Indigenous Populations of the Caribbean

What is the Caribbean? How is the Caribbean geographically defined? How is the Caribbean geographically defined?

Definitions of the Caribbean …the islands lying within the compass of the Caribbean sea. (Webster’s Universal Dictionary and Thesaurus 2003:849) …the islands lying within the compass of the Caribbean sea. (Webster’s Universal Dictionary and Thesaurus 2003:849) (Caribbean sea – part of the Western Atlantic ocean bounded by the east coast of Central America, the north coast of South America and the West Indies) (Caribbean sea – part of the Western Atlantic ocean bounded by the east coast of Central America, the north coast of South America and the West Indies)

Definitions of the Caribbean cont’d The term Caribbean is applied to certain of the West Indian isles and the sea between them and the main land (Oxford English Dictionary 1989) The term Caribbean is applied to certain of the West Indian isles and the sea between them and the main land (Oxford English Dictionary 1989)

Definitions of the Caribbean cont’d The Caribbean area comprises the islands extending from Trinidad, Aruba, Margarita, and others off the coast of Venezuela in the south, to Jamaica, Cuba, Hispaniola (the Republic of Haiti and the Dominican Republic). The main groupings are the four Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles (composed of the island arc (about forty inhabited islands) that extends from the Virgin Islands in the northeast to Grenada in the south— emphasis added) and Trinidad and Tobago The Caribbean area comprises the islands extending from Trinidad, Aruba, Margarita, and others off the coast of Venezuela in the south, to Jamaica, Cuba, Hispaniola (the Republic of Haiti and the Dominican Republic). The main groupings are the four Greater Antilles, the Lesser Antilles (composed of the island arc (about forty inhabited islands) that extends from the Virgin Islands in the northeast to Grenada in the south— emphasis added) and Trinidad and Tobago

Definitions of the Caribbean cont’d A few units such as San Andres and Providencia and Honduras’ Bay Islands….are included, though the Bahamas are not (International Encyclopedia of the social Sciences 1968:306) A few units such as San Andres and Providencia and Honduras’ Bay Islands….are included, though the Bahamas are not (International Encyclopedia of the social Sciences 1968:306)

Major strength of these definitions We are able to locate (on a map) the general area known as the Caribbean We are able to locate (on a map) the general area known as the Caribbean

Weaknesses of these definitions They are all geographic They are all geographic Very general Very general uncertain which islands to include as Caribbean uncertain which islands to include as Caribbean they include territories which are not considered Caribbean they include territories which are not considered Caribbean they exclude territories which are considered Caribbean they exclude territories which are considered Caribbean being specific leaves no alternative than to list all the territories individually being specific leaves no alternative than to list all the territories individually

Linguistic Definition of the Caribbean Any effective definition of the Caribbean will consider the following Any effective definition of the Caribbean will consider the following Indigenous peoples Indigenous peoples Contact with Europeans and Colonization Contact with Europeans and Colonization Slavery Slavery Immigrant peoples Immigrant peoples

Linguistic Definition of the Caribbean The Caribbean refers to all the territories which have a localized version of a European language acting as the official language and a Creole language which acts as the national language of the population. Additionally these territories have a history of Indigenous and Immigrant languages in the speech community. The Caribbean refers to all the territories which have a localized version of a European language acting as the official language and a Creole language which acts as the national language of the population. Additionally these territories have a history of Indigenous and Immigrant languages in the speech community.

Pre-Columbian Peoples Distribution and Languages

The Pre-Columbian People What were the groups which were present in the Caribbean? What were the groups which were present in the Caribbean? The Warao also referred to as Tivitians The Warao also referred to as Tivitians The Caribs The Caribs The Arawaks The Arawaks

Pre-Columbian Peoples cont’d What was the distribution of the Amerindians in the Caribbean region? What was the distribution of the Amerindians in the Caribbean region? Arawaks -- chiefly Greater Antilles and mainland Arawaks -- chiefly Greater Antilles and mainland territories (coast and inland) territories (coast and inland) Caribs & Warao -- chiefly Lesser Antilles and Caribs & Warao -- chiefly Lesser Antilles and mainland territories (coast and mainland territories (coast andinland)

Languages which were spoken Kalinya or Caribs Kalinya or Caribs Lokono or Arowak Lokono or Arowak Wayana Wayana Trio Trio Warau Warau

What happened with the coming of the Europeans? Demise of indigenous population and languages because of: - Demise of indigenous population and languages because of: - The widespread distribution of the ethnically different Amerindian groups The widespread distribution of the ethnically different Amerindian groups European diseases against which the Amerindians had no immunity European diseases against which the Amerindians had no immunity Groups amalgamated Groups amalgamated Slave Trade Slave Trade

Amerindian Groups in Suriname in 2000 Language FamilyLanguageLocation ArawakanArawak/Lokonocoastal area MawayanaSipaliwini River CaribanKali’nacoastal area TrioPalumeu, Tapanahoni, Sipaliwini R. WayanaPalumeu, Tapanahoni, Maroni & Lawa Rivers AkuriyoTapanahoni and Sipaliwini River SikiiyanaSipaliwini River Tunayana/KatuenaSipaliwini River (Carlin et al 2002:37) (Carlin et al 2002:37)

Conclusion ‘Every last word is a lost world’ ‘Every last word is a lost world’