Mappin’ it down: 1 Oct 08
This is for our friends and family who have been curious about where we were sailing. Aside from half a world away from home, the Caribbean is a totally different cultural experience.
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| Christopher Columbus |
Columbus named the Caribbean, The Indies, during his voyages in 1492. He believed he had landed in India. The whole area is called the Antilles (apparently after mythical islands at the end of the earth) with the northern islands being the Greater Antilles and the southern islands the Lesser Antilles. Overall The West Indies is a collection of 27 territories and some 7000 islands spread neatly across the equator connecting the US to the South American coastline. Making for a great warm climate sailing adventure!
We’ve been sailing the Lesser Antilles; essentially made up of the Virgin Islands, the Leeward Islands and the Windward Islands down to Trinidad. Our cruise did not include the USVI, due largely to their visa requirements and our schedule, given we had set sail too close for comfort in the hurricane season window. Sitting in Bequia and Grenada watching hurricanes lashing coastal US and the northern Caribbean gave us some sense of relief in that we had made the right decision to move with haste down to the relative safety of 12 degrees. We were happier still to arrive in Trinidad....
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| Salt Whistle Bay |
To put things in perspective, it’s time for a short history lesson! Evidence of first settlers in the islands goes back some 5000 years. Later on, Arawaks, a group of peaceful Amerindians, some from the Orinoco River Delta (South America) area, gradually settled on the islands. In the 12th century, the more war-like Caribs followed. We have these folk to thank for tobacco, the hammock, hearty bbqs and cannibalism; the latter two said to be largely the plight of the Arawaks at the hand of the Caribs.
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| Old Warehouses, Grenada |
Columbus, in his search for the East Indies in 1492, set the pace for eager Conquistadores greedy for gold and other riches to be had in Central and South America. It didn’t take long before others, in national or self-interest (pirates), set sail for the Spanish Main in search of booty. Maritime dominance was critical and many islands were settled with military establishments to protect these interests. Piracy, legal or otherwise, lasted for several hundred years; well in the 1700’s.
As the turbulent buccaneer era waned, English, French, Dutch and Danish settlers began colonising. From the 1620’s, and over the next 200 years, the islands were frequently fought over and changed hands many times. Pressures varied, including the American Revolution to the Napoleonic Wars. All to the detriment of any surviving Caribs, who just didn’t stand a chance!
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| Fort George 1705 |
Although the Spanish had made use of slave labour years before, it wasn’t until the 1780’s when slavery became big business. Following improved law enforcement, casual farming was replaced by organised plantations and the need for cheap labour. The islands produced sugar cane, indigo, pineapples, spices and rum and the Trade Winds were conducive to international business dealings.
Despite the abolition of slavery by the British in 1834, a profit driven Plantocracy continued their exploitation. Much later, after numerous slave rebellions, a much less profitable system of indentured workers became common. Many of these workers came from places like India and China. However, their life wasn’t much better than that of slaves. By the mid 1800’s, the boom was over; beet had replaced cane sugar, slaves had their freedom and white populations had deserted many of the islands.
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| Spiriting off - grocery shopping Caribbean style |
Faltering economies and natural disasters eventually forced the islands out of a peaceful slumber and as late as the 1980’s, the rise in tourism became seen as an opportunity for a sustainable life. So here it is today, a popular road, well travelled.
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| Tourism Caribbean Style |
