Grenada's recorded history began in 1498, when Christopher Columbus sighted
the island on his third voyage to the so-called New World. The first European
settlement wasn't attempted until 1609, when a party of 208 English settlers
tried to establish tobacco plantations, but they quickly fell victim to raids
by native Carib Indians and abandoned the island.
In 1650, Governor Du Parquet of Martinique 'purchased' Grenada from the Caribs
for a few hatchets, some glass beads and couple of bottles of grog and immediately
established 200 French settlers on the island. Within a year the French were
weary of skirmishes with the Caribs and sent a contingent of soldiers to sort
the locals out. The Caribs were routed at Sauteurs Bay, but rather than submit
to the colonists, the survivors - men, women and children - jumped to their
deaths from the precipitous coastal cliffs. The French then set about establishing
plantations of indigo, tobacco, coffee, cocoa and sugar, which were worked by
African slaves.
Grenada remained under French control until the British captured it in 1762. Over the next two decades it teetered between the two colonial powers until it was ceded to the Brits in 1783. It remained under British rule until independence, though animosity lingered between the British colonialists and the minority French settlers with violence erupting periodically. In 1877, Grenada became a Crown Colony and in 1967 became an associate state within the British Commonwealth. Grenada and the neighboring Grenadine Islands of Carriacou and Petit Martinique adopted a constitution in 1973 and became an independent nation in 1974.
The post-independence period was plagued by corruption, extremism and political
thuggery until a bloodless coup by London-educated lawyer Maurice Bishop in
1979. He immediately reinstated a measure of human rights and promised to resolve
the country's economic problems. Bishop had widespread popular support and proved
a charismatic leader, but his policy of nonalignment and socialist leanings
didn't sit well with the USA or Grenada's more conservative neighbors. Ostracized
by the West, Bishop turned to the Cubans for aid, who then undertook construction
of a new airport on Grenada.
A struggle between Bishop and military hardliners resulted in Bishop's overthrow
in 1983, and he was placed under house arrest. A spontaneous gathering of 30,000
people (one third of the island's population) forced Bishop's release. Together
they marched to Fort George, where the military opened fire on the crowd, killing
an estimated 40 protesters. Bishop and several of his followers were taken prisoner
and summarily executed.
In the turmoil that followed, the US government convinced a handful of Caribbean
nations to pledge support for a US invasion of the island. US forces invaded
six days later in an operation that claimed the lives of 70 Cubans, 42 Americans
and 170 Grenadians, including 18 who were killed when US forces mistakenly bombed
the island's mental hospital. Most US forces withdrew two months later, although
a joint US-Caribbean force remained stationed on the island for several years.
Democratic elections have been held in 1985, 1990 and in 1995, the last bringing
the New National Party to power and installing NNP leader Keith Mitchell as
the Prime Minister. In late 1998, the defection of several members of Parliament
from the NNP to the opposition brought the government down. As a result, elections
were held in January 1999, which Mitchell won handily despite accusations of
corruption from the opposition.
History of the conflict
The U.S. invasion of Grenada and the toppling of it's Marxist government can
be seen as part of a greater regional conflict. This conflict involved the U.S.
and it's Central American and Caribbean allies on one side and Fidel Castro's
Cuba, the Sandinista government of Nicaragua and various Marxist guerrilla armies
on the other. President Reagan and his administration were concerned that the
Marxist government of Prime Minister Maurice Bishop was allowing Cuba to gain
undue influence in Grenada, specifically by constructing a military-grade airport
with Cuban military engineers.
On October 13, 1983, the Grenadian Army, controlled by former Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard, seized power in a bloody coup. The severity of the violence, coupled with Coard's hard-line Marxism, caused deep concern among neighboring Caribbean nations, as well as in Washington, D.C. Also, the presence of nearly 1,000 American medical students in Grenada caused added concern.
However, along with concern, came opportunity. With President Reagan's worldwide
efforts to confront what he viewed as the threat by the Soviet Union and other
Communist countries (such as Cuba), the turmoil in the Caribbean provided a
timely excuse to eliminate a Marxist government and give Fidel Castro a black
eye.
It should also be noted that on October 23, 1983, American foreign policy and pride suffered a terrible shock when a Muslim suicide bomber destroyed the Marine barracks in Beirut, killing 240 U.S. Marines. A successful campaign in Grenada would prove helpful in alleviating the pain of that setback.
Grenadian culture is a mixture of British, African, West Indian and French influences.
Though the majority of Grenadians are Roman Catholic and a French-African patois
is spoken by some, the French influence on this small nation is slight compared
to other neighboring islands that have oscillated between the main Caribbean
colonial powers.
The official language is English, and though the majority are Roman Catholic,
there are plenty of Anglican, Methodist and Presbyterian churches. African Creole
influences come to the fore during Carnival, and a general resurgence of black
pride is visible in the widespread practice of giving African names to Grenadian
children. Carriacou has a unique folk troupe that performs the African-influenced
Big Drum Dance, centered around the playing of drums made of small rum kegs
covered with goatskin. On Grenada, steel band and calypso music are popular.
The folk art of Carriacou artist Canute Caliste has gained international recognition
painting visions of mermaids and sailing vessels at his home in L'Esterre. The
popularity of steel hulls has made it difficult to see traditional wooden schooners
being built on Carriacou.
Merle Collins
Born on the island of Grenada in 1948, Collins earned degrees from the University
of West Indies in Jamaica, Georgetown University and the London School of Economics.
From the latter institution she received her doctorate. She has served in Grenada's
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is currently a university professor in the United
States.
Works:
Her work focuses on women as the preservers of the social community. Her publications
include two novels, Angel (1987) and The Colour of Forgetting
(1995); four collections of poetry, including Because the Dawn Breaks
(1985), Rotten Pomerack (1992), and Lady in a Boat (1999); and
a collection of short stories, Rain Darling (1990).
Jean Buffong
She is a Grenadian novelist living in England, whose books Under the Silk Cotton Tree (1992) and Snowflakes in the Sun (1997) depict the joys and difficulties of life in Grenada.
Ricardo Keens-Douglas
He has written a collection of books for children set in Grenada.
Visas: Passports are not required of citizens of the US, Canada or the
UK, as long as they have proof of citizenship. Citizens of other countries must
have a valid passport.
Health risks: Dengue fever, sunburn, diarrhea and intestinal parasites.
Minivan buses are a good way to get around Grenada if you want to experience the rhythms of daily life - most blast calypso and reggae music and provide a hair-raising ride. Some minibuses, however, double as taxis and are available for private charter. You can flag down a passing bus from the side of the road by simply sticking out your hand. To get off a bus, just yell out 'drop one.'
There are a number of local and international car rental agencies. Visitors need to purchase a local driving license, available from the car rental companies; driving is on the left. Taxis fares are regulated by the government, though taxis can also be hired by the hour for sightseeing tours.
Cargo boats and catamarans run regularly between Grenada and Carriacou; a ride in an old-fashioned cargo boat can take three to four hours while the modern express catamarans take half as long but cost twice as much. Boats are available to several nearshore islands.
There is regular boat service connecting Petit Martinique with Grenada and Carriacou. This mile-wide island has one road along the west coast, but it is otherwise easy to get around on foot.