kept coming. The European kept replacing their dead; after each defeat, they kept sending more people. They came with one objective to take and claimed the SIP's home for themselves.

As a result, when the English approached the SIP, with a plan, in the form of a Peace Treaty, to end the 1792 war and to put an end too over a hundred and fifty years of constant fighting. It was because of an overwhelming desire, of the SIP, to live in peace that they urged their chief to negotiate. The SIP did not know anything about the back ground, the character and the wicked nature of the men who came to then with friendly faces, appreciative smiles and a plan for long lasting peace.

The SIP were totally unaware, of the diabolical plot that festered behind the friendly smiles, of the men, with whom their forefathers were engaged in bitter war, for all most One hundred and fifty years. Although they were not the same men; their back ground, their characters, their intent; the level of their greed, the level of their cruelty and the limits to which they will go to enrich themselves were the same. The only thing that have change over the years are the faces.

Apparently the English had already wrote to the King and requested more troops to deal with the problem that existed on the island of St. Vincent. A request which was approved. However, it will take over a year, for the approval to materialized. In order to limit the loss of English lives and to conserve equipment the idea of a Peace Treaty was brought to the SIP. All the St. Vincent Indigenous People (SIP) wanted was the ability to exist in peace, not having to be constantly engaged in war in the defense of their home from ill intended men from another part of the world.

It was never the English plan, to live up to any agreement they made with the SIP, who were a more superior fighting force than the European military. Every condition of the peace treaty was deliberately placed in the treaty, to accomplish a hidden agenda that will be executed at a later date. Specifically, at an appropriate time after, the requested reinforcement of troops arrived on the island.

The primary aspect of the British plans, which was facilitated by the peace treaty, were designed to:

i. Ensure that the war and all fighting with the SIP came to an end.

ii. Ensure the lands that was allotted to the SIP were strategically selected.

The two basic condition of the Peace Treaty that the SIP must adhere to, to facilitate the overall bigger and greater plan of the English was already in place. The SIP were giving lands not of their choosing but that of the British Choosing; land that place the SIP at a disadvantage. Lands that were so poorly situated, it made it easy, for the English to ambushed and slaughtered the SIP.

The signing of the treaty also helped the English to accomplish, several objective they were unable to accomplish before. Now they were able to clearly identify, who the Chiefs who so strategically led the SIP were. They were also able to differentiate between the skilled of the warriors that made up the SIP fighting force. The land location also give the English, the opportunity to spy on the SIP and learn of their way of life, with a view to learn, if there were any weaknesses in the SIPs behavior and practice, they (the English) could take advantage of, to facilitate the defeat of the SIP.

On the arrival of the English reinforcement, when it suited them (the English), they broke the treaty, and took advantage of the SIP to facilitate their defeat and banishment.

Did the French partnered with the (SIP) against the English?

Did the French collaborated with the St. Vincent Indigenous People (SIP) to fight the losing battle against the English? This is a very important question, we should examine.

We are asked to believe that the French teamed up with the SIP in 1795 in battle against the English; barring the fact, that just over a year earlier the English and the Garifuna had just signed a Peace Treaty, which was manipulated by the English to suit themselves. There is the possibility, the reason the Peace Treaty came about to end the 1772 war between the SIP and the English; was motivated by the fact that the English, realized, if they continued in the war against the SIP, the cost they would acquirer in loss of their troops and equipment would have been too extensive and they would not have achieved their objective. Note, it is not the MO of the colonial settlers, to show sympathy or to stop a war they were winning; because they were humanitarians and were concerned about the welfare of the native whose land they wanted to rape and plunder of its rich resources. So with all intent and purpose we can safely conclude, that the peace negotiations, were initiated by the English to suit their purpose.

We must never forget that the men and women who represented their respective Crowns, in the so-called New World, were not regular law abiding members of their society. Most of these settlers and the fighting men that made up the troops, the European sent to explore and settled the "New World" were vicious unrepentant criminals, who had committed unforgiving heinous crimes against their own countrymen and in some case their country. These men were facing life and other lengthy prison sentences that would have kept them locked away in prison, forever or for most of their useful life. These harden and vicious criminals, were offered their freedom, under the condition that they accept banishment from their respective counties, go on these assignment in the name and the enrichment of themselves and their King and never to return home again. a large number of imprisoned people accepted the deals; for being free in a strange place is much better then to be locked away in a familiar place.

In very few cases, some of these people, who were banished, had their banishment lifted, for outstanding work in enriching the monarchy. It was most of these settlers desire to go above and beyond what was required of them and do whatever, they deemed necessary to impressed their king, in an effort of having their banishment lifted. It was one way to quench their longing to return to their respective homeland and live out the rest of their lives, in relative comfort, with whatever wealth they amassed for themselves in the New World..

