Joseph Chatoyer was chief of Garifuna and Callinago

23.MAR.07

Editor: First and foremost I will like to recognize the work being done by the Honourable Prime Minister, Dr. Ralph Gonsalves and Minister of Culture, Hon. Rene Baptiste, in relation to the history of the Garifuna and Callinago peoples.

However, permit me the opportunity to make some corrections.{{more}}

To begin with there seems to be an attempt to distort the identity of the Garifuna people. This attempt started some time ago in the 1990s.

Let it be known that Joseph Chatoyer, our first national hero, was a Black Carib (Garifuna) who was Paramount Chief, Chief of all Chiefs of the Garifuna and Callinago peoples.

I would like, the research on this matter be made known. While there were two different peoples – Garifuna and Callinago – there was one Chief, Joseph Chatoyer, Garifuna.

To learn more about our history, we must start from the point of origin, Barrouallie.

Michael “Black Messenger” John