Raymond Breton
Encyclopedia
Raymond Breton was a French Dominican
missionary and linguist among the Caribbean Indians, and in particular the Garifuna (formerly known as Black Caribs to Europeans, and as Callinago amongst themselves).
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Breton devoted nearly twenty years to missionary activity in the Antilles. From 1641 to 1651 he was on Dominica
, living with the Caribs. He also spent time going from island to island, teaching and evangelizing the natives in their own tongue, through which he became an adept in the various Carib languages. According to Breton, he arrived on Saint Vincent
at one point, but did not stay because local Caribs had killed two prior proselytizers.
Returning to France in 1654, he devoted much of his time to preparing young priests for the West Indian missions.
At the request of the general of the order, he also wrote a valued history of the first years of the French Dominicans' missionary work among the Caribbean Indians:
This is of historical importance, and has been used by several writers.
Dominican Order
The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
missionary and linguist among the Caribbean Indians, and in particular the Garifuna (formerly known as Black Caribs to Europeans, and as Callinago amongst themselves).
Life
Breton entered the Order of St. Dominic at the age of seventeen and was sent (1627) to the priory of St. Jacques, at Paris, to finish his classical education and make his course of philosophy and theology. Having obtained his degree in theology, he sailed with three other Dominicans for the French West Indies in 1635, and was among the first Europeans to live on GuadeloupeGuadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...
.
Breton devoted nearly twenty years to missionary activity in the Antilles. From 1641 to 1651 he was on Dominica
Dominica
Dominica , officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean Sea, south-southeast of Guadeloupe and northwest of Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth...
, living with the Caribs. He also spent time going from island to island, teaching and evangelizing the natives in their own tongue, through which he became an adept in the various Carib languages. According to Breton, he arrived on Saint Vincent
Saint Vincent (island)
Saint Vincent is a volcanic island in the Caribbean. It is the largest island of the chain called Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It is located in the Caribbean Sea, between Saint Lucia and Grenada. It is composed of partially submerged volcanic mountains...
at one point, but did not stay because local Caribs had killed two prior proselytizers.
Returning to France in 1654, he devoted much of his time to preparing young priests for the West Indian missions.
Works
Breton was responsible for the following works:- A Catechism of the Christian Doctrine in Carib (Auxerre, 1664);
- A French-Carib and Carib-French dictionary, with copious notes, historical and explanatory, on what Breton took to be the Carib language (ibid., 1665) - linguist Douglas Macrae Taylor stated that it was "quite clear that the language described by Breton (in the Lesser Antilles) was Arawak, not Carib (though containing many Carib elements)";
- a Carib grammar (ibid., 1667).
At the request of the general of the order, he also wrote a valued history of the first years of the French Dominicans' missionary work among the Caribbean Indians:
- Relatio Gestorum a primis Praedicatorum missionariis in insulis Americanis ditionis gallicae praesertim apud Indos indigenas quos Caribes vulgo dicunt ab anno 1634 ad annum 1643 (MSS).
This is of historical importance, and has been used by several writers.