carib

Carib refers to the Indigenous peoples who inhabited the Caribbean’s Lesser Antilles at the time of European contact. The term is often used interchangeably with Kalinago, the name by which the people in Dominica call themselves. Historically, Carib communities were scattered across several islands, with a strong presence in Dominica, Grenada, and St Vincent and the Grenadines. The name Carib has also been used in wider historical contexts to describe Indigenous groups in the region, though many communities today identify specifically with Kalinago heritage.

Language and culture

Carib languages belong to the Cariban language family, though few speakers remain fluent across communities. In most contemporary settings, Carib people often speak English- or French-based creoles, and the traditional Carib language is endangered. Social organization traditionally centered on clans and elder councils, with cultural continuity maintained through craft, music, and ceremonial practices. In Dominica, the Kalinago Territory preserves a degree of distinct self-government under a Kalinago Council and customary land use arrangements, while other Carib communities maintain cultural ties and cross-island connections.

History and contemporary status

Following European contact in the late 15th century, Carib-speaking communities faced colonization pressures, disease, and the disruption of traditional lifeways. They were differentially displaced or integrated across islands, with many communities losing population and lands to colonial powers. Accusations of cannibalism were propagated by some colonizers as a justification for conquest, but modern scholarship treats such claims as simplifications of a more complex history. Today, Carib people in Dominica and other islands continue to preserve cultural heritage through festivals, handicrafts, and efforts to protect language, land rights, and cultural autonomy within broader national contexts.