GRENADA: THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE

The island of spice: Grenada is especially known for nutmeg, a spice that is known to cause psychoactive effects if taken in large doses. But in small doses, it’s quite tasty. The nutmeg is actually an interesting seed because it produces two distinctive spices: nutmeg and mace.  (Not the kind of mace you ward off potential attackers with, and it doesn’t contain the spice mace at all, so don’t start spraying down your food. Please, don’t do that.)

Grenada is a small island in the South Caribbean, just south of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and north of Trinidad and Tobago as well as Venezuela. It’s actually the largest island of the Grenadine Islands and includes several smaller islands in the chain. (The others belong to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, which I always think sounds like a great band name.) The islands are volcanic in origin, and Mt. Catherine is the highest peak.  Grenada has distinct rainy and dry seasons typical of its tropic climate. The islands are also subject to Atlantic Ocean hurricanes and suffered greatly during Hurricane Janet (1955), Hurricane Ivan (2004), and Hurricane Emily (2005). The term Grenada comes from the French “La Grenade” and from the earlier Spanish “Granada,” a reference to a province of southern Spain of the same name, originally serving as a Moorish emirate.

The French were the first Europeans to land on the island and essentially forced the indigenous peoples to move to other islands. Some of them refused and opted to jump off cliffs rather than be relocated by the French. The island was mostly used to grow sugarcane and indigo at that time. It was formally handed over to the British but then the French took it back after the American Revolutionary War, which was then toggled back to the British with the Treaty of Versailles. A merchant ship on its way back from the East Indies stopped in Grenada and left a small number of nutmeg trees behind – the start of Grenada’s nutmeg industry.  The island country became a Crown colony in 1877, and by the mid-20^th century, Grenadians were striking for better working conditions and held their first elections in regards to universal suffrage (to oppose the system that was put into place which tied eligible voters to property ownership and wealth, only allowing them to vote for 1/3 of the available seats for the Legislative Council).  Independence was finally granted to the Grenadians in 1974, and several coups took place in the decades afterwards. During the early 1980s, a pro-communist group took over, and the US, along with the support of nearby countries and regional groups, invaded Grenada in 1983 and stopped this radical group.  While other countries criticized the invasion and other military tactics, democracy and general peace were established once again. Hurricanes have ravished the island several times in recent times, destroying homes and businesses and straining their economy and resources.

The capital city is St. George’s. Named after the patron saint of England, it was first discovered by Christopher Columbus. St. George’s is known for its Carnival festival, which takes place every August and celebrates the emancipation of the slaves. The city is also famous for the Grenada National Museum, Queen’s Park Stadium Complex, a large marketplace, several famous churches, beaches, and shopping centers.

Grenada is known for its spices, namely cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, clove, ginger, allspice, and sugar cane. Oranges, coffee, and cocoa/chocolate (like Grenada Chocolate Company) are also produced here as well. Grenada is the second largest producer of nutmeg (after Indonesia), and in fact, it’s so important to the Grenadian economy, that they put it on the flag. Tourism, especially eco-tourism, is also a huge economic driver. Its beautiful beaches (both black sand and white sand), pristine mountainous environment, and tropical climate make Grenada the perfect vacation location. St. Georges University with an enrollment of nearly 5000 students is the country’s largest employer.

The vast majority of Grenadians adhere to some denomination of Christianity with Roman Catholic making up the largest portion, followed by Protestants, and then Anglicans.  There are a small number of Rastafari, Hindi, Muslim, Buddhist, and Baha’i followers.  

Because of Grenada’s history as a Crown colony of England, English became the official language of the country.  However, Grenadian Creole English is the major spoken language and has influences from European, African, and Indian words and phrases. Grenadian Creole French is also spoken, but mainly in the rural areas.  It’s sometimes known as Patois or Kwéyòl.  

The main island of Grenada is divided into six parishes, named after the patron saints of the United Kingdom: St. George (English), St. Patrick (Ireland), St. Andrew (Scotland), and St. David (Wales). The other two parishes are named after two New Testament writers, St. John and St. Mark. Because the country’s origins are volcanic, there is a crater lake called Grand Etang that is essentially bottomless. Even sonar has not been able to find the bottom. (It makes you wonder what kind of strange sci-fi creatures lives down there. Or how many bodies have been dumped there.)  Most countries have a long form of their name (like People’s Republic of China) and a short form of its name (everyone calls it China).  However, Grenada is one of those few countries that only has a short form; it’s just Grenada. (Canada is another short-form-only country.)  Their cuisine is pretty typical of the Caribbean – except with the largest number of recipes containing nutmeg that I’ve ever seen – and it all sounds super tasty.  

Up next: art and literature

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