Therefore, having considered the content of the forgoing paragraph, we must conclude that any such treaty, would have been called for by the unscrupulous English, to benefit the English. In that agreement, the English took sovereignty of the entire island and give the SIP some lands, they already own. We must never forget that the English were very deliberate in their actions. The big questions we must ask here are:

1. Why would the English initiate a cease fire, in the form of a peace treaty if they were winning the war? An outright victory would have been a feather in the cap of the English, to have finally decimated, the vicious, cannibals once and for all. The decimation of the SIP would have afforded the English settlers the privilege of permanent and uninterruptedly settling and profiting from the land. A fate, the SIP did not allowed them to accomplish, even after one hundred and fifty years, of the English trying to do so.

2. What had changed in the conditions with the English, to merit the breaking of the Peace Treaty or more so; what have changed within the English camp, to cause them to reignited the war that led them to secure such an overwhelming victory over the SIP? A nation they were unable to defeat just over a year earlier, but is alleged to defeat just months later, even with the so-called French reinforcements.

Let's look at the facts:

1. From 1635 the SIP adequately defended their island home from all intruders.

11. If the English were winning the 1792 war, why didn't the English decimate the SIP who have been an economic and physical thorn in their side for about one hundred and fifty years?

The SIP were skilled and confident in their ability to defeat the English and did not need the help of the French to do so. Another very important question that we must ask is: what did the French had to gain for teaming up with the SIP? Let us not forget that the French, had lost interest in St. Vincent and in 1763 they publicly declared their lack of interest in the same and had entered into an agreement with the English to that effect; Creating a lapse of 32 years. There were no sudden discovery that made the island mineral rich, and the SIP that hindered the French and the English economic progress was still there trying to protect their island.

If we answer the question, what have changed, from just a few months ago within the English camp, to have shifted the pendulum in favor of the English, winning the SIP war; then it will all be put into prospective.

Extract from - An extensive plot to kill Chief Chatoyer

"The peace treaty was just a part of the British plans to postpone the fighting with the SIP, until the added troops, they requested arrived on the island. In 1795, less than two years after the Peace Treaty was signed, which was just enough time for the deployment of troops, to reach St. Vincent, the treaty was broken and war broke out between the SIP and the British once more. By this time, the British troops on the island of St. Vincent were already properly reinforced, to the point where they almost matched the SIP fighting population."

The SIP Political system & Chief Duvalier

The offspring’s of the Kalinago and the survivors of the 1635 Ship wreak; the darker skin Garifuna people, were always accepted by the Kalinago people as Kalinagos. They had an equal place in the Kalinago community, even though they were not full blood, but were of mixed race. They were required to go through all of the training and participate in ceremonies, customs, tribal rituals etc. They (the Garifuna) were also eligible to hold leadership position amongst the nation. They were eligible to hold post, as a priest or Chief within the nation, if they met the criteria and had the desires to do so.

The evidence of this was: Paramount Chief Chatoyer, who was a Garifuna, and his younger brother, Duvalle or Duvalier, who was also a Garifuna, and was a chief as well. Duvalier was second only to the Paramount chief of the Garifuna nation. It is believed that Chief Duvalier led the charged against the English, after the death of his older brother, Paramount Chief Chatoyer, which occurred, on March 14th 1795. It is also believed that the younger Chief, displayed valiant and strategic leadership; and he courageously, led his warriors in the defense of his home, his country and his people, against the ill intended English tyrants.

There are no record of what happened to Chief Duvalier, after the end of the St. Vincent Indigenous People (SIP) war ended in 1796. We know one thing for sure and that is: Chief Duvalle or Duvalier was not killed in combat as Chatoyer was. If he was, the British would have embellished another fantastic story, of him dying in a duel, where some cowardly general, would have out skilled and out maneuvered him in the heat of a duel of mortal combat and the pusillanimous general, eventually kill this great Garifuna warrior, in the same manner they add bells and whistles to "tale" of the mighty and supreme warrior Chief Chatoyer's death.

Since there is no evidence that Chief Duvalier, did not die in combat as his older brother and supreme chief did, there were three other possibilities existed. It was either Chief Duvalier:

1. He led the warriors who chose death over being captured,

2. He escaped into the dense forest with those who did,

3. He was numbered amongst the captured and was eventually banished.

I do not think Chief Duvalier was the kind of leader, who would have cowardly run away into the forest, leaving so large a number of his people, including women and children behind. I also see this Chief: Chief Duvalier, as being too proud to submit in defeat to the English colonist and submitting himself to the possibility of becoming a slave. I can only see this proud Garifuna, submit his will, his freedom and leadership only in defeat by another worthy Garifuna warrior, who challenge him for his leadership. I believe Duvalier to have been a leader, who chose death by his own will and actions, rather than to be disgraced as an English captive.

