The Garifuna – who are these people?

Tue, Oct 30, 2012

Editor: An historical book was recently launched here called “The Black Carib Wars Freedom, Survival and the Making of the Garifuna” by Christopher Taylor.{{more}}

If you wish to know this part of the history of your homeland, this book is a “must read”. It is not based on hearsay, it is documented evidence from the archives of Britain and France.

You were unable to read this documented evidence contained in “The Handbook of St Vincent 1909” and also in “An Historical Account of the Island of St Vincent” by Charles Shephard, both of which have been out of print for your entire lives. This is your opportunity; you have no excuse for not knowing hereafter.

Pay particular attention to the dates to get a sense of the time involved in the situations as they occurred, emerged and developed. Discuss, analyze, come to your own conclusions and then debate it publicly. Let your young voices be heard.

There is something that comes out so glaringly in the “story” that I am amazed that it’s never been discussed in all these years. Young minds may see it and then will tell us about it.

Every schoolchild with brains to read and understand – you are hereby challenged! Do not enter an argument or voice an opinion until you have read the book.

It is time for us to wonder aloud what the Garifuna Movement in our small country is hoping and trying to achieve.

J.C.P. Harold