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Carriacou
Sourced from www.wikipedia.org
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Carriacou Island in the Caribbean
Sea, is the largest island of the Grenadines, an archipelago
in the Windward Islands chain. The island is 13 sq miles (34
km²), and a dependency of Grenada with a population of
4,595 (1991 census). The main settlements on the island are
Hillsborough, L'Esterre, Harvey Vale, and Windward. |
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The neighboring island of Petite
Martinique is 2 1/2 miles away from Carriacou, and also a
part of Grenada. With its 586 acres (2.4 km²), population
900, it is smaller than Carriacou. The residents of this island
live by boat-building, fishing and seafaring.
The Grenadine islands to the north of Carriacou
and Petite Martinique are dependencies of St Vincent. |
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The earliest settlers, the
Amerindians, called Carriacou "Kayryouacou", meaning
"the land of reefs."
Carriacou was settled by the
French, but in 1763 was ceded with Grenada to the British
when they captured neighboring Grenada. The majority of
the inhabitants today are of African descent.
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| There still is a British influence
on the island as it was colonized by the British Empire and
it is part of Grenada, a Commonwealth state. There is also still
a French influence which is demonstrated in village names, such
as L'Esterre, La Resource, Beausejour, et cetera, and the local
patois is still spoken. |
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| The inhabitants of Carriacou perform
the "Big Drum" or "Nation" dance which celebrates
their West African ancestors that were brought to the island
during slavery times. These Big Drum dances are usually performed
at "Maroons" village festivals or fetes, where food
and drink are prepared. They can also be danced at wakes and
tombstone feasts in honor of dead relatives. |
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There still is a traditional boat-building
culture located in the village of Windward, in the northeastern
side of the island, where Carriacou's Scottish and Irish ancestors
are concentrated. |
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