The Flying Canoes

By Odeen Ishmael

This novella is based to some extent on historical facts. It tells the Arawak’s story of the arrival of Christopher Columbus in October 1492 at his first American landfall on the tiny island of Guanahani in the Bahamas archipelago. This Arawak island was renamed San Salvador by the European navigator and explorer when he took possession of it in the name of the Spanish crown. This tale of the arrival of Columbus and his crew in their three sailing ships is related by an Arawak boy who describes the way of life of his people at the time of the arrival of these first Europeans in his part of the world more than five hundred years ago.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Odeen Ishmael
• Release date: Feb 3, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310319815

Odeen Ishmael

Dr. Odeen Ishmael, a veteran (now retired) Guyanese diplomat and historian and widely published author, served as Guyana’s ambassador to the United States of America and the Organization of American States (1993-2003), Venezuela (2003-2011) and Kuwait and Qatar (2011-2014). He has written extensively on Guyanese and Caribbean history, education and culture, and is internationally recognized as a premier analyst and commentator on the political integration movement in South America. In 1997, his country decorated him with the Cacique Crown of Honor for his diplomatic work, and in 2002, in the United States, he was honored with the Martin Luther King Legacy Award for international service.

Book preview

The Flying Canoes

An Arawak Tale

by

Odeen Ishmael

Copyright 2015 by Odeen Ishmael

Smashwords Edition

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Contents

Preface

Chapter_One: The Lukku-cairi

Chapter Two: Catching Crabs

Chapter Three: A Visit to the Piaman

Chapter Four: Evening in the Village

Chapter Five: The Flying Canoes

Chapter Six: Visitors From Across the Sea

Chapter Seven: A Grand Welcome

Chapter Eight: Farewell

Glossary

Map of Guanahani (San Salvador)

About the Author

Other Books by the Author

Preface

This is a work of fiction, but it is based to some extent on historical facts. It tells the Arawak’s story of the arrival of Christopher Columbus in October 1492 at his first American landfall on the tiny island of Guanahani in the Bahamas archipelago. This Arawak island was renamed San Salvador by the European navigator and explorer when he took possession of it in the name of the Spanish crown. In later years, during the period of British rule, it was also referred to as Watling Island.

Like many other islands in the Bahamian archipelago, Guanahani was occupied by the Arawak people who also referred to themselves as Lukku-cairis, Lucayans, and Tainos.

This tale of the arrival on Guanahani by Columbus and his crew in their three sailing ships is related by an Arawak boy who describes the way of life of his people at the time of the arrival of the first Europeans in his part of the world more than five hundred years ago.

When Columbus arrived on Guanahani, he thought he had reached an island near to India. As a result, he recorded in his diary that he met Indians, a misnomer and monumental error which has perpetuated itself as fact in recorded history ever since; to the effect that the indigenous inhabitants of the Americas and the Caribbean, such as the Arawaks, even in this modern era are still referred to as Indians.

This story relates that Columbus requested and obtained the voluntary service of two residents of Guanahani to guide him on his southward journey. While this incident might have occurred, historical facts reveal that just before the departure from the island, his sailors, on Columbus’ orders, kidnapped and sailed away with seven native men ostensibly with the intention to teach them the Spanish language so that they would become interpreters.

I wrote this historical novella in late 1991 when I resided and worked as a history teacher in Freeport, Bahamas. I regarded it then as a contribution to the commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Christopher Columbus at the