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List of Indigenous names of Caribbean islands

October 29, 2023

This list is a compilation of the indigenous names that were given by Amerindian people to those islands before the Europeans started naming them. The islands of the Caribbean were successively settled since at least around 5000 BC, long before European arrival in 1492. The Caribbean islands were dominated by two main cultural groups by the European contact period: the Taino and the Kalinago. Individual villages of other distinct cultural groups were also present on the larger islands. The island of Trinidad in particular was shared by both Kalinago and Arawak groups.

Map of the indigenous languages of the Caribbean in 1492

Current evidence suggests there were two major migrations to the Caribbean. The first migration was of pre-Arawakan people like the Ciguayo who most likely migrated from Central America. The second major migration was the Arawaks settling the islands as they traveled north from the Orinoco River in Venezuela.[1] The Kalinago people, who were more dominant in warfare, began a campaign of conquering and displacement of the Arawaks at the point of European arrival. Starting at the southern end of the archipelago, they had worked their way north, reaching as far as the island of Saint Kitts by the 16th century.

The islands north of the Saint Kitts 'borderline' had Arawak names while the islands south of it had Kalinago names. The island of Barbados was uninhabited at the point of European arrival, but evidence suggests that Barbados followed the same pattern of displacement as witnessed on neighbouring islands, but that it was abandoned for unknown reasons. The only indigenous name on record for Barbados is one documented as the name used by Arawak peoples on Trinidad in reference to that island.

Leeward Islands edit

Present Island Name Indigenous Name Origin Meaning
Anguilla Malliouhana Arawak Arrow-Shaped Sea Serpent
St. Martin Soualiga

Oualichi

Arawak Land of Salt; Land of Beautiful women
St. Barths Ouanalao Arawak Toad on Top
Saba Siba

Amonhana

Arawak The Rock
St. Eustatius Aloi Arawak Cashew Tree
Saint Croix Ay Ay Taino The River
Saint Kitts Liamuiga Kalinago Fertile Land
Nevis Oualie Kalinago Land of Beautiful Water
Montserrat Alliouagana Kalinago Land of Prickly Bush
Barbuda Wa'omoni Kalinago Land of the herons (broader interpretation: Land of the large birds)
Antigua Waladli Kalinago Land of Fish Oil
Redonda Ocananmanrou Kalinago Unknown
Guadeloupe Karukera Kalinago Island of Gumtrees
Marie Galante Aichi

Touloukaera

Aulinagan

Kalinago

Arawak

Arawak

Land of chili peppers; Land of touloulou crabs; Land of cotton

Windward Islands edit

Present Island Name Indigenous Name Origin Meaning
Dominica Wai'tukubuli

Kairi

Kalinago

Arawak

Tall is Her Body

Island

Martinique Jouanacaeira Kalinago Land of Iguana
St. Lucia Hewanorra Kalinago Land of the Iguana
Saint Vincent Hairouna Kalinago Land of the Blessed
Bequia Becouya Kalinago Island of the Clouds
Canouan Cannouan Kalinago Island of Turtles
Carriacou Kayryouacou Kalinago Island of Reefs
Grenada Camerhogne Kalinago / Galibi? Conception Island

Continental edit

Present Island Name Indigenous Name Origin Meaning
Barbados Ichirouganaim Arawak Red land/island with white teeth (reefs)
Tobago Tobago Kalinago / Galibi? Tobacco Pipe
Trinidad Kairi

Iere

Kalinago Land of the Hummingbird

Greater Antilles edit

Present Island Name Indigenous Name Origin Meaning
Hispaniola Ayiti Taino Rough earth; Mother of all lands
Cuba Cobao Taino Large island or place
Puerto Rico Borikén Taino Land of the Valiant and Noble Lord
Jamaica Yamaye Taino Land of Wood and Water or Land of Springs

Lucayan Archipelago edit

Julian Granberry and Gary Vescelius suggest the following Lucayan (Taíno) etymologies for various Lucayan islands.[2]

