By now, everyone has discovered this tiny corner of the world, where time stops, rum is a staple, condiments come with disclaimers and interrupting a stranger's thoughts to announce the time of day is normal.
The warm, sunny, post card perfect Caribbean, incorrectly titled as the (West) Indies when some bumbling Italian guy named Chris or something, stumbled into them, and swore that they were islands off the coast of India, and low, we were born.
Let's start on this list of atroci- okay, I'm dramatic, it's in my blood.
7. All West Indians Speak The Same Patois.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL13cCQKba89zaD7DSIseok9lHqjCBWcJ_HreTsVMvFCXEmT8pPr_ktapbb73j5beBhKMQwvF1FKzKMtUOqgaV2b5pTJvNW6K7L0U8_Ng4kdam_MQTaiUuo7gMUUyKLuh-5UvWYDR55B8/s320/540.jpg) |
This is how a Bajan says 'I Love You'... Honestly. |
Chances are, you have heard popular international personalities who have their 'navel strings' buried in this region and can recognize the distinct twangs laced in their vernacular, at least enough to recognize that there's an accent in the speech pattern.
You know, that distinctive lilt Rihanna carries when she gets too excited?
What about Wylef Jean's?
You MUST have heard Usain Bolt in at least one interview?
Yeah, about that, we are several countries and cultures in this little pot.
A 'Bulla' to a Bajan, is not the same thing as a 'bulla' to a Jamaican. Kinda like how a 'fag' is obscenely innocent to an Aussie or Brit, but not so innocent to an American or West Indian.
The contrasts in our command of language is as stark as our food culture. You might want to remember that when you engage a Vinci (native of St. Vincent) with a friendly greeting of "Wha' gine on, famuhlees?" ("What's up, my man?", but in Bajan)
6. All West Indians Know Their Respective Celebrities Intimately.
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International star and Grammy Winner, Shaggy, stood at this
bus stop with me once. |
I am a Bajan, a native to Barbados, that little 'Gem Of The Caribbean Sea' where Rihanna comes from. I have actually been within breathing distance of her cologne long before she actually had her name and face on her own perfume packaging. However, I have never had a conversation with her beyond "Excuse me," in order to pass around her.
Now of course, we are great story tellers, and I can certainly tell you stories of how cool she was back when she had just been discovered, along with taking you on an all inclusive tour of her previous haunts and home neighborhood, but, I cannot tell you any stories of her running around barefooted and scruffy headed as a teen.
It's even worse for Jamaicans. I'm most despondent to announce your Jamaican workmate's parents who grew up in Portmore, St. Catherine's, Jamaica, probably did not smoke a bong with Bob Marley before he stepped on stage to discuss his sheriff shooting habits.
5. We All Have Carnival, And It's All About Bikini Costumes, Gyrating Body Parts And Calypso Music.
Stop it. Immediately.
I cannot stress enough how insulting and frustrating it is, to have to sit through endless recollections of how a tourist enjoyed "Carnival" in Grenada, or how they're going to "Carnival" In Barbados.
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Annual Air-obics brought to you by BajanTube.
(No bumpers or acrobats were injured, just mash up). |
Now this may be a pet peeve, okay, upon introspection it most definitely is a pet peeve but this needs to be said:
Like our language, music, and food, our festivals are each special to us. Trinidad for example, they have a five day festival, after two months of 'fetes' that culminates in their 'Pretty Mas', you know what? Have a link:
See? It is steeped in culture, it's more than just tossing on beads and a swimsuit and 'chippin dung de road'.
In Barbados we have our own, it is
Crop Over, which runs approximately twelve weeks, and ends in August with our Kadooment Day festivities. This festival is historic, and very precious to us, in fact, I once wagered that Bajans are nicer during that season than any other time of year, including Christmas (we are a mostly Christian society), because it is only during Crop Over that you can walk door to door at 6:00am imploring on the kindness of strangers to afford you a canned food item and not get a good hot pot of stale piss thrown on you AND still get fed, (oh and in the name of research I have done this, with friends, while walking home from 'fetes')
4. Everybody In The West Indies Smokes Pot.
Nope.
In fact, according to a study performed by the United Nations Office On Drugs And Crime, there are an estimated 39.17 million human beings living in the Caribbean, and approximately 2 million of us have toked up. That's not even a decent 5%. Marijuana is still largely viewed as the devil's lettuce to our older generations, and it is NOT legal in any island except Jamaica.
The law doesn't care if you forgot that one joint in your luggage crossing borders. You get caught, that is a charge, including hefty fines, deportation and incarceration. How's that for an episode of Locked Up Abroad (Our prison doesn't have hot water just in case you think it's not so bad.)
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I swear!! |
3. You Can Tell Someone Is From An Island By Looks.
Well, let's look at this pragmatically.
39.17 million human beings.
African, European and Asian diaspora. Natives/Indigenous people, external cultural influences. Come into ANY country in this region and you will be left flabbergasted at the rainbow of features, textures, shades, tones and all forms of diversity thrown at you without restraint.
Sadly, we're not quite out of the woods with petty little things like nepotism, or colorism. For bonus points, hit twitter and follow up the YouSoCaribbean hashtag.
2. West Indians Are Always Easy Going.
You probably haven't met my mother. You lucky bastards!
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Every West Indian Aunty... Ever.
Ask them! |
There is such a thing as "Island time". It is VERY real!
That being said, understand that we function on a perpetual wheel of anxiety that we're late for everything, ranging from work to our own funerals. That makes us constantly on edge and ridiculously high strung. Getting 'Shell down tuh de ground' is a normal and very casual thing, it doesn't mean we hate you, just means we gonna cuss you out. Quickly, and then it's over in most cases. We will cuss you for crossing the road too slowly, we will cuss you for walking across the road too quickly with attitude. We will cuss you for walking in the room and not greeting, and then cuss you for walking in the room and disturbing everyone when you greet, but above all, our passion is the thing we are honest about, and we are loved for it.
1. West Indian Women Are Overtly Sexual.
You've seen how we dance, the way we move our hips, the way we chew our bottom lip and throw our hair over our shoulders as we 'wukkup' or 'wine' (not 'whine' common mistake, but nuh body ent complainin' he'e).
Yeah, I see that sweaty lecherous look as you imagine it.
Stop that. Come on. You're better than that. Tuck that thing away. Damn.
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To explain this is without coming off as completely contradictory is the most difficult part of this entire thing.
Caribbean women grow up in a culture that tells us to dance, music is infused in our bones. Now, being honest, there are instances when we are being intentionally sexual in our dance culture (Jamaican Dancehall scenes should be popping into mind, along with images of Alison Hinds telling boys to come up to her bumpa and Aye Aye Aye) but when we're just out, moving with the music, in that fever that is ours, and only ours. The fury of our ancestors translated into the passion of the moment, we move everything between neck and knees, while scantily clad, with not as much as a second thought about it.
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Lewis Hamilton is such a nice fella, here he is, helping Rihanna
not fall off the truck.. |
This isn't proof that any woman, born into the rich cultural pot that is the Caribbean, is any more or less sexual, modest or morally inclined than any woman from any other part of the world.
Our cultures are ripe for exploration, and yes we love that you want to share them with us, so, please, keep that in mind before you commit to any outdated cliched stereotypes about us.
Shout wunna laters.