The Arawaks called the island Sualouiga, which means “Land of Salt” in the Arawak language. They found a lot of salt-pans and brackish water all over the island.
Simple salt dough
This is great for modelling and then baking. Get an adult to help you with the baking in a hot oven.
You will need
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup salt
- 1 cup warm water
- Glitter
- Paint
Method
- Mix the salt and water together in a large jug.
- Stir until the salt has dissolved.
- Put the flour in a large bowl.
- Make a well in the centre.
- Pour in the water and mix then knead the dough.
- You can roll, cut, colour, add glitter and paint your dough.
- Once you have made shapes with the dough, you can then bake them for one to two hours at 250° F in an oven.
The artefacts that the Arawak Indians left behind indicate that they were artistic, spiritual, and a generally peaceful people. Their villages consisted of simple wooden structures with straw roofs, and were strong enough to withstand hurricanes. The Arawaks’ peaceful existence on St. Martin was interrupted by the arrival of the Carib Indians, for which the Caribbean region was named.
