Caribbean Culture

Music

The Caribbean people are uniquely inventive when it comes to music and each Island boasts their own different rhythm. The most popular being Jamaica and Reggae music along with merengue, calypso and salsa which all help to bring the islands to life.

Caribbean music is a way of life and many different everyday objects will be tuned to make a rhythmic sound – it’s almost always about dancing. The calypso rhythms are always lively and the musical carnivals are always a crowd gatherer and pleaser and are very important to the West Indians way of life.

In recent years a number of festivals have been created to attract more visitors to the islands. These include jazz, blues and even opera. They tend to be designed with broad appeal, and they are worth considering as a time to visit the islands.

Carnivals

Simply described as people dancing for days! Carnival time is explosive and a massive Caribbean fun filled festival of life & colour and well worth attending if you happen to be on island at the time, or even worth making a special trip for. It is one of the great Caribbean experiences.

A key part of the whole affair is the music. You will hear calypso, songs of love, life and everything West Indian. The best thing about Caribbean carnivals is that everyone is invited if not ‘encouraged’ to join in! Be prepared to simply have fun!

Languages

Creole languages are nearly two hundred years old - they came about during the first slavery era in the Caribbean. Creole is a "patois" language that is a varied combination of African and European.

Because the Creole language was associated with the poor labour class, parents would often forbid their children to speak it. In recent times however, more people are appreciating and recognising the historical importance of the language, its linguistic appeal, and its significant place in local culture.

Cricket

Throughout the areas of the Caribbean that were once ruled by the British, Cricket is the dominant sport. The West Indies has long been one of the world's great cricket powers. Perhaps the greatest of West Indian Cricketers was Sir Garfield Sobers of Barbados, who became the only man ever to score 8,000 runs in test matches and take 200 wickets.

Currency

The US dollar is widely accepted in the Caribbean along with local currency. The US dollar is the official currency in the Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos and Puerto Rico. The British pound however, is not used in the former British colonies, and while French islands such as Guadeloupe and Martinique do accept pounds, the euro is the preferred currency.

As the majority of Caribbean islands are fairly developed, at least in the tourist areas, travellers' cheques and credit cards are accepted. Cash machines or ATMs accept debit and credit cards linked to the Cirrus, Plus and Visa networks. While most hotels will change money beware of less favourable rates than in the banks. In less developed areas, it's best to carry local currency as few establishments will take credit cards and ATMs are rare.

Why West Indies?

Why is the Caribbean called the West Indies? A question that many people ask! The Caribbean is also know as the West Indies as Christopher Columbus landed here in 1492 believing he was in the Indies (in Asia).