The Kalinago people, the indigenous inhabitants of Barbados before European colonization, were part of a larger network of Carib-speaking peoples spread across the Caribbean. Skilled seafarers, fishermen, and farmers, they cultivated cassava, sweet potatoes, and maize, while also relying on the sea for sustenance and trade. The Kalinago carried with them a strong spiritual connection to nature, honoring the land, sea, and ancestral spirits through rituals, craftsmanship, and storytelling. Though their population on Barbados diminished after European arrival, the legacy of the Kalinago endures through the memory of their cultural practices, their knowledge of the land, and their role as the island’s first keepers and storytellers