A Small Place

The very first inhabitants of the island of Antigua were a tribe of Indians known as the Ciboney. These Indians survived on the island for several thousand years before their mysterious disappearance. The first inhabitants of the island with a well established history were the Arawaks by way of Venezuela. They set up an enjoyable civilization for themselves by growing and cultivating a variety of crops.

The island does however have a dark chapter in its history, as do must Caribbean islands, during the 1600s and the beginning of the Caribbean slave trade. Since Antigua was especially rich in sugar cane, it was also a site for increased slavery. At one point, it was stated that upwards of 37,000 slaves were working on the island, and this does not include those slaves exported to other territories. Antigua was fully emancipated at the same time Britain abolished slavery in their empire, the year was 1834.

Currently, the population of Antigua sits at 69,000 with the largest city and only airport being St. Johns. The ethnic groups are made up of 91% black, 4.4% mixed race, and 1.7% white. Most of the native Antiguans are of African lineage due to the slave labor on the island as a result of the sugar cane fields and European conquest of the island. These days, the future of Antigua is on the rise. The institution of medical schools across the island is on the up and coming as well as increased tourism which is their main dependence for economic health. Several major airlines have Antigua listed as a destination. The beauty of Antigua cannot be denied with fantastic coastlines and beautiful turquoise ocean water, the place is truly a gem. White rock cliffs capped with lush vegetation surround the island.

Kincaid’s novel is a fascinating depiction of Antiguan life and history. The first part of the text mainly explains that despite the abundant beauty of the island, the day to day for its inhabitants is not nearly as gorgeous. Poverty, criminality, and corruption are rampant on the island. The second part of the text goes more into the history of the island. It’s history with the British as well as its history with slavery. Kincaid points out that this dark past could be responsible for some of the hardships the citizens face today. She finds it depressing that English is spoken on the island simply because this was the language spoken by the ones who enslaved them on this island. This to her is a constant reminder of the country’s regrettable history.

Kincaid also goes into detail in several of the sections about the gap between social classes in the text. She seems to resent the ones better off as she sees their “fancy cars” and “mansions” as results of corrupt work in a corrupt country.

Sources:

ANTIGUA'S HISTORY AND CULTURE (http://www.antigua-barbuda.org/aghis01.htm)

HISTORY OF ANTIGUA (http://www.wiol.com/antigua/history.html)