|
Barbados Culture: THE
ABBREVIATED HISTORY OF BARBADOS
Barbados is the eastern-most Caribbean island. It is located
at 13.4N, 54.4W. The island, which is less than one million
years old, was created by the collision of the Atlantic
crustal and Caribbean plates, along with a volcanic eruption.
Later coral formed, accumulating to approximately 300 feet.
It is geologically unique, being actually two land masses
that merged together over the years.
See the Barbados
Saga Begins - An Island Stands alone (i)
Very Early.
The history of the early settlement of Barbados
is being rewritten as a result of recent archaeological discoveries
unearthed at the site of Port St. Charles. Artifacts and evidence
point to settlement some time around 1623 B.C.
The first indigenous people were Amerindians
who arrived here from Venezuela. Paddling long dugout canoes
they crossed oceans and currents that challenge modern sailing
vessels. On the north end of Venezuela a narrow sea channel
called the Dragon's mouth acts as a funnel to the Caribbean
sea and the nearest Island of Trinidad. It is a formidable
passage of swift flowing water and cross currents. It is dangerous
water for an open dugout canoe. But they came, families and
villages, adventurers, descendants of the the first people
who travelled across the Alaska land bridge, down through
Canada and the Americas to the South.
They made their new home in Barbados along
the coast, leaving behind hardly a trace, only a hint of evidence
for the archeologist to date and dream about. Fragments
of tools made of shell, utensils, refuse and burial places
convey but a mystery of their time.
Amerindian Civilisation.
The Arawaks were short, olive-skinned people
who bound their foreheads during infancy to slope it into
a point. They considered this along with black and white body
painting to be attractive. The CaÏques (chiefs) and influential
members of the tribe wore nose plugs and/or rings made of
copper and gold alloys (History of Barbados). They were an
agricultural people and grew cotton, cassava, corn, peanuts,
guavas, and papaws (papaya). The cotton was woven and used
for armbands and hammocks. Cassava was ground and grated to
be made into casareep, a seasoning used in cooking. The Arawaks
also used harpoons, nets, and hooks, to fish for food (History
of Barbados).
See Barbados Saga
- Matamu and the Turtle
(i) Barbados Saga is a project of WorldSagas.com -
History told through the eyes of a story teller.
1200 Carib Indians
In 1200, the Arawaks were conquered by the
Caribs. The Caribs were a taller and stronger Amerindian tribe
than the Arawaks. They were also cannibals. They were a warlike
and savage people who are reported to have barbecued their
captives and washed them down with cassava beer. In the History
of Barbados, for example, it is reported that Caribs ate an
entire French crew in 1596. They were incredibly accurate
bowmen and used a powerful poison to paralyze their prey.
(History of Barbados).
Portugese
The Portugese came to Barbados en route to
Brazil. It was at this time that the island was named Los
Barbados (bearded-ones) by the Portugese explorer Pedro a
Campos. It was so named, presumably, after the island's fig
trees, which have a beard-like appearance.
1492 Spanish
Despite the Caribs' ruthless warlike abilities,
the island was taken over by the Spanish in 1492. The Spanish
imposed slavery on the Caribs. Slavery and the contagious
European small pox and tuberculosis ended the Caribs' existence
(History of Barbados). Spain, however, passed Barbados over
in favour of the larger Caribbean islands (History of European
Overseas Exploration and Empires). This left the island open
for anyone who wanted to colonize it.
1625 - 1644 . English Colonisation
The first English ship touched the island
on May 14th 1625 under the command of Captain John Powell.
The island was therefore claimed on behalf of King James I.
 On
February 17th 1627, Captain Henry Powell landed with a party
of 80 settlers and 10 slaves to occupy and settle the island.
This expedition landed in Holetown formerly known as Jamestown.
The colonists established a House of Assembly in 1639. It
was the 3rd ever Parliamentary
Democracy in the world (Barbados History).
People with good financial backgrounds and
social connections with England were allocated land. Within
a few years much of the land had been deforested to make way
for tobacco and cotton plantations.
During the 1630s, sugar
cane was introduced to the agriculture. The production
of sugar, tobacco and cotton was heavily reliant on the indenture
of servants. White civilians who wanted to emigrate overseas
could do so by signing an agreement to serve a planter in
Barbados for a period of 5 or 7 years. To meet the labour
demands, servants were also derived from kidnapping, and convicted
criminals were shipped to Barbados. Descendants of the white
slaves and indentured labour (referred to as Red Legs) still
live in Barbados, they live amongst the black population in
St. Martin's River and other east coast regions. At one time
they lived in caves in this region.
1644 . 1700 . Sugar and Slavery
 A
potential market formed for slaves and sugar-making machinery
by the Dutch Merchants who were to supply Barbados with their
requirements of forced labour from West Africa. The slaves
came from Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Nigeria
and Cameroon. Many slaves did not survive the journey from
Africa, but many thousands still reached their destination.
Barbados
Saga -Slave Ships and Human bondage. (i)
The Barbadians dominated the Caribbean Sugar
Industry in these early years. The sugar plantation owners
were powerful and successful businessmen who had arrived in
Barbados in the early years.
Many natural disasters occurred in the late
1600s, such as the locust plague of 1663, the Bridgetown fire
and a major hurricane in 1667. Drought in 1668 ruined some
planters and excessive rain in 1669 added to their financial
problems. However, investment continued in sugar and slaves
and was perceived to have good prospects.
By 1720 Barbadians were no longer a dominant
force within the sugar industry. They had been surpassed by
the Leeward Islands and the Jamaica.
Read about the Pirates of the Caribbean who called Barbados home during this period.
1807 - 1838 . Abolition, rebellion
and emancipation
Barbados Saga
- The Bussa Rebellion (1)
After slavery was abolished in 1834, many
of the new citizens of Barbados took advantage of the superb
education available on the island.
After these citizens had been educated, they wanted something
more than working in the cane fields. Some of them gained
prominent offices in Barbados. Others worked in common jobs,
and still others stayed in the cane fields (Barbados History).
 Many
people were drawn to Barbados because of the climate and slow
pace of life. The island was thought of as a cure for "the
vapours" (Barbados History). Even Major
George Washington visited the island with his tuberculosis-stricken
half brother in hope of ameliorating his illness (Barbados
History)
Slavery, abolished in 1834, 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 the tiny huts provided by the plantation owners.
Freedom from slavery was celebrated in 1838 at the end of
the apprenticeship period with over 70,000 Barbadians of African
descent taking to the streets with the Barbados folk song:
"Lick an Lock-up Done Wid, Hurray fuh Jin-Jin (Queen Victoria).
De Queen come from England to set we free
Now Lick an Lock-up Done Wid, Hurray fuh Jin-Jin"
See the Emancipation statue,
the work of Barbados' best known sculptor Karl Broodhagen.
Barbados
Saga -After Emancipation - Diary of black student (i)
1961-1966 Independence
 Barbados
was first occupied by the British in 1627 and remained a British
colony until internal autonomy was granted in 1961.
The Island gained full independence
in 1966, and maintains ties to the Britain monarch represented
in Barbados by the Governor General. It is a member of the
Commonwealth. The first leader of Barbados as a free
nation was the Right Honourable Errol
Walton Barrow, of the Democratic Labour Party. The other
major political party is the Barbados Labour Party.
 Want to explore Barbados? Visit BarbadosByMap.com
See Barbados Saga
- Bathsheba; Life in a fishing village over the last
century
See all Barbados WorldSaga drafts at AXSES
WorldSaga.com Archives
History
Archives - Keyword Search
|
Barbados News
Weather
Save or Share
Postcards
Facebook
Twitter
Blogs
