AUTONOMOUS REGION OF THE SOUTH ATLANTIC (RAAS for its initials in Spanish)

The Autonomous Region of the South Atlantic (R.A.A.S) is located in the southeast of Nicaragua; it covers 21% of the national territory.

Its towns are: Bluefields, Corn Island, Kukra hill, El Ayote, Nueva Guinea, Laguna de Perlas, La Cruz del Río Grande, Rama, Muelle de los Bueyes, Bocana de Paiwas, El Tortuguero and la Desembocadura de Río Grande.

The RAAS has rainy humid temperatures. Its population is multi-cultural and multi-lingual, descendants of indigenous and afro Caribbean migrants they can count mainly with the mestizos (81%) Creoles (8.5%) Miskitos (6.5%) Sumus (2%), Garifunas (1.5%) and Ramas (0.5%).

On September 12, 1502, Christopher Columbus discovered the Caribbean Coast of Nicaragua, at the point which today is known as Cabo Gracias a Dios.

The English began occupation of La Mosquitia, under the pressure of the Spanish Crown. In 1633, the English Captain Sussex Cammock, following orders from the governor of the island of Providence, Phillip Bell, established a small commercial colony in Cabo Gracias a Dios among the Miskito community that in 1644 he named Natividad.

The first English colonies settled in Bluefields and Cabo Gracias a Dios, made-up of a few whites, and mostly Indians and blacks. The English began small businesses and worked the land on the shores of Rio Coco and Escondido, planting sugar cane and indigo. They depended on the black slaves they had brought in for labor.

The last Miskito King during the colony was Stephen I, who governed between 1816 and 1820.

Miskitos Kings Post Colony

• King George III (1822-1823) black, elected by the English instead of Roberto I
• Roberto II between 1823 and 1841.
• George IV in 1847.

Bluefields

It is a tourist and cultural city, located 320 kms from the Capital Managua. It is a gateway to other destinations of the Caribbean Nicaraguan Coast. It is composed of 6 ethnic groups that have their own cultures: creoles, garífunas, misquitos, ulwas, ramas and mestizos.

Its origins go back to the invasion of the Caribbean Coast by European pirates who used the Rio Escondido to relax, take care of their repairs, and shop. Fortune hunter soldiers used the bay of Bluefields as a tactical center for war operations. The city owes its name to a Dutch visitor Blauveldt or Bleeveldt in 1602.

The presence of black Africans dates back from 1641, as a result of the sinking of a Portuguese boat in the Miskito Keys that was transporting slaves. Since 1666, the English residents organized in colonies, and in 1730 the Colony of Bluefields depended on the British government of Jamaica.

In 1860, the Reserve of La Mosquitia was created, by an agreement between the governments of England and North America, Bluefields was declared capital of the reserve.

By 1880, Bluefields was already a cosmopolitan city, with a high-volume commercial activity and strong economic growth that marked the social difference. The white population represented the interests of the foreign enterprises, the mulatos and zambos worked as artisans and workers, the blacks worked in tasks requiring hard labor, and the ethnic groups worked as servants or on minor jobs.

Culture and Gastronomy

The culture of Bluefields is influenced by the English and afro Caribbean culture. As the two cultures mixed... a new one was born -the Creole. The Creoles are particularly identified by their customs in the way they talk, dress, religious beliefs, and their foods.

The predominant religions are: Morava and Catholic. The houses feature English architecture.

The food of the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua is a variety of very delicious dishes, not well known in other regions of the country.

Each ethnic group has its own food, Creole cuisine stands out because they use coconut and Chile de Cabro (spicy chili plant), ingredients that give a peculiar taste to other dishes. Their diet consists of fish, turtle meat, beef or pork rondon, oyster’s soup, seafood soup, and we can not leave out the Gallo Pinto with Coconut, pati, quequisque, banana or yuca cake, and coconut bread.

Among its traditions the following stand out, the festivities in honor of San Jeronimo, with its visual popular manifestation of “The Old Ladies with Big Butts” (Las Viejas Nalgonas) on September 30. The Griteria to the Virgin Mary on December 7; Our Lady of Fatima on October 7, at the same time the autonomy celebration on October 30, and the anniversary of the city on October 11.

El Palo de Mayo (May Pole Dance)

The May Pole dates back to the Nineteenth Century and is the most important festivity in the region, today it is an afro-cultural manifestation.