Modern name Indigenous name Indigenous form Origin Meaning
Inagua Inagua i+na+wa Taino (Lucayan dialect) Small Eastern Land
Inagua Baneque ba+ne+ke Taino (Lucayan dialect) Big Water Island
Little Inagua Guanahaní wa+na+ha+ni Taino (Lucayan dialect) Small Upper Waters Land
Ragged Island Utiaquia huti+ya+kaya Taino (Lucayan dialect) Western Hutia Island
Crooked/Jumento Jume(n)to ha+wo+ma+te Taino (Lucayan dialect) Upper Land of the Middle Distance
Exuma Curateo ko+ra+te+wo Taino (Lucayan dialect) Outer Far Distant Land
Exuma Guaratía wa+ra+te+ya Taino (Lucayan dialect) Far Distant Land
Turks Bank Babueca ba+we+ka Taino (Lucayan dialect) Large Northern Basin
Big Sand Cay Cacina ka+si+na Taino (Lucayan dialect) Little Northern Sand
Salt Cay Canamani ka+na+ma+ni Taino (Lucayan dialect) Small Northern Mid-Waters
Salt Cay Cacumani ka+ko+ma+ni Taino (Lucayan dialect) Mid-Waters Northern Outlier
Cotton Cay Macareque Ma+ka+ri+ke Taino (Lucayan dialect) Middle Northern Land
Grand Turk Amuana aba+wa+na Taino (Lucayan dialect) First Small Land
South Caicos Caciba ka+siba Taino (Lucayan dialect) Northern Rocky
East Caicos Guana wa+na Taino (Lucayan dialect) Small Country
Middle Caicos Aniana a+ni+ya+na Taino (Lucayan dialect) Small Far Waters
North Caicos Caicos ka+i+ko Taino (Lucayan dialect) Nearby Northern Outlier
Pine Cay Buiana bu+ya+na Taino (Lucayan dialect) Small Western Home
Pine Cays Boniana bo+ni+ya+na Taino (Lucayan dialect) Small Western Waters Home
Providenciales Yucanacan yuka+na+ka Taino (Lucayan dialect) The Peoples Small Northern [Land]
Providenciales Ianicana ya+ni+ka+na Taino (Lucayan dialect) Far Waters Smaller [Land]
West Caicos Macubiza ma+ko+bi+sa Taino (Lucayan dialect) Mid Unsettled Outlier
Mayaguana Mayaguana ma+ya+wa+na Taino (Lucayan dialect) Lesser Midwestern Land
Plana Cays Amaguayo a+ma+wa+yo Taino (Lucayan dialect) Toward the Middle Lands
Acklins Island Yabaque ya+ba+ke Taino (Lucayan dialect) Large Western Land
Samana Samana sa+ma+na Taino (Lucayan dialect) Small Middle Forest
Long Island Yuma yu+ma Taino (Lucayan dialect) Higher Middle
Rum Cay Manigua ma+ni+wa Taino (Lucayan dialect) Mid Waters Land
San Salvador Guanahaní wa+na+ha+ni Taino (Lucayan dialect) Small Upper Waters Land
Little San Salvador Guateo wa+te+yo Taino (Lucayan dialect) Toward the Distant Land
Cat Island Guanima wa+ni+ma Taino (Lucayan dialect) Middle Waters Land
Great Guana Cay Ayrabo ay+ra+bo Taino (Lucayan dialect) Far Distant Home
New Providence Nema ne+ma Taino (Lucayan dialect) Middle Waters
Eleuthera Ciguateo siba+te+wo Taino (Lucayan dialect) Distant Rocky Place
Great Abaco Lucayoneque luka+ya+ne+ke Taino (Lucayan dialect) The People's Distant Waters Land
Grand Bahama Bahama ba+ha+ma Taino (Lucayan dialect) Large Upper Middle [Land]
Andros Habacoa ha+ba+ko+wa Taino (Lucayan dialect) Large Upper Outlier Land
Williams Island Canimisi ka+ni+misi Taino (Lucayan dialect) Northern Waters Swamp
Bimini Bimini bi+mi+ni Taino (Lucayan dialect) The Twins

See also edit

References edit

  • . Auburn University: Center for Diversity and Race Relations. Archived from the original on 23 March 2008. Retrieved 22 March 2008.
  • . Taino Cyber Culture Center. Archived from - Indio.net the original on 30 October 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2013. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  1. ^ van Hoose, Natalie. "Ancient DNA retells story of Caribbean's first people". Florida Museum. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  2. ^ Granberry, Julian, & Gary Vescelius (2004). Languages of the Pre-Columbian Antilles. Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Press. ISBN 0-8173-5123-X.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

