The Caribbean
Island Of Anguilla

The island of Anguilla is a British owned
territory in the eastern Caribbean. It is located in the
northern regions of the Leeward Islands in the Lesser Antilles.
It contains only the island of Anguilla, around 26km (16mi)
long by 5 km (3.1mi) wide at its widest area, along with a
number of other small islands and cays with no permanent
population. The capital city is The Valley.
HISTORY

Anguilla was first settled by Amerindian tribes
who migrated from South America. The earliest Amerindian
artifacts found on Anguilla have been dated to around 1300 BC,
and remains of settlements date from 600 AD. The date of
European discovery is uncertain: some sources claim that
Columbus sighted the island in 1493, while others state that
the island was first discovered by the French in 1564 or 1565.
The name Anguilla derives from the word for "eel" in any of
various Romance languages (modern Spanish: anguilla; French:
Anguilla; Italian: Anguilla), probably chosen because of the
island's eel-like shape.
Anguilla was first colonized by English
settlers from Saint Kitts, beginning in 1650.The French
temporarily overtook the island in 1666 but under the Treaty of
Breda it was returned to English control. Other early arrivals
included Europeans from Antigua and Barbados. It is likely that
some of these early Europeans brought enslaved Africans with
them. Historians confirm that African slaves lived in the
region in the early seventeenth century. For example, Africans
from Senegal lived in St. Christopher (today St. Kitts) in
1626. By 1672 a slave depot existed on the island of Nevis,
serving the Leeward Islands. While the time of African arrival
in Anguilla is difficult to place precisely, archive evidence
indicates a substantial African presence (at least 100) on the
island by 1683.
The island was administered by England, and
later the United Kingdom, until the early nineteenth century
when – against the wishes of the inhabitants – it was
incorporated into a single British dependency along with Saint
Kitts and Nevis. After two rebellions in 1967 and 1969 and a
brief period as a self-declared independent republic headed by
Ronald Webster, British rule was fully restored in July, 1971.
Anguilla became a separate British dependency (now termed a
British overseas territory) in 1980.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anguilla
CULTURE
The ANT (Anguillian National Trust) started in
1988 but its offices opened in 1993 with the responsibility of
preserving the nation’s heritage. The programmes of the Trust
encourage Anguillans writers and preserves the heritage of the
island, including it cultural heritage.
The Taino Indians start the nation’s history,
proof of this are the artifacts found around the island telling
of life there before the Europeans.
As practiced throughout the Caribbean, Holidays
are based mostly off the cultures. The most important holidays
are of historic as well as cultural importance- in particular
the emancipation which is celebrated as a summer festival.
British holidays are also celebrated for example the Queens
birthday.
HEROES
The island of Anguilla has six icons these
people have contributed a great deal to what the island is now;
they have all play their separate rolls in Anguilla’s
entertainment.
Smitty

Smitty is best known for pioneering the beach bar
concept on Anguilla. He proudly operates Smitty’s Bar and
Grill, which is located at Island Harbor.
Colville Petty
Obe

An authority on Anguilla’s history, Colville Petty OBE curates
the Heritage Collection, a museum that showcases multiple
facets of Anguilla’s history.
Johnno

Fitzroy Edwards, or Johnno as he is known across our
island, is the owner of Johnno’s Bar and Grill, a lively and
casual beach bar at Sandy Ground. Among his many
accomplishments, Johnno was instrumental in bringing jazz to
our island.
Eudoxie
Wallace
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