The Red Caribs are the descendants of the original Caribs. Red Caribs have been deincreased in population because of extermination by the European colonists and diseases. There are a few descendants of the original Red Caribs still living in Suriname today.
The Black Caribs
The Black Caribs are the children of the original Caribs mixed with Afican slaves. History states how the Caribs would attack slave ships and release the slaves, killing the crew. They did this to annoy the European colonists. The Caribs became allies of the runaway slaves and gave them shelter. Soon, a new race was born - the 'Black Carib'. One can see how it would have behooved the runaway slaves to adopt the language, customs and way of life of the Caribs.
This new race of Caribs is today known as the Garifuna (singular) or Garinagu (plural). A small number of Black Caribs have survived and have clung tenaciously to their old beliefs, customs and language. Their culture is very much alive, although constantly threatened with extinction by the youth who prefer to assimilate into and adopt Western culture.
The Caribbean Sea as well as wel as the English word "Cannibal" are the results of the name "Carib Indians". Today the term Cariban is used to designate a linguistic group that includes not only the language of the Carib Indians, but also many related Indian languages in South-America.
The Carib Indians were warlike Indians. They were expert navigators, who maid distance raids in large dugout canoes. Internal conflict was common in their non-stratified society. The men strove to be individualistic warriors and boasted of their herioc exploits. The Carib Indians on the land lived in small villages and haunted animals with bow and arrow. Their culture was typical of a tribe of the tropical forest.
Today the Carib Indians in Suriname don't practise cannibalism anymore and the warlike behaviour changed into a gentle culture.
