Speaking to a large audience in the foyer of the National Museum in Port of Spain on August 29, 2007, Dr. Basil Reid addressed several misconceptions concerning the pre-colonial history of the Caribbean. With the aid of a variety of maps and diagrams, the UWI archaeology lecturer argued that history should not be restricted to written records but is related to all human action and dated events and these events can be written, oral or archaeological. He stated that archaeology is particularly important in unlocking the narratives of the past as it can reveal important information on the lifeways of past societies. Dr. Reid pointed out that contrary to popular opinion, Caribbean history did not start with the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1492 in the region but rather with Banwari Man in Trinidad 7000 years ago. In his estimation, Trinidad therefore holds pride of place in the Caribbean for having a site which marks the beginning of Caribbean history.

Rather than simplifying Caribbean history to accommodate the popular but false “peaceful Arawak and hostile Carib” dichotomy, Dr. Reid contended that it was essential for students of Caribbean history to be taught about the rich cultural diversity of the pre-colonial Antilles. While most history books focus inordinately on the “Arawaks and Caribs”, he argued that archaeological research has revealed that the region was inhabited by a diverse collection of cultural groups that either migrated or evolved indigenously in the Caribbean over several thousand years before European contact.

Based on archaeological and linguistic evidence, Dr. Reid was of the view that the indigenous peoples encountered by Columbus in the northern Caribbean were not Arawaks as the Arawaks actually occupied South America and Trinidad. He concluded that there is no hard evidence that conclusively proves that the Island-Caribs were cannibals and that this notion was in fact the product of the Spanish economic and political agenda for the Caribbean as well as Spanish and Taíno mythologies. Many of the ideas articulated by Dr. Reid are in his book Popular Myths About Caribbean History which was launched immediately after his presentation at the National Museum. Copies of his book are now available at the UWI Bookshop.