Features


7JwDdy*NwFMaFt.myay9.lU 1i


I


people kkwde ale ft ed.
From the earliest time of u-


short-lived u the government's
mned forces quickly cnrushd sch


Features


Native Virgin Islander debate prompts history lesson
The definite in i casino bill pen colonization of the New Negoes" today. In the Grater Antilles,
ofwhois a"ntive Vigin Islier" World. ther were native people Slaves wo escaped fa island societies developed in place
has been debated for weks. This prepared to reistl settlers. The lase plantations lived a risky life, as including Jamaica ad the moun-
isue has caused o many people Ameriodiuasmade attempts to Davis opposed to Maroons of South tinous Winard Islands.
years" toll om wimhooem atl Som tiveli the Arawas dredsof miles io theAmazonrain from whie troops and special
Oneepsonmid a public hearg frl sily to le uperir powm of .. ... forest. But on St. Croix. the fheoi s l mer.Ted:cpfmae val
on the topic that all of a sudden theSparnisahadndl heiigr -v Maroons projected the r in forest leysofhimaicaDominiaadolter
cv Teiw to be alo ive lly.dem n iveswt eel d. virion mvh ntaist the FnPedL large Caribbean lislids wre excel-
Vtehe a e. Caribs made E poopeu n sa prtisin. ThTe tigleaders ad fol- Those Maroons probably were Il hidiplacesfor Maroos
This moth we celebrate Black lmrr oe ibbea vorydif. tloers mapird dexe a ed rethe first vonme lists of the Such Maoon leadein Jmaica
iay Moah The debae ove the c tey weedefted.Today, or poished as a example to the Vigin Islands to prote the forest a Ctdjoe ad Qu, in Dominica,
ve Virgin Ishdedfinidon is ItheisasmallgroupofCarbsthat others. Yet th did not sop sves from being destroyed. Fon weeks, Bellaand lackoad inSL Vi. ,
healthy bertee it shows fore lives in Dodminimland BlackhCaris hen Mpin the evil sye in the Maoos foonte the white sales in Chaoyer and Duvale, were Black
mostprfmany people do no now who livein S Vi cem d prob- hopeofieedom. he min foreofStl.oix. Cmribs. Tee black runway lves
thehistory of he Virgin Islands blyinatlaeputoftheCaribbear. T oveseeo called them who Graduallly, the Maroons were ad mixed withthemnaliveCBrib .
mIuch less the e~b a t ri bb Slsfh m Afriamtnspas dto ecapedthe plhnatiin rsyemrunom- driven to what is known as Arewe talking Bck Histoy
I is oly igormn believe me. the New World were tougher in ways, but they were ppoularly "Maoon Ridge" on the norhwest consciousness? The nive Virgin
You see, may people talk from cmacter. They bd bleeialm In oowo k as "Maroom." Souh and sideof St.Crox.' eremany ca- Islander defiition defends the her.
bothsides oflheir moth withoAl bteiorlmn d blutrw blcttomb Cenal American slavsescaped minded icide byjumping ovath iUtge of myancestor nd yours.
much knowledgeof their hisoxy. ioe their smggle of Mismcein Spaish mase into therainfoneS cliffsrathethnbecapoen d Those who oppose such defmilion
Tellme.hbowacne yar lerin theCsrl adelewh Slaves also escapedfromthe BeaustoftheMaroonsheeis -aeyou dImk?
a etewithhokls On platations, African lives Dmcl and ch plantion; in the still some virgin fora s left inhe OrteDavir, h holds a u-
As a people, we muotl hmw or manied rivolt agsinrstovneee. Guianas and formed their own nohwest section of St.Croix. l terofci e degree in rage n-
history in eto meedmbe l Inl 173 46 and1749, them wie small social grops. These cimr- this untocbhed forest ecosystem, agemet andfou y ecology, is a
lges of today. We monst under revolts n SL Croix. G SL Joh. rons, as they were called by the wild bay rum trees sad other St. Croix ecologist, activist
stand ltt ignooanceofouselves slaverevolelokplaceil733. Spanisbh, re also called "Bush speciesof phlasstilldrive. wmrer.
nlv kI us p Caribben Afr n Hwever most revo. s wre,