WHO WE ARE

• WHO WE ARE

  The Virgin Islands have a diverse history, blending African and European cultures. Despite challenges like slavery and hurricanes, the people show resilience and unity. The islands are hilly and volcanic, except for Anegada, which is flat and coral-based. Smuggling is a concern due to numerous bays. The population of about 31 thousand includes people from all continents, each with defined statuses under the constitution.
• BLENDING WHAT CULTURES?


  EUROPEAN AND AFRICAN
• DESPITE CHALLENGES LIKE____ AND ____

  SLAVERY AND HURRICANES
• THE ISLANDS ARE ___ AND ____ EXCEPT FOR ____

  HILLY AND VOLCANICE EXCEPT FOR ANEGADA
• ANEGADA IS ___ AND ____

  FLAT AND CORAL BASED
• THE POPULATION OF ABOUT ___ INCLUDUES PEOPLE OF ___ CONTIENTS EACH WITH _____ ____

  31 THOUSAND INCLUDES PEOPLE OF ALL CONTINENTS EACH WITH DEFINED STATUTS
• _____ IS A CONCERN DUE TO NUMEROUS BAYS

  SMUGGLING
• Tainos villages


  • Located inland to focus on agriculture and protect against raids
  • Huts had thatched roofs, dirt floors, and the chief's house was larger
• Polygamy


  Practiced by the Tainos if affordable
• Zemis


  Idols worshipped by the Tainos that controlled different aspects of life and were offered food or rubbed with cassava oil
• Chief's power


  Determined by the quality of his Zemis
• Major Tainos sites


  • Belmont Bay
  • Brewers Bay
• Cohoba ceremony


  Ceremonial activity of the Tainos
• Cacique


  Hereditary chief of the Tainos who resided in a Bohio and had responsibilities like judging crimes and performing village ceremonies
• Kalinagos homes


  • Single-room huts with partitions, separating the sleeping area from the kitchen
  • Adjoupas for women and a Carbet for men
  • Elite members had hammocks, wooden stools, or tables
• Kalinagos diet


  Consisted of crabs, and meals were served separately by women in the kitchen
• Kalinagos recreational activities


  Similar to Tainos, including wrestling, dancing, and playing musical instruments like drums, rattles, and flutes
• Kalinagos personal gods


  Supported by Shamans to resolve spiritual conflicts
• Kalinagos villages


  • Led by their founders, who had limited authority
  • Didn't have a social class system
  • Each village elected two war chiefs based on military skills and experience, not ancestry
• Kalinagos society


  Matrilineal, enslaved Taino women, and practiced polygamy
• Kalinagos burial practices


  Individuals were buried with their possessions based on their social status
• Kalinagos military abilities


  • Focused on improving, using weapons like bows, arrows, javelins, and clubs
  • Captive women served as concubines while men became laborers
• Both Tainos and Kalinagos shared physical traits such as high cheekbones, brows, flat noses, wide nostrils, light brown skin, long black hair, and well-proportioned bodies
• The disappearance of the Tainos and Kalinagos from the Virgin Islands was partly due to a labor force depletion in the Greater Antilles, leading to the introduction of enslaved Africans and changing the region's appearance
• Kalinago Society


  No social class system; contrasted with Taino
• Kalinago Leaders


  Founders had limited authority; no social class system
• Kalinago Chiefs


  War chiefs elected based on military skills and experience
• Kalinago Practices


  Practiced polygamy; enslaved Taino women; matrilineal society
• Kalinago Burial Practices


  Buried with possessions based on social status; status-based possessions
• Kalinago Military


  Bows, arrows, javelins; emphasized military abilities
• Matrilineal Society and Property


  Property and titles passed down through maternal line; daughters inherit property and titles