Ancestors of the Garifunas were taken captive from their lands in West and Central Africa, brought to the Caribbean to be slaves, yet were never documented as such. It is theorized they were survivors of shipwrecks, escaped captivity, and found solace amongst the Caribs of St. Vincent, Guadalupe. Upon arriving in the Caribbean, they mixed with Arawak and Carib, developing into the indigenous group we now know as the Garifuna.