The English word Caribbean,  its Spanish equivalent Caribe or its French version Caraïbe comes from the name of an Indian tribe which, in pre-Columbian time,  inhabited the north west  portion of South America, Central America and the southeast islands of the region now known as the Caribbean Basin  The Carib people left their name behind as a symbole of the region they inhabited but the most dominant culture was that of the Tainos or Arawack. Christopher Columbus in his log talk about a well balanced culture that was in perfect harmony with the forces of nature.

Go the Tainos/Carib page to know more

click on the picture
for the Caribbean basin map

The Caribbean is seen by the outside world as a Paradise blessed with good weather, wonderful breeze, blue sky and sandy beaches.  It is true. Because of this perspective, tourism is the strongest industry of the Caribbean.
This purely touristic point of view does not, however, take into account the human context of the Caribbean. 
Those of us that have the means to travel tend to forget that human beings cannot live only on fresh air , coconut juice and perpetual rest on a hammock swaying gently under the caresses of a sensuous caribbean breeze. We are something awaken from our forgetfulness when trouble breaks right in the middle of Paradize, when our carefully planned vacation is interrupted by a political protest, a strike or even a military coup. Puzzled and shocked, we ask ourselves:"What can they possible want more than what they have"?.  By observing the life of the smiling angels, we realize that the Caribbean is inhabited by real people who have the regular problems of daily life and who are confronted with the difficult task of trying to fullfil the evolutionary imperatives of modernization while keeping the informational core of their identity.