Arawak

1. A Presentation For Mrs. Saldanha-Kuncharam by Dana Rickle of the Class 2B in the Majestic year of 2011-2012 in the month of June. Arawak

2. History • Encountered by Christopher Columbus in 1492 • Conflicts with Carib peoples • Arawaks greeted Columbus peacefully • 1748 first Arawak European style wedding

3. Location • West Indies • Lesser Antilles • Guadeloupe • Greater Antilles • Bahamas • Trinidad • Eastern Coast of South America, as far south as present Brazil

4. Climate • Tropical • South American region • Lived in Caribbean • Warm climate

5. Resources • Live on islands and coast– lots of water • Sea provides them with fish and food • Stones used to kill birds for food • Sticks used to kill small mammals and lizards for food • Use what is available to them • Seashells, bones, gold, and stones all used for jewelry

6. Economic Lifestyle • Horticultural • Semi-nomadic • Prevent soil erosion in conucos (large mounds of Earth for farming) • Large variety of crops • Cassava was main crop (grown in tropical climate) • Arawak in Amazon created rich soil by slow-burning fires

7. Declining Status • Disease from Europeans caused death • Spanish policies of enslavement, family separation, resettlement (Encomienda System) • Attacks by Carib tribes • Harsh treatment by settlers • Society destroyed by Europeans • Bloodlines still exist in some settlers (African and Westerners) • Language still spoken in small Cuban populations

8. Migration of Culture • Islands in the Caribbean • Move to South American continent • Spanish culture migrates to Arawak peoples and combines with them • Expelled from Lesser Antilles around 1,000 C.E. by Caribs

9. Government • Defined social class • Centralized figure was a king • Patriarchal society • Little law and reinforcement because of dependence on one another • Nobles and council were made of elders– communication with other kingdoms • Songs and dances teach law

10. Relationships • Inheritance passed down from father to son– patriarchal • Men fished and hunted while women took care of agriculture, etc… • Relationships with other kingdoms through tribal leaders and elders • Dependent on one-another so relatively peaceful people within their own society

11. Culture • Made crafts, play games • Soccer-like game • Developed the hammock • Jewelry of gold, stone, bone, shell • Drank alcohol

12. Contributions to Society/World • Invented the hammock as their form of a bed to sleep in • Sophisticated weaving style in the area– highly developed • Pottery style was sophisticated– no pottery wheel, but of high value

13. Religion/Belief System • Gods called Zemi, control universe • Areyto, a game, involved in religious ceremonies • Tobacco in religious ceremonies • Animism • Medicine men– consult gods • Dance for thanks and petition to gods • Service acknowledge zemis’ power

14. Music • Teach law and culture • Ceremonial drums in religious ceremonies • Sang about wars/peace, sad stories, and comedies • Music common in religious ceremonies– used to pray to gods

15. Literature • Sang songs • Learned how to read and write after settlers arrived • After settlers– sang songs in German and Arawak • Taught each other English after settlers

16. Art • Dance for religion– thanks and protest • Refined and valuable pottery • Weaving used to construct baskets and hammocks • Made jewelry out of gold, bone, stone, and sea shells

17. Clothing • When first encounter by Columbus and Europeans, they were naked • Too much heat for clothing– Arawaks were used to the climate • Little or no clothing worn– short skirt for women to show status • Jewelry was common (gold, stone, shells, bone to make) • Ornaments– cotton cloth tied around arms

18. Customs • Well-mannered • Respect highly valued– do not talk down to elders, and avoid eye contact when disrespectful • Act host-like at dinners, rise to receive and say good-bye to guests

19. Cuisine • Made alcohol • Knew how to make cassava edible from poisonous plant • Seafood because of proximity to ocean • Small lizards and land mammals • Also killed and ate birds • Informal feasts were common • Feasts also used religiously

20. Education • Taught laws through dance • Learned how to read upon arrival of Europeans– taught by Europeans • After learning to read, formed classes to teach others

21. Technology • Sticks and stones to hunt small lizards and animals • Made pottery • Used canoes • Knew how to navigate

22. Works Cited • http://www.cubaheritage.org/articles.asp?lID=1&artID=11 • http://caribbean-connection.org/arawaks/ • http://www.blackstudies.ucsb.edu/antillians/arawaks.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arawaks • http://www.my-island-jamaica.com/early_history_of_jamaica.html • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arawakan_languages • thelouvertureproject.org • http://www.haitianroots.com/mission/historyColumbus.html • pattyinglishms.hubpages.com • http://www.luketravels.com/saintlucia/ • http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/photolib/people/Arawak%20Indians%20British%20Guiana%20c1935.htm

23. Please imagine a beautiful and stunning illustration/visual/graph on this last page in order for me to receive the full five points for this section.