"Barbecue" is the English word adaptation from either the Spanish word "barbacoa" or the word "barabicoa" from the Taino Native American tribe of the Caribbean and Florida regions.
The early colonists learned to cook (barbecue) whole hogs from the Native Americans and the slaves. In colonial times, barbecue meant a big, festive community gathering. This custom was described by many, including George Washington, who noted he went to a barbecue in Alexandria, Va., that lasted three days. Furthermore, when workers laid the cornerstone for the nation's Capitol in 1793, the leaders of the new Republic celebrated with a huge barbecue.