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Published: March 17th 2023
Free-Lancing in Roseau, Dominica
“Welcome to Dominica” – Need I Say More?Our port of call on Monday, March 13, 2023 was Roseau, Dominica, officially the Commonwealth of Dominica. Dominica is a 290-square-mile volcanic island country in the Caribbean Sea with the highest point being 4,747-foot Morne Diablotins. Geographically, it is part of the Windward Islands chain in the Lesser Antilles archipelago. Her two closest neighbors both are overseas departments of France – Guadeloupe to the northwest and Martinique to the south-southeast. There was a population of 71,293 in the 2011 census. The capital, Roseau, (population of 14,725 also in 2011) is located on the western side of the island. The island was settled by the Arawak arriving from South America in the fifth century. The Kalinago had displaced the Arawak by the 15
th Century. Columbus is said to have passed the island on Sunday, November 3, 1493. It was later colonized by Europeans, predominantly the French from the 1690s to 1763, who imported enslaved people from West Africa to work on the coffee plantations. Great Britain took possession in 1763 after the Seven Years' War, and it gradually established English as the official language. The island gained independence as a republic in 1978. Interestingly, but importantly, the peoples of Dominica call themselves
Dominican, as do the residents of the Dominican Republic. The difference is in pronunciation, not spelling. Since Dominica is pronounced with the stress on the “ni” syllable (Do-mee-NEE-cuh), they pronounce the demonym similiarly (Do-mee-NEE-can). People from the Dominican Republic are called Dominican, pronounced with the stress on the “mi” syllable (Do-MEE-nee-can).
Dominica, the youngest island in the Lesser Antilles, is, in fact, still being formed by geothermal-volcanic activity, as evidenced by the world's second-largest hot spring – Boiling Lake. She has lush mountainous rainforests, is home to many rare plants, animals, and bird species and has been nicknamed the "Nature Island of the Caribbean" for its natural environment. The critically endangered Sisserou parrot (also known as the Imperial amazon or Dominican amazon), the island's national bird, is found only on Dominica and is featured on the national flag, making Dominica one of only two sovereign nations whose official flag features the color purple. There are relatively dry areas in some of the western coastal regions, but inland areas see heavy rainfall. Dominica is mostly volcanic and has few beaches, which has caused tourism to develop more slowly than on neighboring islands; however, Dominica's mountains, rainforests, freshwater lakes, hot springs,
“Touna Aute Carib Native Village” Shore Excursion
It’s Hard to Say If These Buildings Were Built or Repaired After the 2015-2017 Double Whammy waterfalls, and diving spots make it an attractive ecotourism destination. Cruise ship stopovers have increased following the development of modern docking and waterfront facilities in Roseau; however, out of 22 Caribbean islands tracked, Dominica had the fewest visitors in 2008 (only 55,800, or 0.3% of the total).
As of midway through the cruise, I had subscribed to only two shore excursions in our last four ports of call (both culturally oriented), and “Touna Aute Carib Native Village” was one of them. From the Holland America web site: “Travel by air-conditioned coach to the residential/cultural Kalinago Native community of Touna Aute, situated in northeastern Dominica. The community leader, a former Kalinago Chief, will welcome you to the traditional community and will provide a short historical overview of the Kalinago people. This unique experience gives you the opportunity to participate in activities at Kalinago family homes -- basket weaving, bamboo weaving, making traditional fish traps, squeezing sugar cane juice and making cassava bread. Natural medical techniques are still practiced here, and you can discover some secrets of herbs used for healing. The name Touna means 'water' in the Kalinago language, so come prepared to enjoy the beautiful crystal-clear river pools
“Touna Aute Carib Native Village” Shore Excursion
With Some Buildings, There Is Little Doubt that They Are New (weather permitting). Local snacks and drinks will be served at the end of this excursion before proceeding back to your ship in Roseau. Notes: Wear your swimsuit under your clothing; bring a towel, sunscreen and a hat.” Make no mistake, we did NOT PARTICIPATE “in activities at Kalinago family homes -- basket weaving, bamboo weaving, making traditional fish traps, squeezing sugar cane juice and making cassava bread” as stated in the Holland America description. Indeed, of the activities cited, we only OBSERVED “squeezing sugar cane juice.”
The meeting point for the tour was ashore at the juncture of the pier and coastline in downtown Roseau, but I didn’t stay in the city very long. The bus took us for a 1-hour drive to the community of Touna Aute. The drive went up into the mountains on some narrow and extremely winding roads and then part way down on the other side. Several road signs warned of “Collapsed Shoulder Ahead” or some variation thereof – as yet unrepaired damage from the hurricanes, I’d bet – which frequently meant one lane traffic, and “horn-honking” was the customary method of warning others of our bus’s pending approach to a blind hairpin curve.
“Touna Aute Carib Native Village” Shore Excursion
I’m Sure This Wall Is “Old Construction” – The House ??? But Looks New Our tour guide offered some interesting historical and current information about Dominica during the trip. We also learned that she was of Kalinago heritage, that she lived in the Touna Aute community and that her husband was the former Kalinago Chief who would welcome us to the community and who would be our tour guide in the village.
Dominica is located in what is referred to as the hurricane region and is especially vulnerable to hurricanes. Many hurricanes of yore preceded Tropical Storm Erika which devastated the island in August 2015, killing 30 and causing severe environmental and economic damage, and then Dominica was struck again 25 months later by a direct hit from Category 5 Hurricane Maria on September 18, 2017. Early estimates of damage suggested 90 percent of the buildings on the island had been destroyed, with infrastructure left in ruins and most people rendered homeless. In the 21
st Century, the government had started promoting an image of the island as an ecotourism destination, although the weather events of 2015 and 2017 placed those efforts on hold. Before recovery from the hurricanes was even “well underway,” COVID struck and set back any hopes of regaining tourism dollars
“Touna Aute Carib Native Village” Shore Excursion
The “Driveway” to the Home of the Former Native Village Chief for another two years.
The landscape getting to and from the indigenous community was interesting, but this shore excursion is all about the information provided by the onboard tour guide and then by the tribal elder during our time in the village. We smelled and felt the medicinal herbs, we tasted the sugar cane juice and the fruit and we ate the roasted coconut and the cassava bread. We learned how the native Dominicans survived before the Anglos arrived. While wandering around Roseau after the tour’s completion and searching for the seldom-elusive refrigerator magnet, I heard country and western music in the distance. I have learned over time that if there are two things that ALWAYS go together, it’s country music and beer. Searching for the perfect magnet to augment my collection had left me with quite a thirst, so I followed the music to a honky-tonk of sorts and ordered a bottle of Kubuli, Dominica’s Pride. The beer, the music and the relaxation were all good. Sooo, if you are not fixated by sunbathing and watersports but rather into relaxation and spending time in the natural world, Dominica just might be your cup of …, err rum punch!
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