Buccaneers were a specialized group of privateers (legally sanctioned sea-raiders) and pirates (unlawful sea robbers) active in the Caribbean Sea during the mid-to-late 17th century.
The term stems from the French boucanier , which refers to a grill or method of smoking meat, known as boucan . Originally, these individuals were hunters—often former servants or soldiers of French or British descent—who lived on Hispaniola and Tortuga, curing wild cattle and pig meat in the 1620s.
After the Spanish attempted to destroy the hunting communities, the settlers turned to hunting Spanish ships and settlements in the Caribbean for survival, operating mainly from the 1630s to the 1680s. Characteristics and Lifestyle Battle Report: Buccaneer's Companion Scenario V - La Serena
This report outlines the history, origin, and characteristics of the buccaneers, specifically focusing on the 17th-century privateers and pirates operating in the Caribbean.