At the time of the European arrival, three major groups of indigenous peoples lived on the islands: the Taíno (sometimes also referred to as Arawak) in the Greater Antilles, the Bahamas and the Leeward Islands; the Kalinago and Galibi in the Windward Islands; and the Ciboney in western Cuba. Scholars have divided Taínos into Classic Taínos, who occupied Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, Western Taínos, who occupied Cuba, Jamaica, and the Bahamian archipelago, and the Eastern Taínos, who occupied the Leeward Islands.Rouse, Irving. The Tainos: Rise and Decline of the People Who Greeted Columbus . Trinidad was inhabited by both Carib speaking and Arawak-speaking groups.
At the time of the European arrival three major groups of indigenous peoples lived on the islands the Taíno (sometimes also referred to as Arawak) in the Greater Antilles the Bahamas and the Leeward Islands; the Kalinago and Galibi in the Windward Islands; and the Ciboney in western Cuba Scholars have divided Taínos into Classic Taínos who occupied Hispaniola and Puerto Rico Western Taínos who occupied Cuba Jamaica and the Bahamian archipelago and the Eastern Taínos who occupied the Leeward IslandsRouse Irving The Tainos Rise and Decline of the People Who Greeted Columbus  Trinidad was inhabited by both Carib speaking and Arawak-speaking groups