In the the late 1700’s
the English remained in control of Antigua. Here in English Harbor, a protected cove
surrounded by tall hills, Admiral Nelson found the perfect refuge for the
English navy and the perfect lookout point.
From high on the hills, he could
monitor the Spanish and French fleets, the pirates and the privateers, and remain
in control of the English trade route. At that time, the trade route consisted
of a horrible triangle of human exploitation and suffering. The English would
pay conscriptors in Africa to rip people from their homes, stuff them foot to
head on slave ships and ship them here, where they would be bought by the sugar
plantation owners. The plantation owners were mostly Dutch…why? Because the Dutch were experts at wind power
and it took wind power to run the sugar pressing mills.
Then the sugar would be processed and sent to
England where the wealthy clamored for it to add to their tea…tea being another slave labor product from
the Caribbean. But first the merchant ships would stop off in the Carolinas to
pick up the slave labor cotton. While in port, they would sell Caribbean sugar
and spices to the newly liberated United
States…until England imposed a tax on any goods being sold to foreign nations,
and the U.S.A. now being a foreign nation, the Antiguan sugar barons had to pay
tax to sell to the U.S.A. The sugar industry went in the dumps, the Dutch stopped
buying slaves, and in retribution (not out of some moral imperative) England
responded by outlawing slavery in Antigua. In 1834, every resident of Antigua
became a free man, and 85% of the population
was a freed slave. They were free but they were starving, because there were
few ways to make a living. Christian missionaries descended upon the island to
provide education and hope, and the English still owned the island so the Queen
had to provide subsidies to keep the island from descending into chaos. The foregoing is my long winded way of explaining Antigua
today. It is a fascinating country. The people are educated, healthy and happy.
The country became independent in 1981, but holds on to both an English sensibility and
its own culture. They are fluent in both their patois and a sartorial English. The economy is better than most of
the Leewards, but if you are not native Antiguan, good luck getting a job here.
They are highly religious. It is not uncommon for them to be singing songs of
praise as they go about their business. There is a pride in their tiny country
and people take pride in their jobs in a manner that we have experienced no where else in the
Caribbean. In my next post, I will introduce you to one of our favorite
examples.
Julianne January 3rd
