Caribbean history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Caribbean history - Essay Example Tiones and Arawaks lived a peaceful life with happiness before arrival of Columbus. Agriculture, fishing and hunting were their daily activities for fulfilling basic needs. Arawaks had copper colour with long black hairs (Johnson 1920). Arawaks had a unique lifestyle and a very gentle society. They lived as a society and society was just like a small kingdom. Their leaders were called cacique. Every Arawak and Tiones had 2 or 3 wives as per the culture. The cacique always had more wives than normal people as it was a symbol of pride for the woman to marry a cacique. Marring a cacique used to raise the authority and lifestyle of the woman. Children of the cacique were provided with better lifestyle and future opportunities (Williams 1984). House construction of the Arawaks and Tiones was basically of round shape that a supported with a pole in the centre. Palm leaves were used to cover the house from the top. Caciques had rectangular shaped houses as to create difference between a cacique and a normal man. Mats of banana leaves were the material used for sleeping in absence of any other bedding (Williams 1984). ZEMI were the gods of Arawaks and they used to arrange different religious functions. Religious practice included dancing, religious worship and medical treatment by ZEMI. People also consulted ZEMI for advice on health matters. Agricultural festivals also had certain religious features as thank giving. Specific dress was used on such festivals and drum beating with cacique sitting at a special place. Singing and admiring of cacique are the main events of such festivals (Williams 1984). Different caciques asked for certain help when Columbus landed in the region. Cacique Guacanagarie of Marien (Bainoa) asked Columbus to save him from Caribs. He became the very good friend of Columbus. Canoba was the leader who resisted Spanish movement in the area. Columbus offered Canoba a chain of gold. Conaba mistakenly took