Guacanagaríx

Who is Guacanagaríx?

Guacanagaríx was one of the five caciques of Hispaniola at the time of its discovery in 1492 by the Spanish. He was the chief of the cacicazgo of Marien, which occupied northwest of the island. Guacanagaríx received Christopher Columbus after the Santa María was wrecked during his first voyage to the New World. He allowed Columbus to establish the settlement of La Navidad at his village, near present day Caracol Bay, Haiti. The Spanish that remained there were massacred by rival tribes a few months later, just before Columbus returned on his second voyage.

Guacanagaríx refused to cooperate with other caciques, who tried to expel the Spanish. He was forced to flee to the mountains, where he later died.

See: "El primer virreinato americano" by Roberto Cassá, Raimundo González de Peña, Genaro Rodríguez Morel. Anuario de Estudios Americanos, 63, 2,julio-diciembre, 13-26, Sevilla, 2006.