October 29, 2023
list, indigenous, names, caribbean, islands, this, article, multiple, issues, please, help, improve, discuss, these, issues, talk, page, learn, when, remove, these, template, messages, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, im. This article has multiple issues Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page Learn how and when to remove these template messages This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources List of Indigenous names of Caribbean islands news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations April 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message Learn how and when to remove this template message This list is a compilation of the indigenous names that were given by Amerindian people to those islands before the Europeans started naming them The islands of the Caribbean were successively settled since at least around 5000 BC long before European arrival in 1492 The Caribbean islands were dominated by two main cultural groups by the European contact period the Taino and the Kalinago Individual villages of other distinct cultural groups were also present on the larger islands The island of Trinidad in particular was shared by both Kalinago and Arawak groups Map of the indigenous languages of the Caribbean in 1492Current evidence suggests there were two major migrations to the Caribbean The first migration was of pre Arawakan people like the Ciguayo who most likely migrated from Central America The second major migration was the Arawaks settling the islands as they traveled north from the Orinoco River in Venezuela 1 The Kalinago people who were more dominant in warfare began a campaign of conquering and displacement of the Arawaks at the point of European arrival Starting at the southern end of the archipelago they had worked their way north reaching as far as the island of Saint Kitts by the 16th century The islands north of the Saint Kitts borderline had Arawak names while the islands south of it had Kalinago names The island of Barbados was uninhabited at the point of European arrival but evidence suggests that Barbados followed the same pattern of displacement as witnessed on neighbouring islands but that it was abandoned for unknown reasons The only indigenous name on record for Barbados is one documented as the name used by Arawak peoples on Trinidad in reference to that island Contents 1 Leeward Islands 2 Windward Islands 3 Continental 4 Greater Antilles 5 Lucayan Archipelago 6 See also 7 ReferencesLeeward Islands editPresent Island Name Indigenous Name Origin MeaningAnguilla Malliouhana Arawak Arrow Shaped Sea SerpentSt Martin Soualiga Oualichi Arawak Land of Salt Land of Beautiful womenSt Barths Ouanalao Arawak Toad on TopSaba Siba Amonhana Arawak The RockSt Eustatius Aloi Arawak Cashew TreeSaint Croix Ay Ay Taino The RiverSaint Kitts Liamuiga Kalinago Fertile LandNevis Oualie Kalinago Land of Beautiful WaterMontserrat Alliouagana Kalinago Land of Prickly BushBarbuda Wa omoni Kalinago Land of the herons broader interpretation Land of the large birds Antigua Waladli Kalinago Land of Fish OilRedonda Ocananmanrou Kalinago UnknownGuadeloupe Karukera Kalinago Island of GumtreesMarie Galante Aichi TouloukaeraAulinagan Kalinago ArawakArawak Land of chili peppers Land of touloulou crabs Land of cottonWindward Islands editPresent Island Name Indigenous Name Origin MeaningDominica Wai tukubuli Kairi Kalinago Arawak Tall is Her Body IslandMartinique Jouanacaeira Kalinago Land of IguanaSt Lucia Hewanorra Kalinago Land of the IguanaSaint Vincent Hairouna Kalinago Land of the BlessedBequia Becouya Kalinago Island of the CloudsCanouan Cannouan Kalinago Island of TurtlesCarriacou Kayryouacou Kalinago Island of ReefsGrenada Camerhogne Kalinago Galibi Conception IslandContinental editPresent Island Name Indigenous Name Origin MeaningBarbados Ichirouganaim Arawak Red land island with white teeth reefs Tobago Tobago Kalinago Galibi Tobacco PipeTrinidad Kairi Iere Kalinago Land of the HummingbirdGreater Antilles editPresent Island Name Indigenous Name Origin