The
Lesser Antilles is an artist's paradise. A crescent of small
stepping stones, starting with the Virgin Islands in the North
and curving south to Grenada, the Lesser Antilles forms the eastern
perimeter of the beautiful Caribbean Sea. Its mountainous islands,
draped in tropical vegetation and encircled by peaceful coves
and sandy beaches, rest in probably the clearest, most colorful
water in the world. The ocean here shimmers in every shade of
blue and green, from indigo to palest jade, including a startling
turquoise. The sun shines bright and warm almost every day of
the year.
The
art of the Eastern Caribbean reflects the color, beauty and light
and warmth of the surroundings. it also reflects a way of life
that is culturally rich, charmingly laid-back and fun. Happy
music and dance are part of daily life. Jump-up is a felicitous
term for party here.
The
joyful ambiance is remarkable, consider the dark history of the
islands. Starting 3000 years before the arrival of Christopher
Columbus, a series of indigenous tribes - Arawak, Taino and Carib
- worked their way up the archipelago, later Indians supplanting
the former through force. After Columbus "discovery" of the
islands on his second voyage, in 1493, the European colonists completely
eradicated the natives and then battled each other
for control of the region. The islands were strategically important
as the gateway to the Spanish Main and they were agriculturally
fertile. The pastoral society that emerged was successful only
at the expense of Africans who were sold to the plantations of
the New World as slaves. Most of the did hard labor in the sugar
cane fields.
Today's
Eastern Caribbean population is predominantly comprised of descendants
of those enslaved Africans. Amazingly, they have transcended
their terrible heritage to create a cheerful culture. The basic
West Indian culture, with its African roots, is flavored differently
on each island, depending on which colonial power dominated its
past. Some are quite British, others very French, others incorporate
a Dutch influence.
The
U.S. Virgin Islands - St. Croix, St. John, St. Thomas, Water
Island and many small islets and cays - have a distinct Danish
connection dating from two centuries under Denmark's rule. But
having been a US territory since 1917, they are also obviously
American. The largest of the Virgins, St. Croix, is the home
of the Caribbean Museum Center.
