EBSCO-FullText-03_13_2025

The Caribbean Before and After Columbus

Introduction

• Poignant Aztec poem captures the devastation witnessed post-conquest by Cortez.

Columbus: The Man

• Columbus is both celebrated and criticized; focus is on his voyages' effects rather than controversies.

• He had extensive nautical experience, including West African coast and Atlantic islands.

• Contrary to myths, he did not believe in a flat Earth; most educated contemporaries understood the spherical nature of the Earth.

• Navigational knowledge was robust in the 15th century, influenced by Portuguese exploration.

• Columbus underestimated the Earth's circumference by 25%, motivating his voyages despite challenges.

  • His motivations included the pursuit of treasure, inspired by tales of Ophir, and a desire to see Christianity spread, particularly the retaking of Jerusalem from Islam.

  • The year 1492 marked the end of the Reconquista in Spain, intensifying Columbus's sense of purpose as he sought new lands.

  • His journey across the Atlantic marked a significant change in world history.

The Caribbean Before Columbus

• The Atlantic was considered a barrier, despite evidence of pre-Columbian contacts.

• Various theories suggest connections with West Africa, China, and Polynesia, but these were minor and did not alter the cultural landscapes significantly.

• Early human migration occurred via a land bridge from Asia to Alaska around 15,000 years ago, peaking with further migrations around 5,000 B.C. into the Caribbean.

• Confirmed dates from archaeological sites in Cuba (3,500 B.C.) and the Dominican Republic (2,500 B.C.) suggest early human activity.

• Ocean level rises isolated the Caribbean and impacted biological diversity, leading to unique evolutions among species.

The Columbian Exchange

• Significant exchange of species occurred post-contact, with immense economic and cultural implications, such as:

  • Crops introduced to/from the continents included maize, rice, and sugarcane.

  • Major transformation in Caribbean plant life; 60% of plants introduced post-1492, leading to deforestation and extinction of native species.

  • The connection between introduced crops and human trafficking substantially altered the demographic fabric of the Caribbean region.

Political and Cultural Characteristics of Pre-Columbian Peoples

• The Greater Antilles were populated mainly by Arawak-speaking people (often called Taino) with evidence of earlier Ciboney inhabitants.

• The Lesser Antilles had Arawaks and later the Kalinago (known as Caribs) who had differing cultural identities.

• The term 'Carib' arose from Columbus's encounters, leading to mischaracterizations of their society.

• Social structures varied; the Greater Antilles had more complex political hierarchies, including caciques (chiefs).

• The Kalinago had simpler social systems but demonstrated political structures, maintaining autonomy by navigating European colonizer tensions.

  • Leadership in Kalinago society relied on familial networks, war leadership, and control of canoes.

Cultural Practices

• Amerindian societies displayed advanced ceramic techniques and communal housing structures.

• Their agricultural practices included slash-and-burn methods, focusing on cassava and corn cultivation.

• Fishing was an integral part of subsistence, highlighted by archaeological findings in various Caribbean regions.

• Although lacking a written language, they had a rich spiritual belief system manifesting through worship of zemis and the use of petroglyphs.

Demographic Consequences of 1492

• Rapid decline of native populations following European contact due to multiple factors:

  • Psychological trauma, harsh treatment, labor exploitation, warfare, and exposure to diseases.

• The introduction of Old World pathogens like smallpox, measles, and others resulted in significant mortality, devastating indigenous populations who had no immunities.

• Las Casas's writings about the plight of the Amerindians contributed to the mythical 'Black Legend' but did not depict systematic genocide.

• Spanish exploitation contradicted the native worldview, ultimately leading to the disintegration of social structures and a drastic demographic shift in the Caribbean.

  • Remnants of the Indigenous population in regions like Dominica and St. Vincent are shadows of their once-vibrant cultures.

Conclusion

• A passage from Huexotzin reflects the loss of identity and heritage faced by native populations in the wake of colonization.

Suggestions for Further Reading

• Crosby, A.W. - Ecological Imperialism

• Cummins, J. - The Voyage of Christopher Columbus

• Heyerdahl, T. - Early Man and the Ocean

• Van Sertima, I. - They Came Before Columbus

• Steward, J. - Handbook of South American Indians

• Denevan, W.M. (ed.) - The Native Population of the Americas in 1492.