Blog Post #6

    

    Barbados is a part of a chain of islands that make up the Lesser Antilles and is along the Caribbean Sea. It is often referred to as "Little England." Barbados was settled by the British in the early-1600s. Although it gained its independence in the mid 1960s, there is still many aspects that are similar to English/British culture. Some examples of this are the justice system, the school system, driving on the left side of the road, even beloved sports such as polo and cricket. 

    The official language of Barbados is English. It is more commonly used in professional settings. The language used most commonly amongst friends and family is called "Bajan," which is an English based creole. 

    Though Barbados is small, it is one of the most heavily populated islands. It has nearly 1600 people per square mile.

    Tabacco was initially grown on the island, but was known to be of poor quality. Sugar replaced tabacco as the main export after an economic crisis on the island. This soon led to the importation of slaves from West Africa. This resulted in the population of Africans outnumbering the population of English. 

    I am still doing research into the culture of Barbados and want to focus on cultural impact, specifically the arts and creative areas.