Name
Date
The Miskito People of the Mosquito Coast
The term Mosquito Coast refers to a strip of land on the Caribbean
coast of Central America. Spanish explorers gave it that name in the
1500s. They were the first Europeans to encounter the Miskito people,
a Native American culture group that inhabited the coastal area. The
English word mosquito comes from the Spanish word for “fly.”
The most detailed account of the Miskito culture appears in A New
Voyage Round the World. An English sailor, William Dampier,
published the book in 1697. Dampier described the Miskito as expert
fishers, hunters, and farmers. He also praised the kindness with which
they received European visitors. Miskito society, as Dampier and later
witnesses viewed it, appeared to be one which valued equal rights. A
shaman, or religious leader, was the only person in authority.
Experts estimate that there were about 70,000 descendants of the
Miskitos living on the Mosquito Coast today. Most farm, fish, or work
as migrant laborers. In recent years Miskito leaders have crusaded for
land reforms and other social programs to benefit their people.
1. How does the name Mosquito Coast give clues about the physical geography of the area?
2. What positive traits did William Dampier see in the Miskito culture?
3. What is a shaman?
4. In what parts of which modern country does the Mosquito Coast lie?
5. In the Mosquito Coast a political or geographic region? Explain.
Hour