Resources from Pearl Linguistics

ANTIGUAN, BARBUDAN Facts & Figures

Size: 180.5 square miles

Population: 84,632

Capital: St John’s

Currency: East CarribeanDollar

Weather / Climate:

Temperatures generally range from the mid-seventies in the winter to the mid-eighties in the summer. Annual rainfall averages only 45 inches, making it the sunniest of the Eastern Caribbean Islands, and the northeast trade winds are nearly constant, flagging only in September. Low humidity year-round.

Taken from: http://www.antigua-barbuda.org/index.htm; www.wikipedia.com

ANTIGUAN, BARBUDAN languages

English is the official language, but many of the locals speak Antiguan Creole. The Barbudan accent is slightly different from the Antiguan.

In the years before Antigua and Barbuda's independence, Standard English was widely spoken in preference to Antiguan Creole, but afterwards Antiguans began treating Antiguan Creole as a respectable aspect of their culture. Generally, the upper and middle classes shun Antiguan Creole. The educational system dissuades the use of Antiguan Creole and instruction is done in Standard (British) English.

Many of the words used in the Antiguan dialect are derived from British as well as African languages. This can be easily seen in phrases such as: "Me nah go" meaning "I am not going". Another example is: "Ent it?" meaning "Ain't it?" which is itself dialectical and means "Isn't it?". Common island proverbs often can be traced to Africa

Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Antigua_and_Barbuda#Languages

ANTIGUAN, BARBUDAN culture

Culture

The culture of the islands is a great example of Creole culture. It has been hugely influenced by the British but also by American pop culture and fashion. The country’s national sport is cricket and the dominant religion is Anglican, but their media consists of major American networks. The class structure is very hierarchical and reflects the race and ethnicity stratification.

Holidays

· 01 January - New Year's Day and Parade

· February – Black History Month

· April – Good Friday

· April – Easter Monday

· 02 May – Labour Day

· 13 June – Whit Monday

· 01-02 August - Carnival Monday, commemorates the abolition of slavery

· 13-14 August - ChristianValleyMango Fest

· October - National Warri Festival

· 31 October - Heritage (National Dress) Day

· 01 November - Antigua & Barbuda's Independence Day

· 09 December – National Heroes Day

· 25 December – Christmas Day

· 26 December – Boxing Day

Taken from: http://www.antigua-barbuda.org/index.htm

www.wikipedia.com

http://www.everyculture.com/#

cedarvalleygolfag.com

ANTIGUAN, BARBUDAN people

The ethnic distribution consist of 91% Black, Mulatto and mixed Black/Amerindian, 4.4% Other Mixed Race, 1.7% White, 2.9% Other (primarily East Indian and Asian). The majority of the white population is ethnically Irish and British, and Portuguese. There are also Christian Levantine Arabs (primarily of Syrian, Lebanese and Palestinian descent) and a small population of Asians and Sephardic Jews.

Behind the late twentieth century reviving and re-specifying of the place of African-Antiguans and Barbudans in the cultural life of the society, is a history of race/ethnic relations that systematically excluded them. A colonial framework was established by the English soon after their initial settlement of Antigua in 1623.

Mixed-race relationships and later immigration resulted by the late nineteenth century in the emergence of five distinct and carefully ranked race/ethnic groups. At the top of this hierarchy were the British, who justified their hegemony with arguments of white supremacy and civilizing missions. Among themselves, there were divisions between British Antiguans and non-creolised British, with the latter coming out on top. In short, this was a race/ethnic hierarchy that gave maximum recognition to Anglicised persons and cultural practices.

Immediately below the British, were the mulattoes, a mixed-race group resulting from unions between, generally, white European males and enslaved black African women, many of which took place in the years before the expansion of slave population. Mulattoes were lighter in shade than the masses of black Africans. Some white fathers had their sons educated or trained in crafts. They sometimes benefited them in other ways, which led to the development of a separate class. Mulattoes gradually distinguished themselves from the masses of enslaved black Africans. They developed complex ideologies of shade to legitimate their claims to higher status. These ideologies of shade paralleled in many ways British ideologies of white supremacy.

Next in this hierarchy were the Portuguese— 2500 of whom migrated as workers from Madeira between 1847 and 1852 because of a severe famine. Many established small businesses and joined the ranks of what was by then the mulatto middle class. The British never really considered Portuguese as their equals, so they were not allowed into their ranks. Among Portuguese Antiguans and Barbudans, status differences move along a continuum of varying degrees of assimilation into the Anglicised practices of the dominant group.

Below the Portuguese were the Middle Easterners, who began migrating to Antigua and Barbuda around the turn of the twentieth century. Starting as itinerant traders, they soon worked their way into the middle strata of the society. Although Middle Easterners came from a variety of areas in the Middle East, as a group they are usually referred to as Syrians.

Fifth and finally were the African-Antiguans and Barbudans who were located at the bottom of this hierarchy. Transported as slaves, Africans started arriving in Antigua and Barbuda in large numbers during the 1670s. Very quickly they came to constitute the majority of the population. As they entered this hierarchy, Africans were profoundly racialised. They ceased being Ashantee,Ewe,Yoruba and became Negroes or Blacks other African nationals make up the population of Antigua & Barbuda.

In the 20th century, the colonial hierarchy gradually began to be subversed as a result of universal education and better economic opportunity. This process gave rise to blacks reaching the highest strata of society and government.

