Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine January 2018 | Page 232

D
ominica is the Caribbean’s youngest
island. It is English-speaking but with
strong French, African and British
cultural influences.
Roughly 26 million years ago, a series of volcanic
eruptions in the ocean floor began creating a
Morne Trois Piton cluster of small peaks which
eventually rose and merged to form a single
island - Dominica. The island has seven main
volcanic centers, the highest concentration of
"live" volcanoes in the world.
In 100 BC, the first agricultural people arrived
on Dominica from the Orinoco region of South
America and settled in villages. Over the next
1,500 years, other groups arrived, the last group
was the Kalinago (Carib Indians), who arrived
around 1000 AD. Due to the rugged nature
of the island, the Kalinago named the island
“Wai'tukubuli” meaning “Tall is her body.”
On Sunday, November 3, 1493, Christopher
Columbus sighted the island and named it
Dominica (because it was a Sunday) and claimed
the island in the name of Spain. Over the next
Photo Credit: Ken Bosma
three centuries, Dominica was claimed at
various times by the British and French, neither
of which took physical occupation. In the 1690s,
the French brought the first West African slaves
to Dominica. For almost 100 years, starting in
1720, Dominica changed hands several times
between the British and the French until it was
finally ceded to the British in 1805.
The island gained its independence from Britain
on November 3, 1978.
On September 18, 2017, Hurricane Maria
wreaked havoc on Dominica and sorely
affected its tourism industry. Many died in the
devastating storm, but its people are resilient.
With the help of friendly governments and
organisations world-wide, they are attempting
to shake off the horrors of that night and
rebuild their beautiful country. Click here for
udates on their progress and put them on your
list of Caribbean islands to visit this year.
The Nature Island will be waiting to welcome
you.
Photo Credit: Discover Dominica Authority