Name change suggested for AIA Lounge
EDITOR: The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Indigenous People Association, Inc.
(SIPA), of which I am Chair, proposes a reconsideration of the naming of the “Garifuna (CIP) Lounge” at Argyle International Airport.
SIPA is a St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) registered non-profit umbrella organization consisting of five sister groups:
•Fancy Heritage Organization, Inc.
(SVG)
•Owia Heritage Organisation, Inc. (SVG)
•Sandy Bay Heritage Development Organization, Inc. (SVG)
•Kalinago Tribe, Inc. (in SVG)
•The Garifuna Indigenous People of SVG, Inc. (Brooklyn, NY) Together, we represent and promote the interests of SVG’s Indigenous Carib/Kalinago/ Garifuna people, particularly those residing North of Rabacca River.
On November 12, 2025, the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines officially opened the “Garifuna (CIP) Lounge” at Argyle International Airport. SIPA welcomes this effort to honor Garifuna heritage, a vital part of Vincentian identity and a testament to a proud, resilient people whose story inspires Vincentians at home and abroad.
At the same time, this moment also highlights a significant omission in our national narrative: the need for full recognition of the Carib/Kalinago people, who inhabited, cherished, and defended this land long before the emergence of the Garifuna. Their deep connection to the land and its marine environment, and their enduring cultural presence, helped shape both the Garifuna story and Vincentian heritage more broadly. By celebrating one thread of our Indigenous history through the naming of the “Garifuna (CIP) Lounge,” while failing to acknowledge the other, we risk overlooking and dishonoring the Carib/Kalinago people’s foundational contribution to the history and struggle on which this nation stands.
The Garifuna and the Carib/Kalinago are not separate or competing identities, but interconnected chapters of a shared Indigenous legacy. The Garifuna trace their ancestral roots in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the migration and intermarriage of Africans with the Indigenous Carib/ Kalinago people; recognizing one therefore calls for recognizing the other. When the Carib/Kalinago are omitted from national acknowledgments, even unintentionally, it leaves our understanding of Hairouna/ Yurumein—and our own origins—incomplete.
True national pride is built on inclusivity and an honest embrace of our full story.
While the naming of the Garifuna (CIP) Lounge celebrates our Indigenous roots, it misses an opportunity to honor all our first peoples.
To ensure the lounge reflects the full breadth of our Indigenous heritage, we respectfully propose concrete steps, including a national naming competition that allows the wider public, or the Indigenous community, to help name this historic space.
Alternatively, SIPA proposes that a meaningful corrective step would be to extend this spirit of recognition to the name itself, choosing a title that embraces both Indigenous groups and reflects their shared origins. Some inclusive and culturally appropriate alternative names include: 1. First Peoples ’Lounge 2. Kalinago-Garifuna Lounge 3. Kalinago–Garifuna Heritage Lounge 4. Indigenous Peoples’Lounge Each of these names carries a spirit of unity, respect, and historical truth; values that strengthen our national identity rather than divide it.
Other corrective options include co-developing the lounge’ visual identity and storytelling with Carib/Kalinago elders and cultural experts; incorporating authentic Indigenous symbols such as petroglyphs, dugout canoes, and native flora into the design; and prioritizing the employment of Indigenous Vincentians within the lounge, recognizing that unemployment remains disproportionately high in the Indigenous community. Long-term partnerships with Indigenous organizations should be established to co-curate cultural and educational programming and to ensure benefit-sharing in the lounge’ tourism narratives. These recommendations align with international standards outlined by the United Nations and reflect best practices from other nations that have taken steps to rectify similar oversights. By embracing these actions, the lounge can become a space of shared pride, that is respectful to the authenticity of Indigenous history, culture and unity.
By pairing the establishment of the lounge with visible and meaningful recognition of the Carib/Kalinago peoples, whether through its re-naming, public displays, employment of Indigenous workers, or through deeper inclusion in cultural awareness and education, and national heritage events, we can take an important step toward honoring all our Indigenous ancestors.
Only by honoring our full history can we claim to be a nation that truly values its Indigenous origins.
Joan Hoyte
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