In the last decade, Spanish-speaking immigrants from the Dominican Republic and African-Caribbean immigrants from Guyana and Dominica have been added to this ethnic mosaic. As new immigrants often fleeing poverty and political unrest, they have entered at the bottom of the hierarchy. It is still too early to predict what their patterns of assimilation and social mobility will be.

Today, an increasingly large percentage of Antiguans have migrated abroad, most notably to the United Kingdom (Antiguan Britons), United States and Canada. A minority of Antiguan residents are immigrants from other countries, particularly Dominica, Guyana and Jamaica, with an increasing number of immigrants from the Dominican Republic, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ghana, and Nigeria. There is also a significant population of American citizens estimated at 4500 people, one of the largest American citizen populations in the English-speaking Eastern Caribbean.[3]

Almost all Antiguans are Christians (74%[4]), with the Anglican Church (about 44%) being the largest denomination. Catholicism is the other significant denomination, with the remainder being other Protestants: including Methodists, Moravians, Pentecostals and Seventh-Day Adventists. There are also Jehovah's Witnesses. Non-Christian religions practiced on the islands include Rastafari, Islam, Judaism, and Baha'i.

Taken from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antigua

ANTIGUAN, BARBUDAN food

Antigua and Barbudacuisine refers to the cuisines of the Caribbean islands Antigua and Barbuda. The national dish is fungie (pronounced "foon-jee") and pepper pot. Fungie is a dish that's similar to Italian Polenta, made mostly with cornmeal. Other local dishes include ducana, seasoned rice, saltfish and lobster (from Barbuda). There are also local confectionaries which include: sugarcake, fudge, raspberry and tamarind stew and peanut brittle.

Although these foods are indigenous to Antigua and Barbuda and to some other Caribbean countries, the local diet has diversified and now include local dishes of Jamaica, such as jerk meats, Guyana, such as Roti, and other Caribbean countries. Chinese restaurants have also begun to become more mainstream. The supermarkets sell a wide variety of food, from American to Italian. Meals may vary depending on household income levels.

Common foods and dishes

Breakfast dishes include saltfish, eggplant (aka troba), eggs and lettuce. Lunches typically include a starch, such as rice, macaroni or pasta, vegetables and/or salad, an entree (fish, chicken, pork, beef etc.) and a side dish such as macaroni pie, scalloped potatoes or plantains. On Sunday's many people in the country go to church and afterward prepare a variety of foods at home. Dinner on Sundays is often eaten earlier (around 2:00 pm) because people are often off from work on Sundays. Dinner's may include pork, baked chicken, stewed lamb, or turkey, alongside rice (prepared in a variety of ways), macaroni pie, salads, and a local drink. Dessert may be ice cream and cake or an apple pie (mango and pineapple pie in their season) or Jello.

BeveragesLocal drinks are mauby, seamoss, tamarind juice, raspberry juice, mango juice, lemonade, coconut milk, hibiscus juice, ginger beer, passion fruit juice, guava juice, soursop juice and ginger beer, a soft drink. Alcoholic drinks include beer, malts and rums, many of which are made locally, including Wadadli beer (named after the original name of the island) and the award winning English Harbour Rum.

Taken from Wikipedia

Places to go in ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

If you are a fan of cricket, sailing or diving, this is a perfect destination! There are, however, many other interesting places to visit and activities to cover.

The Heights is anarray of military buildings and is best known today for the breathtaking views of the English Harbour and an obelisk erected in honour of the soldiers of the 54th regiment.

Antiguan folk pottery dates back to the early 18th century, when slaves fashioned cooking vessels from local clay. Sea View Farm Villageis the centre of this cottage industry.The clay is collected from pits located nearby, and the wares are fired in an open fire under layers of green grass in the yards of the potters' houses.

Harmony Hall Art Galleryis the centre of the Antiguan arts community and its highlights include the Antigua Artist's Exhibition and the Craft Fair. Nearby is the old sugar mill tower which has been converted to a bar and has one of the island's best panoramic views.

Museumof Antigua and Barbudais a charming museum that tells the story of Antigua and Barbuda from its geological birth through to the present day.

Taken from: http://www.antigua-barbuda.org/index.htm

www.wikipedia.com

http://www.everyculture.com/#

cedarvalleygolfag.com

Doing business in ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

In an effort to establish itself as a modern offshore financial centre, Antigua enacted in 1982, the International Business Corporations Act. It is recognised generally as the most modern and attractive piece of legislation of its kind in the Caribbean and is tailor-made to meet the needs of international businesses.

International commercial banking has been conducted on Antigua for many years. Offshore banking is more recent, having started in 1983. Since that time the industry has grown rapidly. Working in co-operation with the private sector, the Government has improved Antigua's offshore company and banking environment through the introduction of new foreign residency, trust, and partnership legislation.

The prevailing offshore legislation provides for speedy formation of international business corporations (IBCs) at very competitive charges. The formation can be carried out by a locally registered trust company or by an accountant or attorney. Formation can usually be completed within 24 hours and full corporate and trust services are available to both private and corporate investors including:

• registration and maintenance of corporate charters for offshore companies;
• reception, management, and disbursement of the assets of offshore companies;
• provision and maintenance of a registered office;
• maintenance of the company's records and statutory register;
• preparation of all necessary corporate returns and reports to the Director;

Taken from: http://www.antiguabarbuda.alloexpat.com