ST VINCENT & THE GRENADINES: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

Of all the countries in the world, St Vincent and the Grenadines rounds out my top three “Countries That Sound Like Band Names.” I’m not even sure what the other two would be. But that doesn't matter now. And I say that knowing I’ve named most of my cats after countries/cities in North Africa and have come up with the best nick names in Neko Atsume. What do I know about naming things?  

The name St Vincent was given to the island by Christopher Columbus. It was named St Vincent after his crew had landed there on St Vincent’s Day (January 22, 1498). The Grenadine island chain was named after Grenada, the city in Spain. However, the Island Caribs who were living there already (who called themselves the Kalina/Carina) called the island Youloumain.

This island chain is part of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles in the southern section of the Caribbean. The island of Saint Vincent is the northernmost island (which is actually a volcano—La Soufrière is the highest peak) and the Grenadines are spread out south of it. Only the northern two-thirds of the Grenadines belong to Saint Vincent & and the Grenadines; the bottom third belongs to Grenada. The country is south of Saint Lucia, west of Barbados, and north of Grenada. In total, there are 32 islands and cays (but only nine are inhabited). Because it’s located in the Caribbean in the Hurricane Belt, it also has a tropical climate.

 

La Soufrière

The Caribs who were living there did everything they could to ward off the Europeans – but they eventually did come in 1719. However, Africans who were either shipwrecked or escaped slavery flocked to Saint Vincent; they were called Black Caribs and when they intermarried with the Island Caribs, they were known as Garifuna. The French were the first to arrive, but they handed over control to the British after the Treaty of Paris was signed. However, the French took it back for a few years until the Treaty of Versailles gave it back to the British. Things started to escalate between the British and the Black Caribs until the Black Caribs (with support from the French in Martinique) began an uprising against the British. The British responded by rounding up around 5000 of them and transporting them across the Caribbean to the island of Roatán (off the coast of Honduras) and dumped them there. The British did establish slave labor until it was abolished in 1834. The mid to latter part of the 1800s bought along waves of Portuguese (Madeira) and East Indian immigration. The La Soufrière volcano erupted several times during the 19^th and 20^th centuries, leaving behind devastation for the people who live there. For a while, the British tried to lump many of its Caribbean holdings into one country to be able to administer to it easier. Or so they thought because hardly any others thought that was a great idea. The island chain was finally granted its independence on October 27, 1979 (exactly one day before I entered into this world). Not only has Saint Vincent and the Grenadines survived volcano eruptions, but it’s also survived many hurricanes. 

Kingstown is the capital and located in the southwest corner of the island of Saint Vincent. With only 16,500 people, the city is nestled into steep hills that surround it. Interestingly enough, the islands are known for its breadfruit, and Captain Bligh (the same one from Mutiny on the Bounty) is credited with bringing the breadfruit seeds to Saint Vincent from the South Pacific. The city itself was founded in 1722 by the French, but the British ruled there for a little less than 200 years. Its botanical gardens are among the oldest in the Western Hemisphere.

Wallilabou Bay, where parts of Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed.

Banana production is probably the biggest agricultural product, along with plantains, wheat, and manioc (cassava). However, damaging storms often wreaks havoc on crops and often causes hardship in crop production and sustainability. Part of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies was filmed on the islands, which has brought a few more tourists to the area. Tourism in Saint Vincent and the Grenadine still could be ramped up more, so if you’re looking to visit someplace less “touristy,” this would be a good option.

Over 80% of the islanders here belong to some kind of Christian denomination (mostly Anglican, Pentecostals, Methodists, Seventh-day Adventists, and Baptists). There are a few other denominations represented as well. Because of immigration, there are some non-Christian religious followings as well, mostly as Rastafari, Islam, and Hindu.

While English is the official language, most people speak Vincentian Creole. Creole is spoken in the home, while English is used in the government, education, religion, etc. Vincentian Creole is an English-based Creole, with elements from French, Antillean Creole, Spanish, Portuguese, African languages (Wolof, Fula), and Garifuna.

