Dominica indigenous people name changes from Caribs to Kalinago
The 1978 Carib Act designated the lands of the Territory as the “Carib Reserve,” and provided for the governance of these lands by an elected “Carib Chief” and “Carib Council.”
The term “Carib” has its roots in colonial times, first utilized to refer to the indigenous people of Dominica as cannibals, and is laden with derogatory connotations. Accordingly its continued use does not foster a sense of ethnic pride among the Kalinago people, and hinders attempts to increase the awareness and appreciation of Kalinago people and their contributions by the Dominican community-at-large.
Therefore, while the official designations of the Territory, the Council, and the Chief retain the reference to “Carib” ascribed in the 1978 Act, the Council announces that it has written to the Ministry of Tourism and Legal Affairs, with a copy to the Ministry of Carib Affairs, requesting that these archaic and outdated references to “Carib” in the Act legally be replaced and substituted with the term “Kalinago.”
While the Council awaits for such changes to be enacted officially, it announces that beginning today it will no longer use the term “Carib,” and instead, will refer to the lands of the Reserve as the “Kalinago Territory,” the governing body as the “Kalinago Council,” and its head as the “Kalinago Chief.”
We urge government officials, members of the media, and all residents of Dominica to recognize this name-change in referring to the Kalinago people, the lands of the Reserve, and the local governing body and the Council Chief
sources: news.dm
Have noted this on articles like http://hubpages.com/hub/Dominica-Carib-People – Unfortunately the article names are entrenched on the Internet and cant be changed. One can deleted and article but it is then lost and links for resources are also lost. The name change is however reflected in the text. We also have added a comment re this article – Thanks
Has the government made the necessary changes in the act. can anyone give an update on this article?
Many Thanks
I feel for all indigenous ppl! Once we were enimes and now we are I’n the same struggle! Our ppl have been thru many forms of pain! But it’s up to us to keep our grandfathers ways alive! I hope to one day visit your land as well as the Caribs visit our I’n what is called now puerto Rico! Peace be with our indigenous brothers!