CAYMAN ISLAND CULTURE

IN 1503 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS DISCOVERED THE CAYMEN ISLANDS ON MAY 1503 WHEN HIS SHIP WAS BLOWN OFF COURSE. THEN HE SAW TWO SMALL ISLANDS SO FULL OF TURTLES ON MAY 1503 WHEN HIS SHIP WAS BLOWN OFF COURSE. THEN HE SAW TWO SMALL ISLANDS SO FULL OF TORTOISES THAT HE NAMED THEM LAS TORTUGAS. THEY HAVE MARINE CROCODILES THAT GAVE THE ISLAND ITS NAME -CAYMANAS.

THERE ARE THREE ISLANDS NW OF THREE ISLANDS NW OF JAMAICA. THE LAND IS 100 SQUARE MILES. THE ISLANDS ARE OUTCROPS. THE THE LARGEST SHIP IS 22 MILES LONG. THE POPULATION IS DIVERSE WITH 40,000 FOLKS AND SOME ARE FROM AFRICA. THEY HAVE A POPULATION RATE OF 4.2%. FURTHER
PIRATES AND THE BRITISH HAVE ALL PLAYED A LARGE PART IN THE CULTURE. THE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM CHOOSE SIR TURTLE AS THEIR MASCOT AND A SYMBOL OF THEIR COUNTRY. THESE ISLANDS WERE OWNED BY THE BRITISH IN THE 1670'S AND SETTLERS CAME FROM JAMAICA. UNFORTUNATELY THE GRAND CAYMAN HAD PIRATES ATTACK THESE SETTLEMENTS. THEN THEY ABANDONED THEM. THE PIRATES USED THEM IN AS A HIDEOUT INTO THE 1700'S. BY 1800 A CENSUS SHOWED 900 FOLKS, 1/2 OF WHOM WERE SLAVES. SLAVERY WAS ABOLISHED IN 1835. THEIR CONSTITUTION WAS ADOPTED IN 1859 IN BRITISH RULE,

THE REMOTE ISLAND RESULTED IN A SOCIALLY HOMOGENEOUS SOCIETY. THEY RELIED HEAVILY UPON THE SEA. SHIPBUILDING WAS IMPORTANT FOR THEIR SURVIVAL. THE SILVER THATCH WAS USED FOR HATS, BASKETS, ROOFS AND ROPE, AS IT DID NOT ROT IN SEAWATER. IN THE 19TH CENTURY MANY FOLKS LEFT FOR JOBS ELSEWHERE. THEY SENT MONEY TO THEIR FAMILIES AND RETURNED. THEY ARE STRONGLY AGAINST HAVING BRITISH OCCUPY THE ISLAND.

RELATIONS BETWEEN ETHNIC GROUPS ARE GOOD THERE ARE NO RESTRICTION FOR WORK PERMITS. OLDER HOUSES WERE MADE FROM WATTLE AND DAUB COTTAGES ARE OFF THE GROUND WITH LARGE PORCHES. RAINWATER WAS COLLECTED FROM THE ROOF AND STORED IN A CISTERN BENEATH THE HOUSE. THEY ARE NOW BEGINNING TO SOME OF THE TRADITIONAL.

SEAFOOD IS PREDOMINANT WITH THE NATIONAL DISH AS TURTLE, CONCH AND CHOWDER IS POPULAR. RECIPES ARE ALSO FROM JAMAICA AND TRINIDAD. THEY MAKE A FISH. THEY EAT KEY LIMES, HONEY, AND RUM AND COCONUT. THEY HAVE BREWERY FOR BEER.

THE COUNTRY HAS THE LARGEST PER CAPITA INCOME IN THE CARRIBEAN $24,000. IT IS BASED LARGELY ON TOURISM. THEY HAVE NO PERSONAL TAX. THEY HAVE A LARGE SHIPPING EXCHANGE WITH 1000 SHIPS. THEY HAVE NO RESTRICTIONS ON OWNING PROPERTY. 70% OF THEIR ECONOMY IS DUE TO TOURISM. THEY HAVE OVER 600 BANKS AND CAYMAN IS AN OFFSHORE BANKING CENTER. THEY HAVE MANY TRADING CENTERS EDUCATION IS HIGHLY ASSOCIATED WITH SOCIAL STATUS. THEIR IS A CONCERN ABOUT PRESERVING CAYMAN CULTURE, SO THEY ESTABLISHED IN THE 1980'S A NUMBER OF ASSOCIATION'S THEY EVEN HAVE AN ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM.

WOMEN PLAYED MORE ACTIVE ROLES IN SOCIETY AFTER THE 1930'S, BUT THEY WERE NOT AS ACTIVE IN POLITICS. ONLY MONOGAMY IS PERMITTED. MANY MEN LIVED APART FROM FAMILIES AT TIME TO SUPPORT THEM.

CHILD CARE IS SEEN AS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MOTHER. MANY PARENTS WORK AND ONE PARENT OR RELATIVE HELPS WITH HOMEWORK. THEY HAVE AN EMPHASIS ON ETIQUETTE AND POLITENESS. THE MOST IMPORTANT DENOMINATION IN THE UNITED CHURCH. THERE ARE MANY RELIGIONS. MOST CHURCH LEADERS ARE MALE. HEALTH CARE COVERAGE IS MANDATORY AND LIFE EXPECTANCY FOR MALES IS 76 YEARS AND 81 FOR FEMALES.

THEY CELEBRATE MORE HOLIDAYS THAN WE DO! THEY HAVE A PIRATES WEEK IN OCTOBER. THERE IS SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS FROM THE GOVERNMENT, PRIVATE ENTERPRISE, COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND WEALTHY FOLKS.

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