MeaningHispaniola Ayiti Taino Rough earth Mother of all landsCuba Cobao Taino Large island or placePuerto Rico Boriken Taino Land of the Valiant and Noble LordJamaica Yamaye Taino Land of Wood and Water or Land of SpringsLucayan Archipelago editJulian Granberry and Gary Vescelius suggest the following Lucayan Taino etymologies for various Lucayan islands 2 Modern name Indigenous name Indigenous form Origin MeaningInagua Inagua i na wa Taino Lucayan dialect Small Eastern LandInagua Baneque ba ne ke Taino Lucayan dialect Big Water IslandLittle Inagua Guanahani wa na ha ni Taino Lucayan dialect Small Upper Waters LandRagged Island Utiaquia huti ya kaya Taino Lucayan dialect Western Hutia IslandCrooked Jumento Jume n to ha wo ma te Taino Lucayan dialect Upper Land of the Middle DistanceExuma Curateo ko ra te wo Taino Lucayan dialect Outer Far Distant LandExuma Guaratia wa ra te ya Taino Lucayan dialect Far Distant LandTurks Bank Babueca ba we ka Taino Lucayan dialect Large Northern BasinBig Sand Cay Cacina ka si na Taino Lucayan dialect Little Northern SandSalt Cay Canamani ka na ma ni Taino Lucayan dialect Small Northern Mid WatersSalt Cay Cacumani ka ko ma ni Taino Lucayan dialect Mid Waters Northern OutlierCotton Cay Macareque Ma ka ri ke Taino Lucayan dialect Middle Northern LandGrand Turk Amuana aba wa na Taino Lucayan dialect First Small LandSouth Caicos Caciba ka siba Taino Lucayan dialect Northern RockyEast Caicos Guana wa na Taino Lucayan dialect Small CountryMiddle Caicos Aniana a ni ya na Taino Lucayan dialect Small Far WatersNorth Caicos Caicos ka i ko Taino Lucayan dialect Nearby Northern OutlierPine Cay Buiana bu ya na Taino Lucayan dialect Small Western HomePine Cays Boniana bo ni ya na Taino Lucayan dialect Small Western Waters HomeProvidenciales Yucanacan yuka na ka Taino Lucayan dialect The Peoples Small Northern Land Providenciales Ianicana ya ni ka na Taino Lucayan dialect Far Waters Smaller Land West Caicos Macubiza ma ko bi sa Taino Lucayan dialect Mid Unsettled OutlierMayaguana Mayaguana ma ya wa na Taino Lucayan dialect Lesser Midwestern LandPlana Cays Amaguayo a ma wa yo Taino Lucayan dialect Toward the Middle LandsAcklins Island Yabaque ya ba ke Taino Lucayan dialect Large Western LandSamana Samana sa ma na Taino Lucayan dialect Small Middle ForestLong Island Yuma yu ma Taino Lucayan dialect Higher MiddleRum Cay Manigua ma ni wa Taino Lucayan dialect Mid Waters LandSan Salvador Guanahani wa na ha ni Taino Lucayan dialect Small Upper Waters LandLittle San Salvador Guateo wa te yo Taino Lucayan dialect Toward the Distant LandCat Island Guanima wa ni ma Taino Lucayan dialect Middle Waters LandGreat Guana Cay Ayrabo ay ra bo Taino Lucayan dialect Far Distant HomeNew Providence Nema ne ma Taino Lucayan dialect Middle WatersEleuthera Ciguateo siba te wo Taino Lucayan dialect Distant Rocky PlaceGreat Abaco Lucayoneque luka ya ne ke Taino Lucayan dialect The People s Distant Waters LandGrand Bahama Bahama ba ha ma Taino Lucayan dialect Large Upper Middle Land Andros Habacoa ha ba ko wa Taino Lucayan dialect Large Upper Outlier LandWilliams Island Canimisi ka ni misi Taino Lucayan dialect Northern Waters SwampBimini Bimini bi mi ni Taino Lucayan dialect The TwinsSee also editGuianasReferences edit SCL Frequently Asked Questions Auburn University Center for Diversity and Race Relations Archived from the original on 23 March 2008 Retrieved 22 March 2008 Taino name for the Islands Taino Cyber Culture Center Archived from Indio net the original on 30 October 2010 Retrieved 20 November 2013 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a Check url value help van Hoose Natalie Ancient DNA retells story of Caribbean s first people Florida Museum Retrieved 2 April 2023 Granberry Julian amp Gary Vescelius 2004 Languages of the Pre Columbian Antilles Tuscaloosa AL University of Alabama Press ISBN 0 8173 5123 X a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title List of Indigenous names of Caribbean islands amp oldid 1170726879, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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