It was first introduced by English pirates and other Europeans, in San Juan del Norte formerly Greytown, this festivity traveled up to the Laguna de Perlas, Corn Island, and Bluefields where it has reached its highest expression.

The black population of the area, migrants from the English Antilles, mainly from Jamaica, adopted the European custom and mixed it with their rhythms and dances giving it originality and a cultural expression full of energy and colors.

This festivity comes from the antique English custom to celebrate the first day of May-the arrival of spring, the end of the drought, and the beginning of the rainy season. The Palo de Mayo celebrates fertility and a good harvest.

During the dance of Palo de Mayo the woman stands out with her movements and the man limits himself and accompanies her. Originally men sang and played instruments made by them, the banjo, la quijada de burro, and the tina para abajo. Today, they still symbolically plant a tree with tropical fruits and color laces on it, its roots represent the masculine virility and the fruits the feminine fertility.

Corn Island

Is an archipelago, composed by two islands: Great Corn Island and Little Corn Island, they are two of the most popular natural beauties of our country, located 70 Kilometers from the main land directly in front of the Port of Bluefields.

Corn Island has been populated since the 400s by the ethnic group Kukra, inhabitants of the shore of Laguna de Perlas. In the mid-XVII century the ethnic group Kukras were enslaved to extinction by the Miskitu ethnia allied with English pirates.

Most of the population is Creole, so English Creole is mostly spoken. The economy of these islands is based on artisan lobster catching or lobster traps are used and industrial fishing of seafood, its processing, and exportation.

The multiethnic populations of the two islands that make up the town are dedicated to the catching of lobsters in their surroundings, artisan work, and scuba diving. The predominant rhythms are; reggae and Jamaican music.

Great Corn Island or Isla Grande del Maíz

It is surrounded by banks of coral reef -Seal Cay and Blowing Rock, with an array of fish, extensive white sandy beaches, and beautiful pristine turquoise water.

The islands are the result of volcanic eruptions from the tertiary era; it has a diversity of ecosystems both marine and coastal. You can scuba dive on the coral reefs and enjoy the unique beauty of the Caribbean Sea of Nicaragua.

Among its traditional food festivities you will find the “Sopa de Cangrejo” (Crab Soup) made out of coconut, Fruta de Pan, quequisque, cassava, and crab. This Festivity is held every year at the end of the month of August in celebration of the abolition of slavery in the year 1841.

Beaches to Visit

• South West
• Long Bay
• Sally Reachie
• Coral Reef

Little Corn Island or Isla Pequeña de Maíz

It is a small island located 15 Kilometers northeast from Big Corn Island. This is an ideal place to relax and enjoy the natural and exotic beauties that the island offers, away from the noise of the big cities.

Laguna de Perlas or Pearl Lagoon

Located 40 Kilometers north of Bluefields, it was considered the second city capital of the Kingdom of the Mosquitia Reserve during the conquest. It was here where the last Mosco King retired, in 1894.

Inhabited now by four ethnic groups, one in each community: mestizos, Creoles, Miskitos and Garifunas.

It is a very picturesque community and its inhabitants are known to be very kind. Visitors can enjoy nature walks, bird watching, and fishing or simply tour the area by boat, visiting towns along the shore.

One can visit Awas de Orinoco, a community founded in 1912. There is also Tasbapauni a name with Miskito roots meaning “Red land”, and we cannot forget about Hallover, another town of Laguna de Perlas, that is also worth seeing it.

The culture of the Garifunas or Miskitos, are the most traditionalist. Transportation is mainly maritime; nonetheless, in the city there are cement sidewalks, which are ideal for a walk by Laguna de Perlas.

Most of the inhabitants are fishermen which make it a good place to enjoy fresh fish, lobster, or a traditional local dish.

Orinoco

Located in the basin of Laguna de Perlas populated by the ethnic group Garifunas, a hybrid culture of arahuacos with Africans and European traditions.

Kukra Hill

Located 12 miles from Bluefields. A town with an exotic array of flora and fauna in its surroundings. Kukra is comfortable, its population is mainly mestizo, most of them are Catholics; its patron saint is San Juan Bautista de La Salle. They are mainly an agriculture-dairy farm culture, they also grow sugar cane, African palm, and their food is similar to the Pacific.
Kukra Hill was originally populated by Kukrans of the Ulua group. In the XVII century they mixed with Africans slaves, this stopped due to the expansion of the Miskita ethnia that, in alliance with English Pirates, dominated them in 1796.