Anguilla — books & literature

The story of Anguilla

Long before Europeans arrived, Anguilla was settled by Saladoid Amerindian peoples migrating up the island chain from South America as early as the 4th century CE, followed by later Arawak and Kalinago (Carib) communities who left pottery and cave art still studied today. English colonists from nearby Saint Kitts established the first permanent European settlement around 1650, and Anguilla was administered as a dependency of the British colony of Saint Kitts-Nevis for the next three centuries, surviving attempted invasions by the French and Kalinago raiders along the way. In 1825 it was formally linked with Saint Kitts and Nevis, a union that never sat comfortably with Anguillians, who felt neglected by a distant capital. When Britain granted the associated state internal self-government in 1967, Anguillians rebelled, expelling St Kitts police and declaring their own administration under leader Ronald Webster - the Anguilla Revolution. British troops landed peacefully in 1969 to restore order, and after years of negotiation Anguilla formally separated from Saint Kitts-Nevis in 1980, remaining a British Overseas Territory rather than seeking full independence. Since then the island has built an economy on offshore finance and high-end tourism, prized today for its beaches, marine life and close-knit island culture.

Timeline — key moments

1. circa 4th century CE

   Saladoid Amerindian peoples settle the island, the earliest known inhabitants.

2. circa 1650

   English settlers from Saint Kitts establish the first permanent colony.

3. 1656

   Kalinago (Carib) raiders attack the young settlement.

4. 1796

   A French invasion attempt is repelled.

5. 1825

   Anguilla is formally linked administratively with Saint Kitts and Nevis.

6. 1967

   St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla gains internal self-government; the Anguilla Revolution begins (30 May), now marked as Anguilla Day.

7. 1969

   British troops land in "Operation Sheepskin" to restore order and formalise direct British administration.

8. 1980

   Anguilla formally separates from the Associated State of Saint Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla.

9. 1982

   A new constitution grants Anguilla greater self-governance as a British Overseas Territory.

Top 10 things to know about Anguilla

1. Anguilla is a British Overseas Territory among the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.
2. The island's name derives from the word for "eel" (Spanish/Italian anguilla), a nod to its long, narrow shape.
3. Anguilla has no rivers or streams; fresh water depends on rain catchment and desalination.
4. The Valley is the capital and largest town.
5. Boat racing, not football or cricket, is the official national sport.
6. The East Caribbean dollar has been pegged to the US dollar since 1976.
7. Anguilla separated from the Associated State of Saint Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla in 1980, after the 1967 Anguilla Revolution.
8. The island is known for some of the most acclaimed beaches in the Caribbean, including Shoal Bay.
9. Anguilla levies no income tax, corporate tax, or capital gains tax on residents.
10. With around 15,900 people, Anguilla has one of the smallest populations in the Caribbean.

Famous people from Anguilla

Say it in Anguilla's language

Did you know?

• ★Anguilla has no rivers - every drop of fresh water comes from rainfall catchment or desalination.
• ★Anguilla Day (30 May) marks the start of the 1967 revolution, not a date of full independence - Anguilla remains a British Overseas Territory.
• ★Unlike several Caribbean neighbours, Anguillians voted to stay a British territory rather than pursue full independence.

Anguilla culture

• Boat racing dominates cultural life - wooden, hand-built sailing boats race along the coast during island-wide festivals.
• The Anguilla Summer Festival (late July-August) is the island's biggest Carnival celebration.
• Pigeon peas and rice is the national dish, alongside staples like Johnny cakes.
• Moonsplash, founded by musician Bankie Banx, is a long-running reggae and roots music festival held each spring.

Why read Anguilla's books

Anguilla's written record is young and largely modern - shaped more by oral history, revolution memoirs, and island journalism than by an old literary canon - so its shelves lean toward first-hand accounts of the 1967 revolution and contemporary Caribbean writing.