The Caribbean was home to many races before the advent of the Europeans in 1492. There were many tribes of Paleo Indians, who came across the sea from South America around 5000 BC, Meso – Indians came around 500 BC and created pottery,and then Neo- Indians also known as the Salodoid or Salodoid- ‐Barroncoid people who had thriving, organized  civilizations that existed on agriculture, trade and fishing. There were civilizied communities that existed in the Caribbean region before the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492.  Although there were sometimes wars among the different tribes, wars can hardly be a measure of whether a tribe is civilized. Most of the historical accounts were written from the point of view of a male European and so in many cases did not reflect a true account of the past.

The article by Rex Nettleford cited above. Mentions that there was evidence of Africans in the Caribbean before 1492. He spoke about the Eurocentric view that existed in 1992 that civilization was a gift from them to the barbaric peoples that inhabited the Caribbean islands at the time of Columbus’ arrival.

I cannot agree with the idea that Christopher Columbus discovered the Caribbean or that the Caribbean was even a ‘New World’ which only experienced civilization after the arrival of Columbus.

 

West African slavery evolved into Chattel Slavery. Some of the enslaved were kidnapped and sold into slavery. All of the enslaved were to be slaves for their entire lives. Chattel slaves had no rights and were beaten and punished regularly. Rape was prevalent with many women being impregnated simply to ensure that the plantation had future slaves, and many men raped as punishment. Children born to the enslaved were enslaved. Chattel slaves  were often worked to death or killed during punishment.