Jamaica's History

Jamaica's history is tempestuous...

An impassioned story of Arawak Indians, notorious pirates, Spanish settlers, British naval heroes and slaves yearned for freedom. The Arawak Indians (also known as Taino Indians) were the first inhabitants. Columbus found them living here when he first landed in Discovery Bay on May 4th 1494 and again in 1503. He originally called the island St. Jago, after the patron saint of Spain. The Spanish soon settled on he island. The Arawak word “Jamaica, derived from Xaymaca, meaning 'land of wood and water'. The Spaniards founded Jamaica's first town and capital, Seville Nueva, near St. Ann's Bay in 1538. Seville Nueva is still in the process of archaeological excavation.

Sir Henry Morgan, the pirate-turned-respectable governor; the Maroons, and escaped slaves established settlements in the mountains and fought losing battles against the regiments of British redcoats until 1655.

The Spaniards fled the island leaving their slaves behind to form independent groups called Maroons. The name is derived from the Spanish word Cimmarron or Cima which means mountain top. There they were joined by slaves fleeing the English. Together they fought the English until 1739.

The English were forced to sign peace treaties granting seft-government and land ownership rights to the Maroons. The English came close to creating one giant sugar plantation of the island and profited heavily from international trade. In 1938 the African slaves were freed and replaced with Indian and Chinese 'indentured labourers'.

In 1871, Jamaica's eastern side, Port Antonio became known as the Banana Capital” of the world and bananas became the mainstay of the economy until 1946. That year, Errol Flynn washed his yacht ashore in bad weather. He and his Hollywood entourage began to call Port Antonio their vacation playground starting another economic boom. Jamaica now supports a world of sun loving travelers each year.