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?