Roatan History
The island of Roatan is the biggest of the group and used to be the home of the Paya Indians. Christopher Columbus arrived to Guanaja in his fourth and last trip, and discovered the other islands, including Roatan. The great beauty of these islands attracted more expeditions and settlement of colonies, most of them from Spain and England, to the islands and the neighboring keys. Later these expeditions continued on to the so called "Tierra Firme", as the continent (mainland) was called at that time.
During the Colonial period, Spanish and English colonizers lived together on the island; however, the discovery of the new continent and its richness led to constant attacks from pirates, who assaulted the cities and obligated the colonizers and the indians to leave the islands in order to turn them into their strategic headquarters.
Many famous pirates settled in Roatan, leaving their everlasting footprint in the history of the island. You can still listen for their names; for example, the famous pirate Henry Morgan and the renowned pirate Captain John Coxen, as well as many others from different countries, surnames are found in abundance. It has been estimated that during those years about 5,000 pirates lived on the island and ruled it for many years.
In 1650, under the command of Don Francisco Villalba Toledo, Spain attacked the pirates in Port Royal. After several violent battles, in site of a good defense, the pirates had seriously decreased in numbers, and fearful of continuing the battles against the Spaniards, who would always come back with more backup, they surrendered to the Spanish Crown and its authorities.
In 1742, under the command of Mayor Caufield, the English settled again on the island, and reconstructed the old Port Royal, which was recovered in 1782 by the Spaniards who had regained control over the island. This forced the English to completely abondon the island in 1788. For 15 years the English did not return to Roatan. In 1797, five thousand Caribbean black people were taken to the island, arriving at Port Royal. It then became a mix of African black people with Caribbean and Arawak Indians from the island of St. Vincent, which gave origin to the Garifuna people that is a part of the cultural heritage of the island today.
By 1821, the Central American Federation claimed the Bay Islands as part of its territory, and independence from Spain was declared. As of 1827, the English began to return to Roatan and the other islands. Many of them came from other neighboring islands such as Grand Cayman and the United States. By 1852, the English population was around 600 people.
In 1852, English leaders requested Her Majesty, Queeen Victoria to declare the Bay Islands an English colony; however, the United States of America opposed to the establishment of said colony, and under their pressure, by 1859, the English gave up. The Republic of Honduras declared and took final possession of the Bay Islands as its own territory.
Its long history of mixed people, from the Paya Indians (the first inhabitants), the Spanish and English colonizers, and thousands of pirate adventurers, to the arrival of the Garifuna, resulted into a mixture of very diverse cultures that prevail on the island today. It offers the visitors a warm and attractive environment, not only because of the unique beauty of its paradisical surroundings, but also because of the kindness, distinctiveness, and warmth of the people.
Roatan's beaches are without equal, with white sand and completely crystal clear waters. Add to that its year long warm weather, and you have Roatan - one of the most beautiful places to visit in the Caribbean.