Whatever happened to Chief Duvalier, we can be assured that he was a mighty warrior like his elder brother: Supreme Chief Chatoyer, the only National hero of Yuramain. (St. Vincent) the home land of the remnant of Garifuna and only true/ancestral home of ever Garifuna the world over.

The Aftermath - Banishment and death of the Garifunas

The year was 1796, it was just over a years since Paramount Chief Chatoyer died from injuries sustained in battle, while fighting the English. Many Garifuna or the Black Caribs as they were called by the British, chose death over being captured. A large number of the St. Vincent Indigenous People (SIP) retreated into the dense forest and an extremely large number of the SIP were captured; over five thousands were Garifuna. The SIP were taken into captivity by the English. The English, did not want the task nor the responsibly to housed, fed, and supervised their prisoners of war. They wanted an inexpensive way of dealing primarily with the Garifunas and banishment seems to be the most cost effective way, of dealing with the bunch of vicious rebels. As a result, a decision was reached and on July of 1796, approximately four thousand, seven hundred and seventy six Garifunas, men, women and children were taken to and abandoned on the small partially barren island of Balliceaux.


Balliceaux is a small 320 acres island, south of mainland St. Vincent. The Island is surrounded by the sea and it do not have any readily available fresh water source nor readily edible plant food supply. After some eight months, approximately two thousand, two hundred and forty eight Garifuna men, women and children die from starvation and dehydration. The British plans to banish their prisoners of war (POW): their Garifuna captives, on a nearby island, had some embarrassing flaws, they were forced to correct.

The first problem they encountered was: the Garifunas were skill boat builders and sailors, who on a regular basis, traveled between the islands that made up the Caribbean, to participate in religious festive and other rituals and ceremonies of the region's indigenous nations. What if those Garifunas who retreated into the dense forest, made Canoes, rescue their imprisoned/banished Garifuna brothers and sisters and reestablished themselves, into a dangerously formidable fighting force. This was a problem, the English settlers or the English fighting troops, ever wanted to be faced with.

Another problem the English encountered with the original plans were; the starving Garifuna people, did not have the capacity to bury their dead according to the SIP customs. As a result, passing ships, especially those carrying Missionaries and of different nationalities, would have smelt the overwhelming stink of decaying corpses that emitted from the island. This distinct and most repulsive odor, was carried great distances by the wind. Many, especially Christian and foreign sympathizers became outraged at the treatment handed out to the indigenous people at the hands of the English. This created a whole new set of problems. The civilized English government, could not be associated with such a travesty; thus the English settlers were forced to come up with an alternative plan to deal with the Garifuna captive, before official word or complaint of genocide, in the name of the King, officially reaches the crown.

The second problem also provided the evidence that the so-called "Caribs" the SIP were not cannibals. If this was true, the banished Indigenous people, would have easily ate their dead to stay alive; thus greatly reducing the number of fatality by starvation. The fact that the British did not further scandalized the reputation of the so-called "Caribs;" as cannibals to justify their mistreatment of this nation, who were a superior fighting force to their troops were proof. This was the perfect opportunity for the English to substantiate their earlier claims that the SIP were cannibals, but there was no evidence of cannibalism, even when banished on a partially barren island, with no food and or water and no practical means of getting such, for eight months.

Banishment under such horrendous conditions brought out another side of the Garifuna. It show how resilient and adoptable the Garifuna people were. The Banishment to Balliceaux, were rather extreme, and it created the ideal conditions for the alleged cannibals to save themselves by eating the flesh of their dead. However, the Garifuna suffered death, rather than to desecrate the body of their fallen brother. They still hoped that they would have gotten the opportunity to lay their falling brothers to rest in accordance to the Custom of the SIP. It is interesting to note, that even placed in a position where death was eminent, the Garifuna people found a way to survive the dreaded conditions that existed on Balliceaux. What did twenty five hundred plus Garifuna people used for food and where did they get fresh water, that was enough to sustained so large a number of people for more than eight months?

The English had a new plan, but it required them to do that which they dreaded doing. They had to invest money, resources and man power to implement this plan. The new plan had the potential to solve the two problems they encountered with their original plan, of banish the Garifunas on a nearby island. As a result they, ship the Garifuna to Rattan or Roatan a bay island 50 miles north of the Honduras. A place where they were unable to regroup into a formidable fighting force and once again pose a military threat to their conquerors. The English had found a place where the mass death of the Garifuna people could not be associated with them hundreds of miles on the other side of the Atlantic. The last thing the English wanted, was another war with the Garifunas, who for over one hundred and fifty years had hampered their economic development and settlement on St. Vincent or a scandal that reach the Monarchy.

