Who Are the Miskito?
The Miskito (Miskitu) are an indigenous people of the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua and Honduras, numbering approximately 200,000-250,000 people. They speak Miskito, a Misumalpan language, though most also speak Spanish or English. The Miskito give their name to the Mosquito Coast (Moskitia), the Caribbean lowland region they inhabit. Their history is unique among Central American indigenous peoples—rather than being conquered by Spanish colonizers, the Miskito allied with the British, expanding their territory and dominating neighboring tribes. The British-supported Miskito Kingdom lasted until 1894. Today, the Miskito maintain distinct identity and have won significant autonomy rights.
British Alliance
The Miskito allied with British buccaneers and traders from the 17th century, obtaining firearms and trade goods that enabled them to expand power over neighboring peoples. The British recognized Miskito kings, and the Mosquito Kingdom functioned as a British protectorate. Miskito warriors raided Spanish settlements and slave-traded other indigenous groups. This alliance made the Miskito the dominant coastal power and created a unique colonial situation—the Mosquito Coast was never effectively controlled by Spain. When British influence ended (1860) and Nicaragua asserted control (1894), the Miskito had a different historical experience than other Central American indigenous peoples.
Autonomy Struggles
The Miskito have long resisted integration into national states. In the 1980s, conflict with Nicaragua's Sandinista government, which sought to integrate the Atlantic coast, led to armed resistance and refugee flight. Miskito fighters (YATAMA and others) clashed with Sandinista forces. This conflict gained Cold War dimensions, with US support for Miskito resistance. The 1987 Nicaraguan Autonomy Statute created the North and South Atlantic Autonomous Regions (RAAN and RAAS, now RACCN and RACCS), giving the Miskito and other coastal peoples limited self-government. Autonomy implementation remains contested, but represents a significant indigenous rights achievement in Central America.
Contemporary Miskito
Modern Miskito face environmental and economic challenges. Lobster diving has become an important but dangerous livelihood—many Miskito divers suffer decompression sickness from deep dives with inadequate equipment. Climate change affects fisheries and agriculture. Drug trafficking routes through Moskitia have brought violence. Development projects threaten indigenous lands. The Miskito language remains strong but faces Spanish pressure. Protestant Christianity (Moravian since the 19th century) is dominant. Political organization through YATAMA and other parties continues advocating for autonomy rights. How the Miskito navigate between autonomy aspirations, national integration, and environmental challenges shapes their future on the Caribbean coast.
References
- Hale, C. R. (1994). Resistance and Contradiction: Miskitu Indians and the Nicaraguan State
- Dennis, P. A. (2004). The Miskitu People of Awastara
- Helms, M. W. (1971). Asang: Adaptations to Culture Contact in a Miskito Community