Myths and Realities of Caribbean History (Caribbean Archaeology and Ethnohistory)

This Book Seeks To Debunk Eleven Popular And Prevalent Myths About Caribbean History. Using Archaeological Evidence, It Corrects Many Previous Misconceptions Promulgated By History Books And Oral Tradition As They Specifically Relate To The Pre-colonial And European-contact Periods. It Informs Popular Audiences, As Well As Scholars, About The Current State Of Archaeological/historical Research In The Caribbean Basin And Asserts The Value Of That Research In Fostering A Better Understanding Of The Region's Past. Contrary To Popular Belief, The History Of The Caribbean Did Not Begin With The Arrival Of Europeans In 1492. It Actually Started 7,000 Years Ago With The Infusion Of Archaic Groups From South America And The Successive Migrations Of Other Peoples From Central America For About 2,000 Years Thereafter. In Addition To Discussing This Rich Cultural Diversity Of The Antillean Past, Myths And Realities Of Caribbean History Debates The Misuse Of Terms Such As Arawak And Ciboneys, And The Validity Of Carib Cannibalism Allegations. -- From The Publisher. Myth 1. Caribbean History Started With The Arrival Of Christoper Columbus In 1492 -- Myth 2. The Arawaks And Caribs Were The Two Major Groups In The Precolonial Caribbean -- Myth 3. Columbus Met Arawaks In The Northern Caribbean -- Myth 4. The Natives Encountered By Christopher Columbus In The Northern Caribbean Migrated From South America -- Myth 5. The Arawaks Were The First Potters And Farmers To Have Settled In The Caribbean -- Myth 6. The Ciboneys Lived In Western Cuba At The Time Of Spanish Contact -- Myth 7. The Island-caribs Were Cannnibals -- Myth 8. All The Amerindians Migrating From South America To The Caribbean Island-hopped From The Continent To The Lesser And Greater Antilles -- Myth 9. The Spanish Introduced Syphilis Into The Caribbean And The New World -- Myth 10. Christopher Columbus Wrote The Version Of His Diario (diary) That We Use Today -- Myth 11. The Spanish Colonists Brought Civilization To Native Societies In The Caribbean. Basil A. Reid. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [137]-150) And Index. Contents 6 List of Illustrations 8 Foreword 12 Introduction 14 Myth 1. Caribbean History Started with the Arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492 16 Myth 2. The Arawaks and Caribs Were the Two Major Groups in the Precolonial Caribbean 26 Myth 3. Columbus Met Arawaks in the Northern Caribbean 64 Myth 4. The Natives Encountered by Christopher Columbus in the Northern Caribbean Migrated from South America 73 Myth 5. The Arawaks Were the First Potters and Farmers to Have Settled in the Caribbean 90 Myth 6. The Ciboneys Lived in Western Cuba at the Time of Spanish Contact 98 Myth 7. The Island-Caribs Were Cannibals 103 Myth 8. All the Amerindians Migrating from South America to the Caribbean Island-Hopped from the Continent to the Lesser and Greater Antilles 115 Myth 9. The Spanish Introduced Syphilis into the Caribbean and the New World 126 Myth 10. Christopher Columbus Wrote the Version of His Diario (Diary) That We Use Today 132 Myth 11. The Spanish Colonists Brought “Civilization” to Native Societies in the Caribbean 136 Conclusion 144 Glossary 146 References Cited 152 Index 166 From the Publisher: This book seeks to debunk eleven popular and prevalent myths about Caribbean history. Using archaeological evidence, it corrects many previous misconceptions promulgated by history books and oral tradition as they specifically relate to the pre-Colonial and European-contact periods. It informs popular audiences, as well as scholars, about the current state of archaeological/historical research in the Caribbean Basin and asserts the value of that research in fostering a better understanding of the region's past. Contrary to popular belief, the history of the Caribbean did not begin with the arrival of Europeans in 1492. It actually started 7,000 years ago with the infusion of Archaic groups from South America and the successive migrations of other peoples from Central America for about 2,000 years thereafter. In addition to discussing this rich cultural diversity of the Antillean past, Myths and Realities of Caribbean History debates the misuse of terms such as "Arawak" and "Ciboneys," and the validity of Carib cannibalism allegations De l'éditeur: This book seeks to debunk eleven popular and prevalent myths about Caribbean history. Using archaeological evidence, it corrects many previous misconceptions promulgated by history books and oral tradition as they specifically relate to the pre-Colonial and European-contact periods. It informs popular audiences, as well as scholars, about the current state of archaeological/historical research in the Caribbean Basin and asserts the value of that research in fostering a better understanding of the region's past. Contrary to popular belief, the history of the Caribbean did not begin with the arrival of Europeans in 1492. It actually started 7,000 years ago with the infusion of Archaic groups from South America and the successive migrations of other peoples from Central America for about 2,000 years thereafter. In addition to discussing this rich cultural diversity of the Antillean past, Myths and Realities of Caribbean History debates the misuse of terms such as "Arawak" and "Ciboneys," and the validity of Carib cannibalism allegations