Myths and Realities of Caribbean History

Introduction

Introduction This book seeks to correct many of our misconceptions about precolonial and European-contact periods in the Caribbean. It is also intended to inform popular audiences as well as scholars about the current state of archaeological/ historical research in the Caribbean and the value of this research in fostering a better understanding of the region’s past. History is based not only on written records but also on a rich array of archaeological and oral data. Contrary to popular opinion, the history of the Caribbean did not begin with the arrival of the Europeans in 1492. It started about seven thousand years earlier with the advent of Archaic groups from South America, then the migration of other Archaic groups from Central America about two thousand years thereafter . The next wave of migrants, the Saladoids, came from South America in 500 B.C. and, like their Archaic forerunners, established several indigenous communities in the Caribbean. These communities eventually evolved into new cultural groups, creating a rich tapestry of cultural traditions and indigenous societies throughout the northern and southern Caribbean.The misuse of the terms “Arawak” and “Ciboneys,” and the inaccuracy of references to Carib cannibalism are among the eleven myths debunked in this book. Archaeological/historical research of the precolonial and contact periods is ongoing, offering new insights into our understanding of these early cultures. A prime example of this concerns which group was the first to have brought pottery-making and agriculture to the Caribbean. For years, the Arawaks were touted as the first; then the Saladoids were accorded that honor; and recently the Archaic peoples have been deemed to be the first potters and farmers. Such is the nature of the beast in academia, where open-mindedness and a willingness to debate the issues are essential as we contend with sometimes controversial subject matters in the marketplace of ideas. As new evidence emerges to disprove notions about the past, these notions should be replaced by new ones, regardless of how long they have been actively promoted in books and articles. xiv / Introduction The sifting of the most current evidence to determine facts from myths is this book’s primary purpose. I acknowledge the generous assistance of Naseema Hosein-Hoey, who typed and collated some of the research materials and helped prepare the glossary , and Christopher Riley, who produced most of the visual materials. I also gratefully acknowledge the copyright permissions given by Yale University Press, the University of Alabama Press, Princeton University Press, University Press of Florida, Wellcome Trustees, the Crow Canyon Archaeological Center, Arie Boomert, David Watters, Anne Stokes, David Steadman, Jay B. Haviser, Philip Allsworth-Jones, Michiel Kappers, Richard Callaghan, Marc Dorst, José Oliver, Paul Comeau, Yasmin Baksh-Comeau, Reg. Murphy, and Peter L.Drewett.I am very grateful to both William Keegan and Luis Antonio Curet for reviewing the text and providing constructive criticism. I also thank William Keegan for writing the foreword. Finally, I profusely thank my beloved wife, Joan, and our son, Gavin, for their incredible patience and generous moral support, as I spent time drafting, writing, rewriting, and editing the book. This book is dedicated to these two fine individuals. ...