How slavery has affected todays culture in Barbados

Slave hut in Barbados

With the population now standing at 93% black, 3% white Bajan and others (without the tourist or visitors), there is a visible divide between these people.  White Bajans ie the 'old' families, still believe to a certain extent that they are superior to blacks.  Where they used to hold the economic wealth and power, this is now not so.  Slavery has now transformed into a modern power play of white employer, keeping the black worker within strong constraints.
This has changed since the high expectation in education here in Barbados and black people going to universities abroad such as Canada, USA and England, bringing back knowledge and expertise that has had a lasting influence on the employment power shift.  Government is all black, doctors, lawyers, lecturers, teachers and leading businessmen.

There is a stream of thought that slavery is part of a shameful past and should be put to one side, or forgotten.  There is also a way of thinking that (black) people are African still.  I disagree with both of these statements.  Slavery was a huge part of the Caribbean islands history and although morally wrong, was important in the development and industry of the time.  I would never say slavery was right, just that it did happen and to try and forget about it is wrong.  Also the people here are not African, they are Barbadian, by birth and short term (200 year ) history.   I could say I'm Anglo-Saxon, French Norman, Celtic even,  but the bottom line is I'm British.  How far back do people want to hang onto, or need to unless it to make a statement about there current situation or existance.

I've never come across so much day to day racism as I have in this country, from all sides.  If you are not black enough it can be an issue, white old guard families against white red leg descents ie white indentured labour, white against anything not white, black against anything not black, Guianese marginalised from all sides.  There are countless examples every time I go out my door but it is too sad to react to so I try to ignore it or let it go. 

Slavery and this island

I am always interested in the history of the places I visit or live, so last week I went to a talk/lecture on slavery on this island.  I studied abit about this subject for my degree at Sussex University, UK in 2001, so was kind of looking at how and why it affects modern day island life.  I shall give you a little background first.

The first indigenous people were Amerindians from Venezuela, who grew cotton, vegetables (cassava, peanuts, corn), fruit (guavas & pawpaw ie papaya) and used harpoons, nets and hooks for fishing.  In 1200BC the Arawaks were conquered by the Carib indians, which were a stronger tribe.  They were also cannibals, warlike and savage and were thought to BBQ their captives, washed down with cassava beer.
(I kind of know a few people like that now)!!
The Portugese came to Bim en route to Brazil and named the island Los Barbados, meaning the bearded ones, after the fig trees that grow here.  The Spanish took over in 1492, imposing slavery on the Caribs.

Don't you get the idea of whose at the top of the food chain - the strongest rule.

Slavery and contagious European diseases such as small pox and tuberculosis wiped out the Caribs so the Spanish left for other islands.  The British first landed in 1625, claiming the island in the name of King James l.  In 1627 80 settlers and 10 slaves landed at Jamestown (now known as Holetown).   When the crops of cotton, indigo and tabacco failed, sugar cane was introduced  from Brazil.  During the early period of settlement indentured labour, prisoners and kidnapped people were the norm for working plantations and those plantations could not survive without this work force.  Indentured labour is the contract of 5 to 7 years unpaid labour, usually white civilians who wanted to emigrate and make a new life elsewhere from England, Scotland and Wales.  At the end of the indenture period the white 'slave' would get a parcel of land and set himself up as a master, taking on other indentured workers. 
From 1644 Dutch merchants supplied Barbados with slaves from Africa; such as Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Cameroon.  Barbados dominanted the Caribbean sugar industry in these early years.  The slaves were looked on as inhuman and therefore an economic commodity to the success of the sugar trade.  They were goods and chattels.
In 1834 when slavery was abolished 80% of the population (82,000 people) were in slavery, 5,000 people were owners of these slaves, but only half of them had any land.
Slavery was abolished in 1834, but was followed by a 4 year 'apprenticeship' period, during which free men continued to work a 45 hour week without pay in exchange for living in tiny huts, provided by the plantation owner.  Freedom from slavery was only celebrated in 1838 - at the end of the 'apprenticeship' period, with 70,000 Barbadians of African descent taking to the streets.

