one deterrent to the crime. Amerindians The first settlers on the island arrived to the Commonwealth of Dominica about 400 BC. The Arawak, a group of peaceful hunter-gatherers established villages after island-hopping across the Eastern-Caribbean. The more aggressive hunter-gatherers, the Caribs, annihilated the Arawaks and took hold of the island. The majority of native Caribbean people on other Caribbean islands were killed by European colonists. The local Dominican Caribbean natives were able to hide in areas that were hard for European soldiers to find. The English Queen granted a territory in east coast of Dominica for the native Caribbeans in 1903. Today, there are only 3000 Caribs remaining after years of brutal treatment by the Spanish, French and English. They live in eight villages, and they elect their own chief. On the east side of the island, the descendants of the Caribs continued to practice their time-honoured culture and crafts of canoe building and basket weaving. Their society, however, has developed and modernized. The Amerindians' influence remains on the island through their artifacts and the sounds of modern language. For example, the word hurricane originated from the Amerindian word huracan. Other settlers When Christopher Columbus passed by the island he did give Dominica its name,but left no other settlers on the island. It would be years before English and French settlers came to the island. These two European superpowers fought relentlessly for the island, and their cultures each took hold. However, African slaves have also left an indelible mark on the island. French influences include the island's native language, Creole, food, and many location names. The British government won the island, and the influences of government as well as the official language are distinctly theirs. Africans also influenced the Creole and food, as well as the distinctive local style of dress. Carnival Chanté mas (masquerade song) and Lapo kabwit is a form of Carnival music of Dominica. It is performed by masquerading partygoers in a two-day parade, in a call-and-response format call "lavwé", with a lead female singer or "chantwèl" dancing backwards in front of the drummer on a tambou lélé. The Carnival has African and French roots and is otherwise known as Mas Dominik, considered to be the most original Carnival in the Caribbean. Dominica's carnival is known to be the most original and least commercialized giving the carnival its name, the original mas. The chanté mas tradition started