We had a very relaxed morning. For some reason Prof. Hains thought we would be too tired and would need an extra nap after breakfast, but that was just him. Since we already went to market day last Saturday, we just wanted to go to the Kalinago Territory today. That is their name for themselves; Europeans called them the Caribs. Either way, they were the first people to inhabit the island, coming from Mongolia/Russia over the Bering Strait, down through Mexico, and off the coast of Venezuela island-hopping up through the Eastern Caribbean. They used large gommier trees to create canoes that could haul as many as 120 people from island to island, creating villages as they went. The Kalinagos on Dominica often used canoes to migrate around the island to optimize the best seasons for fishing and gathering. They also have a trail which is over 100 miles long and can be completed in sections.
They gave us a tour of a model village with amazing coastal views and we collected some bright red seeds that can be used to make necklaces. Then we went to where some older Carib women were weaving baskets and I got several items for much cheaper than you could ever find at Charleston Market. Then we went to lunch at a place that was supposed to have some really good Caribbean food, but it turned out the owner was out of town until September so all they served us was fried chicken (on the bone), plaintain fries, and cucumbers. Let's just say I was very disappointed because I don't like dealing with bones nor do I like cucumbers.
Then we dropped off our souveniers and went down to Roseau for Diane to get some Dramamine for the flight back. When Dr. Hains threatened that if we didn't go shopping we would start working on snails again, we went on the hunt for a chance to drink directly from a coconut. We took a while doing that, but without success. Then we went to the mouth of the Checkhall River and surveyed the placement of our painted snails. Most of the snails either progressed or at least stayed near where we placed them. There was one pink painted snail that managed to go 30 meters backwards, but I suppose that was not attached to rock well and got swept away by waves and current.
On the walk to the rocky beach we were flanked on one side by the Checkhall River and the other by grasses taller than me. Today we heard goats in the grass. Kala and I found the goats tethered up to graze, so we found some discarded soda bottles and filled them in the river and tried to give the goats some water. The first one we came to and the one in the middle readily accepted water, but others were too skiddish. There was a mother goat with two tiny kids following her around, but she would not accept water from us.
They gave us a tour of a model village with amazing coastal views and we collected some bright red seeds that can be used to make necklaces. Then we went to where some older Carib women were weaving baskets and I got several items for much cheaper than you could ever find at Charleston Market. Then we went to lunch at a place that was supposed to have some really good Caribbean food, but it turned out the owner was out of town until September so all they served us was fried chicken (on the bone), plaintain fries, and cucumbers. Let's just say I was very disappointed because I don't like dealing with bones nor do I like cucumbers.
Then we dropped off our souveniers and went down to Roseau for Diane to get some Dramamine for the flight back. When Dr. Hains threatened that if we didn't go shopping we would start working on snails again, we went on the hunt for a chance to drink directly from a coconut. We took a while doing that, but without success. Then we went to the mouth of the Checkhall River and surveyed the placement of our painted snails. Most of the snails either progressed or at least stayed near where we placed them. There was one pink painted snail that managed to go 30 meters backwards, but I suppose that was not attached to rock well and got swept away by waves and current.
On the walk to the rocky beach we were flanked on one side by the Checkhall River and the other by grasses taller than me. Today we heard goats in the grass. Kala and I found the goats tethered up to graze, so we found some discarded soda bottles and filled them in the river and tried to give the goats some water. The first one we came to and the one in the middle readily accepted water, but others were too skiddish. There was a mother goat with two tiny kids following her around, but she would not accept water from us.
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