Carib War Canoe to Visit Antigua

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Saturday, 30 May 2009 12:19

By Press release

Antigua and Barbuda will play host to a group of over forty men and women that would have spent 9 grueling days paddling up the islands in a 60 ft Carib War canoe.

The 145 mile, 50 hour journey which began in Martinique on May 21 with a stop to Guadeloupe en-route comes to an end in English Harbour. The event is part of an experimental archaeology program undertaken by The KARISKO Martinique Association to reenact the pre-Columbian navigation techniques in the Antilles.

It is also being viewed as a way to encourage social interaction amongst persons within the region and facilitate regional cooperation. Making the journey are Martiniquans, Caribs from Dominica and Guadeloupians. The group will arrive in the dugout canoe built by the Ka'lina Amerindians from French Guyana and will be accompanied by crew travelling in 4 catamarans and 3 small motor boats.

In May 2008, KARISKO crossed the channel between Martinique and Dominica with 27 peoples paddling in one of the canoes. The journey which took less than seven hours to complete was a major event in Martinique and Dominica. According to local Archaeologist Dr. Reginald Murphy, 1735 was the last recorded date when a Carib War Canoe was rowed to Antigua.

A demonstration row from Nelson’s Dockyard to Indian Creek returning to Nelson’s Dockyard will take place between 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. on Saturday May 30.
Persons are encouraged to come out to the Nelson’s Dockyard to witness the start of the event. The crossing can also be viewed from Shirley Heights at approximately 2:00 in the afternoon.
 
Facilitating the event are The Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation and Culture, The Ministry of Agriculture, The Museum of Antigua and Barbuda as well as The National Parks Authority.

 

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