Kalinago

Kalinago, also spelled Kalinagu, and commonly referred to as the Carib, are the Indigenous people of the Caribbean, most prominently associated with the island of Dominica. They form the Kalinago Territory, a geographically defined area on the northeastern coast of Dominica where the Kalinago community lives and maintains much of its cultural heritage.

Today the Kalinago represent the only legally recognized Indigenous group in Dominica. The Kalinago Territory is a self-governing enclave within the country and is administered by a local council with traditional leadership alongside national authorities. The community has a distinct language, the Kalinago language, part of the Carib language family, though most residents now speak English or Dominican Creole. Efforts are ongoing to preserve and revitalize the language.

Culturally, the Kalinago are known for crafts such as basketry, beadwork, woodcarving, and canoe building, which are showcased at cultural centers and markets. The Kalinago Barana Auté, a cultural village, presents traditional village life to visitors and tourists. The community also maintains ceremonies, music, and storytelling that reflect ancestral traditions, often blending them with Christian practices.

Historically, the Kalinago are descendants of the Carib people who inhabited the Lesser Antilles before European colonization. They were among the first Caribbean groups to encounter Europeans, and their territory in Dominica survived colonization more than in some neighboring islands. In the modern era, the Kalinago Territory serves as a focal point for cultural preservation and tourism, highlighting the enduring presence of the Kalinago in Dominica.