© Kristine Simelda Europeans called us Caribs, but we call ourselves Kalinago. Famous for our fierce resistance to foreign invasion, we used to be the dominant Amerindian tribe in the Caribbean. Now just a smattering of us remain. My father, Maxroy, who is our chief, says it’s important for us to maintain our cultural integrity.Continue reading “Still We Survive”
Author Archives: kristinesimelda
The New Normal
The world as we know it today is ripe with unrest. Why? Because we face the global health crisis of COVID-19 along with social and racial injustice, climate change, loss of biodiversity, economic instability, and political polarization. Whew! What a chilling list. Although I try not to be a pessimist, I fear all theseContinue reading “The New Normal”
Dignity, Power, and Place
Long before Europeans arrived in the Caribbean, indigenous people inhabited the islands. Over the centuries that followed, millions of Taino, Arawak, and Kalinago Indians, who were erroneously christened Caribs by the invaders, suffered ruthless genocide. Today, only the Kalinago survive, and Dominica, Waitukubuli, has the largest settlement of indigenous people in the region. Yet whatContinue reading “Dignity, Power, and Place”
Good Trouble
Congressman John Lewis, who died on July 17, 2020, wrote this essay shortly before his death. ‘While my time here has now come to an end, I want you to know that in the last days and hours of my life you inspired me. You filled me with hope about the next chapter of theContinue reading “Good Trouble”
Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Space
Compared to what’s going on in the rest of the world, we are blessed on the small island of Dominica. We have had no deaths as a result of COVID-I9. Peaceful protests have more to do with politics than racial inequality since brown and black people have always been the majority of the population. OneContinue reading “Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Space”
FROM THE INSIDE OUT
Looking in from the outside, it must seem as if those of us lucky enough to reside in the Caribbean region are blessed. The sky is blue, the sea is warm, and the sun shines most every day. But gazing out from the inside, it can be a different story for local writers who liveContinue reading “FROM THE INSIDE OUT”
CARIB BEING
As an aspiring writer residing in a place that is not my native land, I was pleased to recently come across the catchphrase Carib Being. It means, simply, a person who inhabits the Caribbean region. Aha! That would be me—the lucky lady who has lived on the Eastern Caribbean island of Dominica for the pastContinue reading “CARIB BEING”
THE WILD SIDE
Perhaps because I am an only child, I’ve always been a lover of animals. Along with sparkly rocks and Brownie merit badges, I collected pets as a kid. I was allergic to cats, but experimented with any other kind of living creature I came across. I was often late for school because I hadn’t finishedContinue reading “THE WILD SIDE”
DISPATCHES FROM THE RAINFOREST
Over twenty years ago, I left my friends, family, and some said my sanity in Ohio to migrate to a wild and beautiful Caribbean island. But where exactly did I want to hang my hat on this rugged volcanic rock called Dominica? My half-frozen, middle-aged, over-worked body cried out for sun and fun, so IContinue reading “DISPATCHES FROM THE RAINFOREST”
The Abattoir
© Kristine Simelda There is a legendary creature native to Amerindian belief. It lives in the watery depths and has an appetite for human flesh and revenge. Iola had always loved animals. She believed each one of God’s creatures had a special role to play in the world and deserved respect. As a child, sheContinue reading “The Abattoir”
