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View of Hillsborough town & jetty
Nautical Chart of Carriacou from 1891
Map of Carriacou Island near Grenada
Main article: History of Carriacou
Between 500 and 1000 AD\CE, Amerindians came to Carriacou. These Carib settlers called Carriacou Kayryouacou, meaning "the land of reefs."
In 1656, Jean-Baptiste Du Tertre, a turtle fisherman living in Guadeloupe, visited Carriacou. He was the first recorded French/European person to visit the island. It was colonized first by the French among the European newcomers.
In 1720, Bartholomew Roberts captured a French ship near Carriacou and commandeered it, renaming it the Royal Fortune.
In 1750, the first census of the island was conducted. It recorded 199 people (92 Whites, 92 Blacks and 15 Mixed Race, people of African descent were mostly slaves) living in Carriacou.
In 1763 near the end of the Seven Years' War, Carriacou was ceded with Grenada by the French to the British after their defeat in the war. In addition, the British had captured neighbouring Grenada. In 1776, the island population was 3,239 (86 Whites and 3,153 slaves), not counting the free Blacks and the free Mulattos or people of colour. In 1791, Gun Point (Rapid Point), which had been a division of the Grenadines, was made a latitude on the island. The Point belonged to Saint Vincent and the rest of Carriacou belonged to Grenada.
In 1845 multiple Portuguese settlers from Madeira arrived in the Caribbean including in Carriacou.
In 1870, Stephen Joseph Perry led a British government expedition to observe a solar eclipse at Carriacou. In the 19th century, the Pierrot Mas was first introduced to Carriacou. In 1922, Petite Charles first introduced the Jab Jab (Devil) Mas to Carriacou. The telephone system began operating in 1961 on Carriacou. Bishop's College was the first secondary school in Carriacou; it was opened in 1964 by the Anglican Church. In 1965, the Carriacou Regatta began. In 1965?1968 Lauriston airport/airstrip was opened. On October 31, 1975, the Carriacou Carib Organization (CCO) began.
The inhabitants of Carriacou perform the "Big Drum" or "Nation," dance which celebrates their West African ancestors who were brought to the island during slavery. These Big Drum dances are usually performed at "Maroons" village festivals or fetes, where food and drink are prepared. They can also be danced at wakes and tombstone feasts in honour of dead relatives. The Quadrille dance is also performed on the island during festivals and historic events.
A traditional boat-building culture located in the village of Windward, on the north-eastern side of the island. Carriacou's people of Scottish and Irish ancestry are concentrated here.
Carriacouans have migrated to the United Kingdom, and especially to the county town of Huddersfield. Other English locations where Kayaks (nickname for people from Carriacou) congregate is London. The rector of St Stephens is the Archbishop of Canterbury's Visitor to the Windward Island diocese. The United States, particularly New York City, is home to a significant number of Carriacouans. Many Carriacouans do return for holidays or to retire "back home".
Limes and citrus products were the leading exports during the 18th century.
Colonial history[edit]
On 27 September 1650, Jacques du Parquet bought Grenada from the Compagnie des Iles de l'Amérique, which was dissolved, for the equivalent of £1160. In 1657, Jacques du Parquet sold Grenada to Jean de Faudoas, Comte de Sérillac for the equivalent of £1890. In 1664, King Louis XIV bought out the independent island owners and established the French West India Company. In 1674 the French West India Company was dissolved. Proprietary rule ended in Grenada, which became a French colony.
Carriacou was part of the French colony in 1762. Following French defeat in the Seven Years' War, it ceded its territories to Britain. The island was part of the British Grenada colony from 1763 to 1779 and 1783–1974. It was part of French Grenada colony from 1779 to 1783. It has been a dependency of Grenada since 1974.
On November 1, 1983, during Operation Urgent Fury, two companies from the 22nd Marine Amphibious Unit made a combined sea and helicopter landing on Carriacou. The nineteen Grenadian soldiers defending the island surrendered without a fight. This was the last military action of the campaign.