The members of the Kalinago or the "Yellow Caribs" as they were called by the English, were still considered a peaceful group and were favored by the English over their darker complexioned tribal brothers: the Garifuna. It was widely believed that the Garifunas were the ones responsible for enticing the Kalinagos into participating in the attacks on the British settlers.

The Kalinago were banished far north, into a more favorable place that was able to sustain live. Today the Kalinago still occupied those land and are still living under conditions that can be considered primitive, when compared to 2015 standards. Over the years the Kalinago people, were used by modern day politicians, as a tool to elect then into office but they never benefited from those politicians.

Why did the British choose Roatan?

It was no coincident that the English choose to banish the Garifuna on the Island of Roatan Honduras. This was in an effort to rectify the failed plan to banish, the Garifuna, on the small, partially barren island: Balliceaux. Just a few years before the Banishment of the Garifuna on the Island of Roatan, Roatan was a colony of England, however the Spanish who controlled Hundruas, just fifty miles north of Roatan, defeated the English in 1782 and took control of the island. By the year 1788 the English were totally booted off of the island by the Spanish, who took full control of the small island.

As a result the British decision to abandon the Garifuna on Roatan was a strategic yet a spiteful act. The English hoped the Garifuna would become a terror to the Spanish, who took away the island form them (the English) and send them packing some nine years earlier. The English hoped, that the Garifuna would have done to the Spanish, what they did to the French and the English for more than a century. The English were hoping to use the Garifuna to weaken their adversary the Spanish, thus opening the way for them to regain control of Roatan.

There were two difference in the way in which the Garifuna, approached the Spanish settlers. The Garifuna did not have a problem with the Spanish and Roatan was not Garifuna land. The Garifuna did not have any reason to fight with the Spanish settlers who occupied Roatan, as they did with the British and the French colonist. The St. Vincent indigenous people (SIP) which were made up of the Garifuna and the Kalinago, constantly fought with the French and the English in defense of their home (the island of St. Vincent) and their people; which the English and the French had no right to.

The Garifuna found common grounds with their Spanish neighbors; however, the Garifuna waited for the day, when they will return to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, to recapture their island from those who stole their home land from them using trickery and violence and to be reunited with their lighter skinned brothers the Kalinago and the remnant of the Garifuna community who went uncaptured.

Their dream of returning to St. Vincent was never to be realized. The new generation of Garifunas that was born outside of St. Vincent still hoped to return to their father’s land even if it was to pay a visit, and reconnect with the lost people of their father’s land. This have been a dream of each Garifuna who was banished and the dreams of ever Garifunas after them.

Clearing up some issues – the authors opinions

Chief Chatoyer was the only chief that was mentioned by the European scribes who were endowed with the responsibility of documenting the history of the English who settled the island of St. Vincent. For more than One hundred and fifty years, which begun in 1635, after the Kalinago Nation, included the survivors of the 1735 ship wreck, into their community and later with the inception of the Garifuna (the offsprings of the Kalinago people and the survivors of the Ship wreck). For over one hunderd and fifty years, the St. Vincent Indegenous People (SIP) have been the dominant force, keeping all invading aliens, off of their island home: St. Vincent.

Yet in the One hundred and fifty years history, the records of the English, only make mentioned of one Chief, Chief Chatoyer. In making mention of Chief Chatoyer, they attached to this might indigenous Garifuna, a British first name: Joseph (Joseph Chatoyer). Chief Chatoyer was only mentioned because he was the only Chief, the English were able to kill and it was under Chief Chatoyer’s leadership, they were able to conquer the SIP. This is not to take anything away from the greatness of the Paramount Chief Chatoyer, who died in battle, defending his people and his home land. It is this writer’s opinion that Chief Chatoyer’s efforts, to find common ground with the English, he entered into an agreement with an enemy, his people venomously resisted, for more than a century, 

An issue with the name Joseph:

The annals of history, made mention of one Paramount Chief. Chief Chatoyer was the first and only High Chief to be mentioned in history. and there was a first name Joseph given to him (Joseph Chatoyer).  However, it is this writers opinion, the name Joseph was given to Chief Chatoyer in 1773, by the British, to facilitate the signing of the Peace Treaty. The two name system was not a part of the practice within the indigenous community. However, the European settlers all had two names, and British laws required their contracts signets, to follow the British law and customs; thereby using two names. As a result, the name Joseph, was given to Chief Chatoyer, by the settlers who draft and over saw the signing of the document. This was done to accommodate the British laws and Custom and to validate the Peace Treaty. If the treaty was to have any value with the British monarchy; the legal document had to comply with British laws and standards.

