Barbados

The Block

Great friends, Jeanette Goodridge and Hazel Seale worked together to make the block for Barbados. Against a hand-painted sunset, an embroidered flying fish soars above the sparkling Caribbean Sea. Flying fish (steamed or fried and often seasoned with hot spices) and cou-cou (similar to couscous) is the national dish of the country, consumed daily as a staple food by many Barbadians. The fish, traditionally caught in nets by the thousands, are deep, silvery blue in colour and measure from 18 to 22 cm long. They used to be plentiful in the waters around Barbados, leaping from the sea and gliding through the air for up to 23 metres. Today, however, high cruise ship traffic and fishing has put pressure on the population of flying fish and they are less common in the coral reefs surrounding the island. Gold sequins encircle the scene, which is surrounded by a colourful assortment of appliquéd foliage and three dimensional flowers; symbolic of Barbados’ abundant flora and the effusive nature of the people.

Cultural Profile

Barbados, one of the oldest English-speaking countries in the Western world, was given its name by Portuguese explorers in the early 1500s. Upon finding huge banyan trees with aerial roots hanging like beards from their branches, they called the island Los Barbados meaning ‘the bearded ones’. Historically, sugar cane was the main commercial enterprise and although sugar remains the principal agricultural product, tourism has become the most significant industry. English is the official language with most people also speaking a Bajan dialect, which is a mix of English, African and Amerindian languages.

Bajans (or Barbadians) have a great sense of humour and a happy, fun-loving nature. Their sunny disposition is perhaps related to the 3000 hours of sunshine the country experiences annually. Bajans love to have a good time and calypso music, a song style that reflects both past ways of life and the popular issues of the day, plays a significant role in festive gatherings such as the Crop Over festival, a month-long festival taking place in Barbados and that has been celebrated since the seventeenth century to mark the end of the sugar cane harvest.

A member of the Commonwealth, Barbados’ culture has been greatly influenced by the British, but also has strong ties to African folk culture, a legacy of the slaves brought in to work on the sugar-cane plantations. Craft work is valued, as evidenced in the intricate and colourful costumes that are created for the many carnivals. The country is known for its woven raffia handbags, mats and baskets, pottery, woodcarvings, wall hangings, and seashell ornaments. These items are colourfully displayed in open air markets were they are very popular with tourists.

Barbadians have been coming to Canada since 1946, contributing to Canada’s economic life in the early days by providing inexpensive labour on farms, in mines and in factories. Later, many came as professionals to attend colleges and universities, or to join their families. There are approximately 34,000 Bajans in Canada, most of whom have settled in Ontario, Québec and the western provinces. With generally high skill levels, education and experience, Barbadians have affected many facets of Canadian life, but one of the most notable is Caribana. This celebration is North America’s largest cultural festival, features music, a parade of elaborate, coloured costumes and a wide array of West Indian food including some tastes from Barbados such as souse, fish cakes, guava cheese and pepperpot. Caribana is inspired by Barbados’ Crop festival.

Sponsor: Hazel and Ryan Seale | Photos courtesy Wikimedia Commons