Isle of Beauty, Isle of Splendour Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Dominica was named for the day on which it was discovered - the Latin translation of 'Sunday'. Which explorer was it, who spotted the island on November 3rd, 1493?

Answer: Christopher Columbus

The voyage during which Columbus espied the island of Dominica was not his first famous 1492 trip, but rather his second. He left the Spanish port of Cadiz on September 24th (1493) with 17 ships and 1,200 men all with the intent of colony establishment.

During this trip he sighted many islands, explored a few, and named what he saw. Among the other Lesser Antilles islands that he named were Guadalupe (Santa Mar�a de Guadalupe de Extremadura), Montserrat (named for the Monastery of Montserrat in Catalonia, Spain), and Antigua (after a church in Seville named Santa Mar�a la Antigua). He also spotted what would become known as the Virgin Islands - except that he dubbed them Islas de Santa �rsula y las Once Mil V�rgenes.

The native name for the island was 'Wai'tu kubuli', which translates as 'tall is her body'.

2. The first inhabitants of Dominica were not European colonists, but rather were natives. Which tribe?

Answer: Island Carib

The language spoken by the native inhabitants of Dominica was known as Kalipuna. Now an extinct language, it was a derivative of the Arawak language. The Island Caribs were a mixed community - largely Kalinago Carib men and Arawak women.

Today, the Carib population on the island have a territory on the east coast of Dominica, where they elect their own chief.

The Voto tribe was located in Costa Rica, around the mouth of the San Juan River.

The Bogot� tribe could be found in northwestern Panama.

The Caquet�o tribe were located in northern Venezuela, along the shores of Lake Maracaibo.

3. Which European country was the first to claim Dominica as theirs in 1635, along with the rest of the 'Petite Antilles'?

Answer: France

For many years, despite claiming the island as theirs, the French made no attempt to settle it. In fact, one of the only (recorded) Europeans who even visited Dominica was a French missionary by the name of Raymond Breton, and he didn't do so until the mid 17th century.

In 1660 the English and French agreed to leave Dominica and St. Vincent unsettled, letting the Caribs continue to live unmolested and declaring the island neutral territory.

4. The first European settlers to come to the island arrived as a result of 'La Gaoul�,' a revolt of poor white smallholders on which island located to the southeast?

Answer: Martinique

The settlement from Martinique happened in 1715, but 12 years later the French government took control of the island, dividing it into districts (quartiers en fran�ais), and officially folding Dominica into the French colonial empire.

5. The British conquered the island in 1761 during the Seven Years' War, and were subsequently ceded the colony as part of the 1763 Treaty of Paris. During the American Revolutionary War in 1778, the island was captured by one of the nations involved. Which?

Answer: France

Having only recently come under British rule (relatively), the French had the help of the populace in wresting control away. The 1783 Treaty of Paris, however, not only ended the American Revolutionary War, but also ended hostilities with Spain, France and the Netherlands. Islands that had been captured during the war were returned to British control, including the Bahamas, Montserrat and Grenada, while Britain had to cede other territories.

The French attempted other invasions in later years (1795 and 1805), but were unsuccessful in retaking the island.

6. With the slave trade prevalent in the Caribbean, Dominica slowly acquired a large black population. After the abolishment of slavery by the British in 1834, it only took four years for Dominica to become the first British colony to have a black-controlled government.

Answer: True

The legislative domination by the black population lasted for many years, but it was not too long before the white minority complained enough to Great Britain to effect changes. In 1865, a new system was established that comprised a legislature of half-elected and half-appointed members.

In 1978, England granted the Commonwealth of Dominica its independence, and Patrick John of the Dominica Labour Party became their first Prime Minister. Two years later, in 1980, Eugenia Charles of the Dominica Freedom Party became the island's first female Prime Minister. She stayed in power until 1995.

7. Dominica is considered by scientists to be the youngest (most recently formed) island in the Lesser Antilles. Evidence of continued geothermal activity is seen in the World Heritage Site Morne Trois Pitons National Park: the world's second-largest hot spring. By what name is it known?

Answer: Boiling Lake

The hot spring is approximately 200 feet (60 metres) across and is located barely six and a half miles from the capital city of Roseau. A flooded fumarole, the center of the lake is hot enough to be actively boiling, and even at the edges, temperatures are near the boiling point.

In 2007, the site was used for filming part of the television series "Angry Planet", showing filmmaker George Kourounis cross over the lake while suspended by ropes.

The world's largest hot spring is Frying Pan Lake, located in New Zealand.

8. Dominica's lush tropical landscape is home to many rare plants and animals. Among those is Dominica's national bird, which is also featured right in the center of their national flag. By one name it is called the Sisserou Parrot; how is it more commonly known?

Answer: Imperial Amazon

As of 2010, the Imperial Amazon was on the Red List of endangered species, with a population between merely 150 to 250 birds. It is a vibrant mix of colors: bright green backs and wings, purple head, neck and breast, and green-tipped red tails. Both the male and the female are similar in appearance. Its binomial name is Amazona imperialis.

9. Windsor Park Stadium was constructed in the capital city of Roseau between 2005 and 2007 at a cost of 33 million East Caribbean dollars. Although it was built as a multi-purpose stadium, for what sport was it primarily constructed?

Answer: Cricket

The stadium was built to ICC (International Cricket Council) standards and has a seating capacity of 12,000 with state-of-the-art amenities. It is interesting to note that the population of Roseau was not quite 15,000 in their 2001 census.

Dominica competes in test cricket as part of the West Indies cricket team.

10. Music is a big part of Dominican culture, with calypso, reggae, zouk, soca and rock and roll being popular styles. In the 1970s, a group by the name of 'Exile One' helped bring international recognition to a Dominican music creation that mixed calypso and cadence rampa. What did this style become known as?

Answer: Cadence-lypso

'Exile One' founder Gordon Henderson defined Cadence-lypso as "a synthesis of Caribbean and African musical patterns fusing the traditional with the contemporary". Over the years, many other groups and singers in the Caribbean (especially from Dominica) have emulated or furthered the Cadence-lypso style.

Source: Author reedy

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor trident before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

As the title of its national anthem suggests, Dominica is a gorgeous little island in the Lesser Antilles of the Caribbean Sea. Come explore its rich culture and heritage.

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