23 May 2007, British Virgin Islands – The traditional 35’ dug out Carib Canoe Gli Gli will be arriving in the British Virgin Islands this weekend making landfall at the BVI Music Festival. Their arrival in the Territory marks the final chapter in the Gli Gli Carib Canoe Project Leeward Island Expedition 2007 which has been a resounding success. The expedition commenced in Antigua on the 6th of May with stops in St. Kitts, Nevis, St. Barth, St. Maarten/St. Martin and Anguilla. Crewed by 12 men and 2 women from the Kalinago  Carib Territory in Dominica, their mission has been to draw attention to the survival and resurgence of Carib culture and to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of Gli Gli’s creation.
 
Hundreds of people from heritage groups, historical societies, libraries and schools welcomed the Gli Gli on each island. The crew organized workshops to teach their crafts, gave traditional musical performances and held educational seminars relating to the Carib peoples and the purpose of the Leeward Island Expedition. Additionally, they had showings of the 1997 BBC documentary “The Quest of the Carib Canoe”, a film documenting the building and inaugural journey of Gli Gli.

 The crew will sail the canoe in to Cane Garden Bay, Tortola on Sunday the 27th in the mid afternoon accompanied by their mother ship, the topsail schooner Fiddler’s Green. They plan to bring the canoe to the beach where the general public may view and photograph her as well as meet the crew. Following their arrival, the BVI Music Festival www.bvimusicfest.info will be handing over the stage to the crew for a live performance of their traditional music.

For further information about the Gli Gli Leeward Islands Expedition and photographs, visit the website www.gliglicaribcanoe.com