Years ago, I started getting into coin collecting, and especially world coins. I mostly bought them off of eBay, but some I had held onto for years. So, I had bought some coins that were part of the Eastern Caribbean Dollars. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines uses this currency, along with five other island nations (Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Dominica, Saint Lucia, and Saint Kitts & Nevis) and two British overseas territories (Anguilla and Montserrat). It’s pegged to the US Dollar, but based on the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, headquartered in Basseterre, St Kitts. The thing I find fascinating about looking at world coins and currency in general is the variety of shapes and materials they choose to use and what designs they use. US Currency is boring. It vastly portrays politicians in the common in-use currency (yes, there’s the Susan B. Anthony and Sacajawea dollar coins, but people rarely use them). Granted, pictures of the Queen aren’t all that exciting either… unless you’re the Queen, I suppose.

Up next: art and literature

HONDURAS: MUSIC AND DANCE

Surprisingly, Honduras has a very diverse music scene and has always been diverse. It incorporates the musical styles of many of the countries and regions around Latin America and the Caribbean: reggae, salsa, reggaeton, merengue, cumbia, bachata, and others. Punta is one of the most popular styles in Honduras.  Guitars, marimbas, and a variety of percussion instruments are also common in Honduran folk music. 

 

The Garifuna people were African slaves who the British brought to the Caribbean countries and traded them around, only to be freed and brought to Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and other areas where they intermarried with the native people. They pretty much stayed to themselves; subsequently, their music was not as influenced by outside forces as much as others. They are known for their dominant musical styles of chumba and hunguhungu, which also has a circle dance to accompany its three-beat rhythm.  The Garifuna, like other Hondurans, sing Punta music as well. Punta has a dance that accompanies the music, and almost every community has an area where people can get together to sing and dance.  

 

I found a lot of Honduran bands/groups available on Spotify. In fact, I liked the metal rock band Diablos Negros so much that I bought their album right away. The album Revolución is phenomenal. The song “Ahogame en Dolor” is the best one on the album. Seriously, I love this song. I’ve played this so many times, and I still haven’t got tired of it. Actually, my husband and I were talking about how we celebrated out 10^th wedding anniversary a few months ago, but neither of us exchanged gifts at the time. The traditional gift for the 10^th anniversary is tin/aluminum.  So, I burned a copy of this album and gave it to him, and said, “Hey, it’s Honduran metal music. Close enough.” He’s been blasting this album in the garage, and I’ve been blasting it in my car. What we appreciate is that there are moments where they sound like Disturbed, and other moments where they sound like Rob Zombie, and sometimes I can hear a Linkin Park influence, a Live influence, and a White Snake influence. And if you like this band, another Honduran rock band you might like is Delirium. I listened to their album Abismo. It’s also a great album that shows some insight on part of the writers. 

I’m not quite sure what to think of the band Pez Luna. Definitely on the lighter side of Latin rock, especially compared to the previous two bands. Reminding me a little of Carlos Vives, this band uses the accordion, flute, piano, and a variety of guitars and percussion. At times, it almost sounds like lounge jazz mixed with indie rock. The band Khaoticos is a pretty basic rock band. They weren’t horrible, but they just didn’t really do much for me. They have a few good songs, though. 

The band El Sol Caracol is full of catchy songs, mixing reggae and other Caribbean flavors with rock. Sometimes I think there were still a lot of traditional influences in their music. El Pueblo also mixes reggae with jazz and indie rock into their music. I kind of like their music.  I’m a fan of both reggae and indie rock, so if that’s not your thing, then this might not be for you. 