It will be interesting to see the legal document that made up this peace treaty. It will be interesting, because this writer, will like to know, if Chatoyer signed the document in his native indigenous language, or did he signed the treaty in English. If Chief Chatoyer signed that contract in his native indigenous language, It will be interesting to know; did the SIP had a formal written language and in what year did the SIP formalized the writing of the language. On the other hand, if the peace agreement was signed using the English language one will have to ask the following question, did the chief speak, write and read the English?

An extensive plot to kill Chief Chatoyer!

By this time, the colonist’s resources begun to become exhausted, by the repelling forces of the St. Vincent Indigenous People (SIP), which was a combination of the Kalinago and the Garifuna as the indigenous peoples are officially called. At this time in the country’s history, the French would have had enough of the SIP and choose not to continue their efforts to make St. Vincent a colony of France. Therefore, in 1763, The France give up all rights and effort to try and acquire Yurumein (St. Vincent) and they relinquished such rights, to their bitter rival: England. Thus they (the French) vowed to no longer try to make St. Vincent a colony of France.

Now that the French were no longer rivaling the English for St. Vincent, the English could focus all of their resources and attention in dealing with the SIP, who for more than a century, have been instrumental in retarding, the European economic growth, with their constant attacks.

The battle for St. Vincent continued for several years after the French lost interest in the country. Unfortunately, the British with all of their military might, focused on the eradication of the SIP, were still unable to get the upper hand against the Aboriginal people. As a result, in 1793, the British signed a peace treaty with the SIP that ended the 1772 SIP war. That was popularly known as the (Carib War).

In the British designed, written and arranged peace treaty, the SIP, were given some of the lands they owned for centuries before the first Colonist came to the Caribbean. In exchange for their land, the British were given the privilege of being sovereign of the Island. Was the treaty written in a language the SIP could not read and did not understand? Was this treaty done in good faith? Or was it a part of a greater plan, the English had that the SIP did not know about?

At this time in the political history of SIP, were under the leadership of the Paramount Chief of the indigenous people Chief Chatoyer; who led the charge against the greatly manned, armed and trained British troops? Chief Chatoyer was the chief who also signed the peace treaty with the British. To accommodate the legality of the document, which was the Peace Treaty; Chief Chatoyer was given a first name Joseph by British. To accommodate the drafting of the document and British law. It is believed, that this was the First ever civil agreement, the SIP have ever entered into, with the European settlers, since 1635; when the Ship Wreck Survivors were allowed into the Kalinago community and later with the introduction of the Garifuna.

The peace treaty, was just a part of the British plans to postpone the fighting with the SIP, until the added troops, they requested arrived on the island. In 1795, less than two years after the Peace treaty was signed, and in just enough time for the deployment of troops, to reach St. Vincent, the treaty was broken and war broke out between the SIP and the British once more. By this time, the British troops on the island of St. Vincent were already properly reinforced, to the point where they almost matched the SIP fighting population.

The British plans for this war were simple and straight forward. It boiled down to: kill the Chief and his followers will surrender. Because of the signing of the treaty and the alleged harmonious living between the two warring factions, the SIP chief was clearly identified and all of the British troops knew who he was. The British also had the opportunity to observe the daily operation of the SIP. It was the British who arrange the Peace Treaty and they give the SIPs, land where they can keep a close watch on them.

As a result, Chief Chatoyer became an easy target and so he was in combat. On March 14^th.  1795 just a few months into the Carib war, Chief Chatoyer succumbed to injuries and die in battle defending his people and his island. However, the speedy end to the war that the British predicted, did not occurred as they thought. For the SIP, mainly the Garifuna, took the battle to the British even after the death of their Chief. The war went on for almost a year after the fall of the Paramount chief Chatoyer. 

　

　

An unbeatable primitive Firhting Force

The Kalinago and the Garifuna  merged into one community, they existed together for over one hundred and fifty years (150) and they exchanged and merged their indigenous farming, fishing and fighting techniques, which made them into a formidable fighting force. They occupied the dense forest area of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where they were safe from those settlers who wanted to rid the island of them. They share one passion in common and that was; their hate for the Europeans who in an earlier period, enslaved the Kelinago people and greatly ill-treated the forefathers of the Garifuna people, who were brought to this new world by men who treated them extremely poorly on board their ships. The Kalinago were more forgiving than their darker skin tribal brothers; The Garifunas. 


The Garifunas, were not willing to take the chance of becoming slaves. They have already made up their minds to die rather than to become a slave. The stories of the evil of the European were passed down from generation to generation and the new generation of Kalinagoes and Garifunas saw the mistreatment of the slaves, their forefathers told them about for themselves. These people were adamant that they were not going to be slaves.

Because of the constant attacks that was launched on the European by the indigenous people, St. Vincent became too dangerous for the New World Settlers to live and farm; as a result, the Colonist had to leave the island for fear for their life. It also became unprofitable for them to farm the fertile lands they evicted the Kalinago people off of.

