Our first stop was Fort Charlotte. Our tour guide and local historian gave us the history between the Kalinagu people (indigenous people on the island) and the fight between France and Britain to gain control of it. Fort Charlotte was built in 1802 by the British to fight against the Kalinagu people on the island.
The Kalinagu people were warriors and put up a strong fight against Britain which is why it wasn't easy for them to colonize the island (although they eventually won in 1797). During slavery, escaped slaves found refuge on the island and mated with the Kalinagu people which is how they became known as Black Caribs. France had a presence on the island, being tolerated more than the British, which is why there are communities named Chateaubelair and Petit Bordel on the Leeward side of the island.
In the photo below, the plaque reads: "The Black Caribs were taken to Baliceaux and then Bequia (both are Grenadine islands). In 1797, they were put on British men of war, as shown, and exiled on Roatán Island in the bay of Honduras. Their descendants may now be found in many Central American countries."
Next stop was in Layou where we got to see the Layou Waterfront Project. It was done to keep the water from eroding the shoreline. Steps were built and layers of rocks were put down to keep the water at bay.
Then we went to Mr. Cool's farm (Assistant Peace Corps Director). He gave us coconut water, tomatoes and lemons. When some of us wanted to eat the coconut jelly/flesh inside, he cut a spoon from the coconut shell for us to scoop it out.
Last stop was Richmond Vale Academy in Chateaubelair. It is a non-profit research and training institute with courses centered on poverty reduction, environmental conservation and climate change awareness. There are students from all over the world that go to this school. We got a tour of their greenhouses and got to pick starfruit (locally called 5 fingers), bananas, guava and moringa (good for tea).
They also gave us soursop and fruitcake served out of a coconut shell.
Before we left, we got to meet their pigs. They were adorable! I ended up feeding them starfruit, banana peels and half of my moringa.
I haven't seen everything that there is to see on the island, but I'll be sure to post all the places that I go. Next stop will be Vermont Trail hopefully within the next 2-3 weeks.