Bear with me on this bit of history talk as I will get to the nitty gritty of how this affects modern Barbados life.   What I've given you today is nothing like the dry monoteneous, desolute 'talk' I went to last week with Professor Woodville Marshall, University of West Indies and author.  Have you fallen asleep yet??

As promised here's a quick insight into the Christmas craft fair held in aid of The Arc (dog rescue centre).  Lions Castle Polo Estate is a beautiful and vast area in the parish of St Thomas, one of the highest points of the island too at 1000ft above sea level.  The views are fantastic across to the West coast near Holetown and you feel like you are on top of the world looking down. Its not easy to find as we had to follow other people across many cane fields, bumping along tracks between the sugar cane.Not easy in our poor 'old boy' of a car, when a large wheeled monster truck would be more ideal.
The Christmas fair was a mix of truly beautiful handmade jewellry, cards and handmade tree decorations, always wonderful photography by Sue Holder and bad art and pottery.  Although this is in a good cause you tend to see the same people selling the same old things at each fair or event, and it is very limiting.Original ideas are slow to surface.
H and I will be going back to Lions Castle, not for any other Christmas fairs, but for the Polo season which will be starting in January.

When I am old I shall wear purple...

When I am old I shall wear purple...
Every woman worth their salt will recognise this poem by Jenny Joseph, and if you don't please look it up.
The sentiment behind it is how I now conduct my life,  no I am not mad just practicing being a little eccentric for older age.  With this in mind, I shall be reviewing life in Barbados for any and all that may be interested.  This may not happen every day or even every week, but as and when time and tide allows.  For those that have been to this exquisite island will know there are an infinite number of good and bad things to report on.
I shall cover topics as varied and far reaching as this 21 x 14 mile island can stand.
I shall be grateful for polite comments and advice (nothing rude please) and will try and answer any questions asked.

So here we go.  As Dante would say "LASCIATE OGNE SPERANZA, VOI CH'INTRATE"  or translated  "Abandon all hope, ye that enter here"

Before talking about anything 'Bajan',  I would like to say right from the beginning that just because people move to live abroad for an  ultimate number of reasons does not mean they forget their patriotism to Great Britain.  Therefore my first comments will be concerning the Remembrance Day commemorated each year at 11am on 11th November.  Poppy Day.  The burning of the poppies by extreme muslim group.
I have always believed that each and every person has a right to follow whichever god they choose and attend whichever church they want to - or not, as the case may be.  I do not believe that a person, or persons, have the right to denigrate Great Britain or its customs, by instigating unrest in placard waving, vitriolic abuse of our soldiers in Afganistan and beyond.
If the muslim population in Britain are shouting for British soldiers to leave 'their' country, why are those same people living in Britain.  Don't they realise it is because our brothers, sons, husbands and fathers are sacrificing themselves in this war by ousting a tyrant leader, which has given them a more democratic chance of freedom.  These minority groups of extremists do not respect true Muslim life, and bring shame to the religion that they claim to speak for.
If I, as a white Brit, went to their country waving placards, saying 'Your soldiers burn in hell', wearing a scarf across my face because I am to cowardly to show it, I would be torn apart in the streets.  In the Middle East people are killed for far less.

"They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We WILL remember them"

Enough said about this, we all have thoughts on it.

Now what about Barbados, otherwise affectionately known as Bim.
November is a very special month for the island in that it is celebrating 44 years of Independance, as of November 30th.  The run up to this public holiday is party, party, party...or perhaps that is just our normal weekend.  Rum punch, liming (means chilling out), eating lots of good food and music.  This date is also my husbands birthday, so typically, he gets a really good party every year by proxy of the Independance Day celebrations.  More on this subject later in the month.

Christmas is just around the corner and if like me, you are a lover of all things Christmas ie beautiful carols, chilly weather (snow preferably), Marks & Spencer mince pies, the company of family and catching up with good friends you haven't seen for awhile, then todays the day we start. 
There is a dog rescue centre on the island called The Arc, and each year hold a fundraiser at a polo field.  Lions Castle.  Without fundraising events such as this, with a Christmas theme, charities cannot survive, therefore my daughter, H, and I will be going and reporting on what the day holds.