The French and the English often try to resettled the island, using well-armed and well trained troops, but each time they attempted to ersettled the St. Vincent and the Grenadines they were expelled by the poorly armed Aborigines (Kalinago and Garifuna), who went into battle using Guerilla warfare and a fixed determination not to give up their land, or become slave to the wicked Europeans.

For just under ten consecutive years, between the years: 1710 to 1719, French farmers back by well-armed and well trained French troops try to resettled St. Vincent and the Grenadines without success. They were kept off of the island by the skilled warriors, which was made up of Kalinago and Garifuna.

Out of frustration, the in 1748, the French and the English signed a joint agreement, declaring St. Vincent and the nearby islands: "Neutral Territory". The two world power finally decided, it was not profitable for neither of them to invest their resources in battles against each other for ownership of St. Vincent and neither of them were able to occupy or profit from the lands.

The Island of St. Vincent and the nearby island were probable the only territory within the world that evicted the colonial settlers and kept them out for a long period of time. This was so thanks to the determination, resilience and of the indigenous people that occupied the land.

The Making of a Garifuna

The indigenous people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines became a diverse but united nation. This was what happened to the Kalinago community, after 1635. In the same manner there were members of the Kalinago community, who did not trusted the European. They did not want the Kalinago nation, to have anything to do with any outsiders. The same thing happened to the survivors of the two Spanish slaves ships laden with slaves that came from the West African course, which became wreck, off the course of St. Vincent. There were some sects within the Kalinago Community, who were suspicions of all outsiders; and they were right to be suspicions. When the ship wreck survivors, arrived on the biggest and more fertile of the island: St. Vincent, they were helped, but they were not fully embraced by the Kalinago community right away.

The true nature of the Kalinago, was that of which the European described the Arawaks to be. The Kalinago were naturally friendly people, who were quick to embrace and help others; especially, people who were in distressed. They helped the European, who did not understood the best farming techniques to be employed in the part of the world to yield the best results. They also did not understood the climate and Geography of the islands. They also did not understood the reef layout of the Caribbean seas and the weather of the new part of the world, where they ended up by accident.

The Ship wreck survivors, of the 1635 ship wreck, were in a completely strange part of the world. They ended up on extremely small but partially barren islands, surrounded by the sea. A place whose geography, climate, people and the way of life they knew nothing about. They did not have any food, water or tools. As a result, they became completely dependent on the Kalinago people. The survivors of the ship wreck, depended on the Kalinago people for food, water and transportation from the smaller, less fertile islands, which today is known as the Grenadines, to the biggest of the island which was called St. Vincent by the British. On St. Vincent there were a ready supply of food growing naturally, there were also small plots of Kalinago cultivation deep in the forest, as well as the larger fields owned by the Europeans.

The total reliant on the Kalinago people and the Kalinagos willingness to help the ship wreck survivors, cause the survivors to develop an unbreakable gratitude towards and for the Kalinago people. As a result of the level of Gratitude the survivors showed the Kalinago people; helped the Kalinago people to disown the difference between their new friends and their Colonial oppressors, who came to them wearing the mask of friendship, but ended up enslaving the peaceful, helpful and friendly Kalinago people. The Kalinago people came to understand that their news friends possessed a totally different spirit (a good spirit) to that of their European enslavers, who greatly betrayed their trust. It was this understanding that forged an unbreakable friendship between the two groups.

Later, the custom of the Kalinago people, once again benefited the Ship wreck survivors. In the Kalinago Culture, it was shameful for men in the community to go unwed. Since the survivors and the Kalinagos now share the same space, and almost everything else, which included a common enemy, they were considered a part of the Kalinago community and as a result, the ship wreck survivors were allowed to married into the Kalinago nations. The children that were born to these mixed union were known as the Garifuna.

Unapologetic Garifuna

Unapologetic I stand, don't expect me to be sorry for who I am;

Because my heritage makes me inherently strong,

Totally unstoppable, like the mighty river that runs into the sea,

I can feel the awesome glory of Garafuna flowing within me.

So I stand independent of thought, keeping full ownership of my mind.

Never forgetting pass glories, our heroes and the banishment of time.

The spirits of warriors passed, a people courageous and strong,

The spirit of a nation, oppressed for far too long.

They stripped us of our homeland, tried to tear us apart,

They couldn’t rip the love I had for Yurumein from my heart.

We still tell the stories of the people over the seas,

There lives a remnants of our people where Garifunas are free.

So defiant I stand, when my people’s plight I remember,

Unapologetic I proclaim; I am Garifuna!



There is a portrait of genocide still fresh in my mind,

Why haven't my wounds healed with the passage of time?

A true Garifuna will never be a slaves,

So give Garifunas liberty or give us the grave!

Not freedom as you wish but the freedom that we know,

Where our culture will evolve and the people will grow.

