After many years of trying, the
British finally managed to conquer the St. Vincent and the Grenadines
indigenous people (SIP) the Kalinago and the Garifuna. This unfortunate
occurrence leave many question unanswered. The primary of which is: what
changes have occurred within the SIP community that could have so drastically
weaken the SIP, to the point where their conquest could have been so swift and
so costly.
We know that there was a peace
treaty reach between England and the SIP, and they were expected to exist on
the island together. However it is this author believes the peace treaty that
was sign, was part of the English plan to lure the SIP into a state of peace
until the requested troops have arrived. Once the promised troops arrived in
St. Vincent and the Grenadines, then the treaty would have fulfilled its
purpose; which was to reduce the English causality, during the time it would
have taken for the request for troop’s re-enforcement to reach the island.
So the peace treaty was just an
English Strategy of war and the SIP bore the penalty for their trust they
placed in the white English tyrant, and soon discovered that the words of their
un-pigmented (white) associates had not real significant or value. But their
kind words and friendly smiles were just a means to an end. They were men
driven by a tremendous lust to become wealthy at any cost and as soon as
possible, and they were willing and able to do anything to accomplish their
objective.
They (the English colonizers) have
left friends and family behind and it was their intent to return to their homes
as soon as possible, with the wealth that will give them and their families the
privilege the wealthy enjoy and the recognition of the throne.
The behavior of the English after
they conquered the SIP is laced with red flag that presented a series of new
unanswered question, answer which lay hidden in the mountain of files in the
British archives. For more than two hundred years plus years the two distinct
fractions that made up the SIP had proven to be an unbeatable force that
defeated the English and the French every time they try lay claim on, in St.
Vincent and the Grenadines.
However, after the SIP was
conquered and captured, there was a mark difference in the why the British
treated the Kalinago and the Garifuna the inhabitant and defender of the group
of Island that made up St. Vincent. While the Kalinargo were pushed to the
dense and rocky north each of the mainland of St. Vincent, the Garifuna men,
women and children were in turn shipped to a small barren island to the south
of St. Vincent: Balliceaux. Balliceaux is an island south of the Main Island
St. Vincent, with scarce vegetation and animal life, no fresh water source and
no ready supply of food. On this island many hundreds of Garifuna die from
starvation. However when the English who inhabited St. Vincent and the
Grenadines was pressure by fellow colonist of different island and other
nationality the Garifuna was banished to Roatan
Honduras.
Why
did the Garifuna suffered so harshly when compared to their Kalinago brothers
and sisters. I have concluded that the Kalinargo people struct a deal with the
British unknowing to the Garifuna and they betray and abandoned their Garifuna
sibling and did not participated in the final war against the British. Thus
weaken the Garifuna fighting force and also diminished their fighting ability. As
a result the Garifuna were outnumbered, out maneuvered, and out gunned by the
English deceivers. What was promised, what were the conditions of betrayal and
did the British kept their words. The answers are waiting to be unearthed in
the English archives.
We
must also be mindful that the English have embellished aspect of the events
that occurred to be viewed as heroes and become the benefit of reward and
recognition from the throne.
