Today Barbados is a cosmopolitan country with a strong character of its own. It is prosperous and progressive and still full of natural charm. The people are friendly, fun loving and warm. Learn all about the friendly people of Barbados, their lifestyles, history and places of cultural interest.
Aside from its Spanish name, very little Spanish (or other continental) influence remains on Barbados. Its position in the Windwards made the island relatively safe from invasion, leaving British culture to incubate here for nearly 400 years. The chief example of this is the Bajan national sport, if not the national obsession: cricket. On a per capita basis, Bajans boast more world-class cricket players than any other nation. One of the game's best ever all-rounder was Barbados native Garfield Sobers, who was knighted in 1975. Another local cricket hero, Sir Frank Worrell, appears on the face of Barbados' five-dollar bill.
Despite the British influence, West Indian culture is strong in family life, food and music. Calypso artist the Mighty Gabby, whose songs on cultural identity and political protest speak for emerging black pride throughout the Caribbean, is from Barbados. It's not really surprising that Barbados is fertile ground for such voices since it still suffers from a history of racial segregation and discrimination by the white minority against the black majority. |
