Noche Latina-Fantasy Friday's

Each and EVERY Friday night we are hosting Latin Night at Corinthians Restaurant & Lounge! We're into week 4 and we're hoping that you guys come out and party with us! Dj FrankieD & Dj Latinpower will be mixing the hottest Reggaeton, Salaa, Merengue, Bachata, Dem Bow, Cumbia and many many more... So put on your dancing shoes and come dance with us!!!

History of the Caribbean Islands

Enriched with astonishing beauty and mouthwatering foods; the Caribbean islands is indeed the root to what we call PARADISE! While history today is teaching about Christopher Columbus being the first to “discover” the islands; many people are unaware that the Caribbean islands were discovered long before Columbus even set sail. In about 5000 B.C. the Arawaks and Caribs are the tribes that inhabited the Caribbean islands.

The Arawaks were a skilled tribe known for weaving baskets and trading crops; whereas, the Caribs were superb weapons makers. When the Caribs weren’t making weapons, they were engaging in pottery.

While both tribes at the time ate seafood, they also routinely ate lizards, turtles, birds, and snails. Every catch of the day would be added to a “pepper pot” which is a stew that is simmered and cooked for weeks. Pepper pots are still a native dish in the island of Grenada.

1492 was the first time Columbus came to the Caribbean islands. Even though at that time he wasn’t able to find what he was looking for, he scheduled another voyage to return in 1493. Upon his return, he brought along with him farmers, builders, and missionaries that will assist him in “converting” the natives that were already present on the islands. Many of the men that were brought along on the second voyage were criminals and as a result, they started stealing the crops and women of the natives and forcing them into slavery and demanding taxes. The natives were started getting tired of their ill treatment and a war broke out and after 3 years; most of the natives were dead. As a result of the war, the foreigners built a fort in the capital of Santo Domingo. Columbus ended up making a total of four trips to the Caribbean, and while he never found the gold and spices he so desired to find, he was pleased to have discovered the new world.

In the years to follow Columbus; thousands of Spanish settlers arrived to the Caribbean eager to claim and work their own land. Soon followed behind were the British and French seafarers. All of which started to claim specific Caribbean islands. Today, the influences of the other countries can still be felt in the food, music, culture, and language of the specific islands.

Tension began brewing due to the various nationalities that were vying for Caribbean islands. The first issue was between the European and the natives. However, when the Dutch established a slavery monopoly during its war with Spain and Portugal, the British stepped in and attacked the Dutch’s strongholds. Which in turn cause conflicts between the colonial empires. As France, Spain, Holland, and Britain all tried to strengthen their ranks; the islands switched hands many times. At the end of the 17^th century, the Caribbean islands were divided between France and Britain. Both countries took advantage of the sugar industry throughout the region and utilized native slaves to work on the sugar cane fields.

At the conclusion of the Seven Year War between Britain and France, five of the ten most profitable sugar producing islands were owned by Britain. At the end of the 18^th century and with the onset of the Revolutionary War in North America, the West Indies were in a state of social and economic change; which resulted in the uprising of many plantations being set on fire and many residents being killed.

Slavery was abolished in 1866 and the resulting civil wars during the 19^th century were due to the Spanish rules and taxes.

1917 was when Denmark sold its Virgin Islands (St. Croix, St. Thomas, & St. John) to the United States; who was then able to fund successful sugar, banana, and coffee industries. And just like America, the Caribbean suffered badly during the depression of the 1930s. In the 1960s both Jamaica and Trinidad achieved their independence, followed by the most of the other British islands.

Today, while many Caribbean islands are still struggling, others have built their economies through tourism.

So what are you waiting for… plan your next vacation in to the CARIBBEAN!!!!!