Barbados' history is long. The original inhabitants were Arawak Indians who may have been here before the time of Christ. But it was Portuguese sailors who gave the island its name in the 16th century – Los Barbados, the bearded ones, inspired by the shaggy fig trees, whose vine-like roots grow down from the branches above. In 1625 Captain John Powell arrived on the island, found it deserted, and claimed it for the British Empire. In 1966 the island became independent and a member of the British Commonwealth. Barbados' British regime, unbroken from the colonisation to independence, is unique in the West Indies. Today, Barbados is home to a nation of proud citizens who honour both education and cultural harmony.