By: Aderinsola Odueyungbo and Amiesha Persaud
The topic we were required to do a group
presentation on was that of indigenous peoples. This looked at indigenous
cultures and how they have been preserved and maintained within Caribbean
civilisation. In the presentation, five main areas
were discussed in relation to indigenous cultures. These were religion, trade,
agriculture, relations with Europeans and material culture.
Who were indigenous people?
They were the first people of the Caribbean -- the
original settlers. These settlers migrated from the Orinoco and Yucatan regions
in South America. Their arrival in the Caribbean dates back to 5000 B.C
(Watson, 2016). They planted crops, they hunted, they craved drawings into
stone.
Did we think they laid the foundation for the development of the
Caribbean civilization?
Of course
not! Initially we had quite a limited knowledge of in knew so little about
these cultures; our knowledge did not go far beyond the traditional Guyanese
Pepper pot and cassava bread that Amiesha’s parents rarely made. How could they
possibly be responsible for our Caribbean society?
Over the
past week we have learned that the indigenous people were a diverse, self-sufficient,
intelligent group. With their own religions, socio-political systems, trade
routes, languages, music, art, skills and a unique ability to adapt. These
cultures did contribute to the Caribbean civilization through their interactions
with the Europeans.
Building an
empire is no easy task; particularly when you migrate and invade a distant,
foreign region, with unusual climate, new diseases and unworkable lands. The
early colonizers faced these issues and relied on the indigenous people for
guidance in terms of food cultivation, trade and navigation routes.
Columbus
himself noted that the Island Arawak utilized a variety of root crops including
manioc, sweet potatoes and beans. They grew cotton, tobacco and obtained their
protein supply for fish (Andrews, 1978). These were survival skills that the
Europeans utilized in the early stages of settlement.
The
indigenous people of the Caribbean were seafaring people and used their
knowledge of the island geography to establish interisland trade. In their book
'Talking Tainos', Keegan and Carlson stated that Bartolome de las Casas, noted
the daily usage of the Mona Passage by the Tainos for trade and communication.
These routes were utilized to strengthen the European presence within the
Caribbean. Through an understanding of the practices of the indigenous people
European knowledge of the Caribbean and its people, leading to stronger
relationships and eventually negotiation.
Apart from
food cultivation and trade, there is evidence of the influence of indigenous
cultures in the traditional cuisine and in our folklores.
Throughout
the Caribbean, the traditional cassava bread called casabi by the Tainos
(Keegan & Carlson, 2008). Traditionally, juices from cassava (manioc) were
used to make Pepper pot stew, a modified version of this custom still occurs
particularly in Guyana. Similarly, the Caribbean is known for its unique
folklores such as the Papa Bois of Trinidad, which is a forest spirit who
protects all wildlife. References to such a spirit have also been noted in
Arawak and Carib mythology (Williams, 2011).
In short, what we have learned is that although
we don't acknowledge it, the indigenous cultures did contribute a great deal to
the development of our Caribbean Civilization.
REFERENCES
Andrews,
Kenneth R. The Spanish Caribbean: Trade and Plunder, 1530-1630. New Haven: Yale
UP, 1978. Print.
Keegan,
William F., and Lisabeth A. Carlson. Talking Taino: Essays on Caribbean Natural
History from a Native Perspective. Tuscaloosa: U of Alabama, 2008. Print.
Watson, K.
“The Pre-Columbian Caribbean”. Caribbean Civilisations Manual. Ed. A. Johnson.
Faculty of Humanities and Education: 1-14.
Williams,
Dahalia James. "An Investigation of He Impact of Amerindian Mythology on Trinidad
and Tobago's Forest Folklores." History in Action2.2 (2011). Web. 27 Jan.
2016.
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