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.