You can't have our dignity, our culture and you can’t have our land,

Unafraid to do battle so defiant we stand.

Your swords weren't sharp enough, your muskets weren’t strong enough,

Starvation couldn't destroy us and banishment couldn't stop us from rising

Glorious, even when we did not win we reigned victorious.

And though our blood, the soil of Yurumein has stained,

The spirit of Garifuna undoubtedly remains.

Defiant I stand, in the shadows of my father,

Unapologetic I proclaim; I am Garifuna.

Who are the Caribs and the Arawaks?

The Carib and the Arawak, are the names that was given to the original settlers of the Caribbean, by those European; who settled the Caribbean, after the first aborigine people had settled and lived there a free people and in peace for centuries. They existed amongst themselves, freely utilizing the resources that were available. The fertile land on which they planted their food and the sea where they harvested the rich bounty that live and made the sea their home.

The peace loving Kalinargo the original islanders befriend the strangers, and even though, the European were not required to lift a stroke in resistance, against the original settlers of these islands paradises, that is now known as the Caribbean (a name that find its origin in the given name to the original settlers the Caribs), the European did what was common to conquerors, the first acts of the European was: to change the name of the people living on the islands and they changed the name of Islands as well.

As is expected, there were members of the Kalinargo Community who, were suspicious of the European visitors and did not want to have anything to do with the outsiders. However this group accepted the decisions of the elders and other leaders, but they did not extend a hand of friendship to the new settlers Those members of the Kalinargo community, took the liberty, to sabotage the comfort of the European settlers; with the hopes that they will move on.

This led the European settlers to mentally divide the Kalinargo into two groups, and a record were made to justify them exercising their tyrannical behaviors, which was their first intent, upon the original settlers.


The name that was given to the members of the Kalinargo Community, who opposed the tribal embracing of the foreigners by the Kalenargos were: Caribs. The European settler called the unfriendly Kalinargo: Caribs, and without any evidence, they accuse and documented the Caribs, as extremely hostile people who practices cannibalism. They said that the Caribs delighted in eating the flesh of others humans, especially their enemies.

Those members of the Kalinargo Community who embraced and befriended the European, were called the Arawaks. The Arawaks were described as peace loving people, who did not like war as the Caribs did, and did not practice Cannibalism.

Later, when the settlers in the new world, got the right away to use slave labor to enrich their sponsors and themselves, the European quickly became unable to distinguish between the Caribs and the Arawaks. At this point of their settlement, it did not served their purpose to remember those Kalinargo who befriend them, but both the so-call Caribs and Arawaks were enslaved under the name Caribs and they were used in the production of Cotton, sugar and tobacco etc.

To justify the absence of the peace loving Arawaks from the entire Caribbean, to visiting officials from their countries, it is recorded on the pages of colonial history, of the Caribbean that the Caribs conquered and wiped-out the entire Arawak communities.


In my opinion, the word Carib and the characteristic that were unjustly, associated with this proud people, indicated that the word Carib, was a word that was given to the Caribbean Indigenous People (CIP) as a means of degrading them. Therefore, I rather use the term Caribbean or St. Vincent Indigenous People (CIP or the SIP), hen referring to these dignify people of the Caribbean. In the case of St. Vincent, I use the handle St. Vincent Indigenous People (SIP) to which encapsulate the Garifuna and the Kalinago. The use of word Carib or the terms CIP and SIP are personal.

Who are the Garifunas

The colonial settlers met a totally trusting people and they took the liberty to exploit the trusting and the friendly nature of the Kalinago people. They rewarded the Kalinago’s trust with slavery and exploitation. They also evicted the Kalinago people from the prime fertile lands they used to feed themselves. The proud, trusting and friendly Kalinago people; the first inhabitants of these island were stripped of their land, there culture but most of all, they were stripped of their freedom. Now they were slaves.

The lands they once, cultivate to feed themselves, were now being used for the enrichment of the colonial’s conquerors. They were made to live, and exist under extremely terrible conditions. Many die from the mistreatment, and from the disease that their enslavers brought to the island. Diseases that were alien to the country and its original inhabitant.

To own Kalinago slaves was not very productive in amassing the type of wealth that were being gained by other European settlers in different parts of the world. So the settlers within the eastern Caribbean, decided to invest in a new labor force. They ordered slaves from merchants who traded along the West African course. These slaves were being used in different parts of the world, which had proven to be a good return on their investment.

With the arrivals of slaves that came on ships that traded along the West African course, there were no need for the otherwise so-called useless Kalinago. A grate number of the Kalinago die from Starvation, because their land were now being used to plant tobacco and other crops for the colonialist and their enslavers were not willing to invest good food to feed a people who were not contributing to their enrichment.

