There's no better way to connect with the rhythm of tropical life than by visiting the Kalinago Territory, home to the Kalinago. The descendants of the island's original people, the Kalinago, are always eager to treat guests to the joys of living with nothing more than what the land, sea, and sky provide.

Originally known as the Caribs, the Kalinago are believed to have originally come from South America and represent the last remaining tribe of the pre-Columbian Carib Indians, going back to about 3000 B.C.

A life wedded to nature suddenly changed with the arrival of Christopher Columbus and the subsequent arrival of European settlers, with whom the Kalinago battled bitterly to keep their lives and lands.

Eventually, they had to flee to the isolated eastern side of Dominica, taking with them rites, rituals, and a way of life that reached back to the island’s original settlers. It wasn't until 1763, when the British gained full control of Dominica, that the Kalinago were officially given 232 acres of land, originally dubbed the Carib Reserve. Their territory was expanded to 3,700 acres in 1903.

Their culture—dance and song, artistry, and daily living—can help you discover your ancient self and how your most distant forebears experienced the world. Here you can learn their ageless crafts of basket weaving, canoe building, pottery making, and wood carving, to name but a few.

You may experience what it's like to live among the Kalinago, where everything is produced by hand, made with natural materials and ingredients, and entertainment centers on human voices and bodies moving to a beat kept by drums and handmade instruments.

Their rich language and their deep connection to nature can be heard in their name for their island, "Waitukubuli," meaning "tall is her body."

Tours of the territory offered by Kalinago guides include hikes along the Asulukati River and its waterfall, as well as climbs to the peak of Kabet. From short hikes to overnight stays in simple cottages, how long you wish to travel back in time is entirely up to you.