From Settlement and Colonization to Independence:

The history of settlement and colonization of the territory of St. Vincent, like the other Islands in the Lesser Antilles, can be summed up as the history of gruesome warfare between the 17th and early 19th centuries.

The territory of St. Vincent, commonly referred to as the “Gem of the Antilles,” is comprised of the islands of Bequia, Canouan, Mayreau, Mustique, Union Island and many smaller Cays. Centuries before Columbus arrived on the island of St. Vincent (in 1498), waves of peaceful Amerindians, called Arawaks, left the mainland of South America and travelled and settled throughout the Caribbean Islands including St. Vincent. They were followed by the hostile and cannibalistic Carib Indians who overpowered them and drove them off the island. Columbus found the island inhabited and ruled by the Caribs who called the island “Hairoun” (Home of the Blessed).

By the beginning of the 17th century the island was claimed by both the French and the British, and control passed back and forth between them and the Caribs. Finally, in 1783 at the treaty of Versailles, the French ceded the island to Great Britain.

Throughout the rest of the West Indies, European colonists had established an economic system based on the production of sugar. Sugar was cultivated on large plantations with most of the work being done by African salves. In 1675, an African slave-ship ran aground off the coast of St. Vincent. The African survivors who swam ashore later married the native “Yellow” Caribs and produced offspring's commonly referred to as “Black Caribs”.

More Africans were brought to St. Vincent to work the plantations which became firmly established on the island. Meanwhile, a cultural revolution became evident whereby the population changed from predominantly Carib and European to predominantly African. Also, new crops which were introduced to feed the population, brought about changes in agricultural production. One of these crops, the breadfruit, was first brought to the island in 1793 by Captain Bligh of the famous “Bounty”.

In 1838, the slave trade was abolished and a new community of free men and women strongly outnumbered the European planters and their families. The estate owners turned to contract labourers from India and a number of Portuguese joined the population during the middle of the 19th century. This period witnessed the merging of different cultures, which culminated into what is known as “Vincentians” today.

The territory remained a British Colony until 1969, then entered into Associated Statehood with Great Britain; having increasing control over its own affairs. From 1958 to 1962, the island was a member of the West Indies Federation and, subsequently became fully independent on 27th October, 1979 within the British Commonwealth.