In the year 1635, there were two naval accidents. Two Spanish slaves ships laden with slaves that came from the West African course, experienced difficulties and became ship wrecked off the course of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. the ship was coming from West Africa with a bounty of slaves. Those slaves who survived the ship wreck, was so traumatized by the inhumane or mistreatment they received on board the ships; they became adamant that they will never trust or associate with their capturers or anyone looking like their captures again. 

The Garifuna are a product of what is believed two distinct race of people, who is unique to St. Vincent and the Grenadines. They derived out of the intermarriage of escaped slaves that survivors a ship wreck that occurred off the course of St. Vincent and the Grenadines in 1635, that were bound for the new world, from West Africa and the original inhabitants of the country they called Yurumeun (St. Vincent and the Grenadines) the Kalinago.

The escape slaves and the Kalinago got along find and they moved as a united front against the imperial settlers. Whose ambition it was to enslaves them. The Kalinago had experienced the mistreatment of the white imperial settlers, many Kalinago suffered death  at the hands of the imperialist settlers who enslaved them and used them as farmers and beast of burden.

The Slaves on the other hand, came from proud tribes and never knew what it was liked to be tied up in chains, and treated so poorly, as they were when they were aboard the ships, in less than humane conditions. The mistreatment was so severe that once they had gained their freedom, they have resolves that death is better than anything their colonial captors could offer them.

This attitude was carried over to the Kalinago, who quickly forged a unified front with their escape slaves. As a result they unified their fighting, farming, fishing and hunting techniques. As the years go by both fractions, became so closely integrated they even shared in the same political system. From within that community they were one. The colonist developed a name that was tantamount to the N-word to describe this group. That word was the Carib, who they accused of being cannibals.

Letter - Form the President: National Garifuna Counsel - Belize

June 30, 2005

From: Michael Polonio
President,
National Garifuna Council of Belize

To: Hon. Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves
Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
Administrative Complex
Kingstown
St. Vincent & the Grenadines
Tel: 784-45-61703
Fax: 784-45-72152

Subject: Pending sale of the Island of Balliceaux

Honorable Prime Minister,
It has been brought to the attention of the National Garifuna Council of Belize (NGC) that the island of Balliceaux is being advertised for sale, for
development as a tourism resort. We are mindful of the fact that the island is privately owned and, therefore, not subject to the direct control of the state.
We must point out nonetheless that Balliceaux is regarded as sacred
ground and is viewed with the greatest reverence by the descendants of the
Garinagu who were imprisoned by the British on this island from July, 1796, to 11th March, 1797. History records that 2,500 or more men, women and children died there from starvation and disease.

It is, therefore, with deep sadness and disappointment that we hear of this
intention to desecrate the burial ground of our ancestors and impose this final insult to indigenous peoples of the Caribbean, and to transform the resting place of their earthly remains into a playground for the foreign tourist, creating the perception that
the pursuit of wealth has taken precedence over human dignity and respect
for our forbearers and for our history.

Sir, it has been over 200 years since we were exiled from our ancestral
homeland, the island of Yurumein (St. Vincent). Nevertheless, the events of
that period continue to hold spiritual significance and serve as a source of
inspiration to each generation of offspring of the survivors of
that horrific act of genocide on Balliceaux.

Honorable Prime Minister, we urge the intervention of your Government in
putting a stop to this sale and to the final indignity that is intended to
be exercised on the souls of our ancestral dead.

We are extremely grateful for the recent actions and measures taken by the
Government and People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to correct the
dishonor and distortion of the history of the Garifuna Nation. We applaud
the recognition that has been given to the fallen freedom fighter and leader
of the Garifuna Nation, Chief Joseph Chattoyer.

Balliceaux is a monument to the suffering and survival of indigenous people against
incredible odds. Let it be so declared, so preserved, honored and respected.
I am sure that we speak for all Garinagu in pledging our support to you and
to your Government in this regard. We stand ready to work with you to do
whatever is necessary for the safeguarding of Balliceaux as a monument most
fitting to those Garifuna men, women and children who fought and died to
defend our homeland, our freedom, our human dignity and our culture.

With assurances of the great respect and highest consideration of the Garifuna Diaspora,

Yours respectfully,
Michael Polonio
President
National Garifuna Council

Cc.: Hon. Said Musa, Prime Minister of Belize
Hon. Godfrey Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Hon. Assad Shoman, Minister of National Development
Hon. Baptiste, Minister of Tourism and Culture, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
NATIONAL GARIFUNA COUNCIL
Head Office: Pablo Lambey Garifuna Cultural Centre
59 Commerce Street, Dangriga
Phone: (501)522-3781 Fax: 522-3781
Email: ngcbelize@btl.net/Michael Polonio <michael@bel.com.bz>
President: Mr. Michael Polonio