CARIB CANOE CARVING ART

The Kalinago (Island Carib) of the Lesser Antilles hollowed large canoes from gommier trees and carved decorative motifs on the prow and sides, sometimes adding painted designs in red and white. These seaworthy canoes and their paddles were essential for fishing, trade, and warfare. As an inclusive Caribbean Indigenous heritage art, the resurgence of traditional canoe carving today connects communities to their maritime past and the spirit of adventure that carried them between islands.