 

Finally, Honduras has certainly made its own mark in reggaeton musicians. I am a fan of reggaeton, believe it or not. I found two that impressed me. The first one I came across is Bullaka Family. They use the autotune a little too much for my taste, but otherwise the songs are catchy. I think they tend to stay on the side of pop-reggaeton, although a couple of songs sounded like Don Omar. The other group I came across is Yerbaklan. I liked them a little better. They also are not afraid to mix other Latin and Caribbean genres with reggaeton. There are a few songs I listened to that sounded like they utilized some styles from dancehall or soca or even pop.

Up next: the food

BELIZE: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

Home to the world’s second-largest coral reef, Belize is a small cutaway to a historical crossroads of people from all over the world. Originally, it was part of the land of the ancient Mayans, and the ruins dot the jungles like a Magic-Eye book. Most of the ruins have been destroyed to some extent over the centuries, but there are still many that are not only still standing but also popular tourism destinations. The city of Caracol was one of the major Mayan cities, and although archaeologists have discovered many of the ruins, there are undoubtedly more artifacts and ruins that have yet to be found in the remote areas of the Belizean jungles.

Formerly known as British Honduras, the Spanish Conquistadors had first claimed the area. Eventually the British did take over, and it became one of the many areas they would bring Africans as part of the slave trade. The major export for this area is mahogany, which became most of the slave’s number one job. Even after they were freed, most had no choice but to keep working in this field.

Belize is fairly diverse, as far as demographics go. Of course, the Maya were originally in the area. Three of its groups found here include the Yucatec (originally from Mexico but came to Belize to escape war), the Mopan, and the Kekchi, (both of whom fled the country at various times to avoid slavery, returning later). The Creoles are descendants of the slave owners (mostly English and Scottish pirates and other settlers) and the African slaves who were brought here. Then you have the Garifuna (also called Garinagu), who are a mix of African, Arawak and other Carib peoples. Primarily settled in and around Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the British started separating them based on how “African” they looked when they took over the island nation. Eventually they were traded to the Spanish who employed them as soldiers, and spread them throughout the Caribbean, many “deployed” to Belize where they stayed. And of course there are mestizos (mixtures of Spanish and Maya), as well as Mennonite farmers, East Indians, East Asians, North Americans, and Mediterraneans.

Thanks to the British, English is the official language of Belize, making it the only English-speaking country in Central America. While English is the language of public education, many Belizeans also speak Spanish, and most speak a Belizean Creole. Belize is proudly a dual-language nation and encourage bilingualism.

It’s somewhat unclear as to where the name Belize actually came from. Some think it may be from the Maya word “belix” which means “muddy waters” that described the muddy waters of the Belize River. Another theory is that it may have been brought over from the numerous Africans who were brought to the area; there is a Belize in the country of Angola as well. Like the Tootsie Roll Pop, the world may never know.

The capital is Belmopan, not its largest city Belize City. The name Belmopan was created as a merging of the words “Belize” and “Mopan,” the name of two major rivers. Actually, the capital used to be in the port city of Belize City, but was eventually moved to Belmopan after Hurricane Hattie nearly demolished Belize City in 1961.

Since the British were the ones who controlled the area until Belize’s independence in 1981, almost 72% of Belizeans identify themselves as some denomination of Christianity. Around 10% follow some other religion (Buddhist, Mayan, Garifuni, Islam, Obeah, Hindu, Rastafarian, Baha’i, etc.), and over 15% say they have no religion.

Belize is now a popular ecotourism hotspot with its many rainforests, coral reefs, flora and fauna. The mahogany tree that was once the object of exploitation during slavery days is now a national treasure (in fact, the national motto is “Sub Umbra Florero” which roughly means “Under the Mahogany Tree, I flourish”), along with Baird’s tapir (one of the ugliest animals, in my opinion; it’s just so weird to look at. However, it’s on the endangered list and is protected in Belize) and the brightly-colored keel billed toucan. Its diversity in its people and cultural traditions is what makes Belize a very captivating country. With influences from the British, the Spanish, and the Caribbean, you can certainly see its history emerge through its music, arts, and cuisine into something better than what it started out as.

Up next: Holidays and Celebrations