ST. KITTS AND NEVIS ISLANDS

THESE ISLANDS WERE DISCOVERED BY CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS ON HIS SECOND VOYAGE TO THE NEW WORLD IN 1943. ORIGINALLY THE LARGEST ISLAND WAS ST. CHRISTOPHER , THEM BRITISH SETTLERS SHORTENED WERE HERE IN THE 17TH CENTURY. THE NAME WAS SHORTENED TO ST. KITTS . COLUMBUS NAMED THE SMALLER ISLAND "OUR LADY OF THE CLOUDS" AS IT HAD CLOUDS IN THE CENTER. WHEN THE BRITISH CAME THEY CHANGED IT TO NEVIS.

THEY ARE 200 MILES SOUTHEAST OF PUERTO RICO, AND HAVE DORMANT VOLCANOES. THE POPULATION HAS BEEN ESTIMATED IN 1999 TO BE 35,000 FOLKS ON ST. KITTS AND 9,000 ON NEVIS. MANY OF THESE FOLKS LIVE ABROAD THAN INHABIT ISLAND. MOST OF THE AFRO CARIBBEANS WHO ARE MOSTLY DESCENDANTS OF OF SLAVES WERE IMPORTED TO WORK ON SUGAR PLANTATIONS. OTHERS ARE BRITISH SETTLERS.

THEY MAINLY SPEAK ENGLISH WITH SEVERAL WEST AFRICAN LANGUAGES. ALL SCHOOLS SPEAK ENGLISH. THE NEVISEAN SPEAK ENGLISH. THE NEVIS IS AN OLD LANGUAGE USED AT SOCIAL GATHERINGS. BOTH ISLANDS HAVE TRADITIONAL DANCES, MUSIC, GARB, TALES, AND ARE COMMITTED TO SYMBOLS
THAT ANCHOR CULTURAL IDENTITY. THE ROOTS OF FESTIVALS GO BACK TO THE 17TH CENTURY WHEN THEY WERE ASSOCIATED WITH CHRISTMAS AND MAY DAY.

SLAVERY WAS ABOLISHED IN 1834 AND MANY AFRO-CARIBBEANS WERE SLAVES WHO WORKED ON SUGAR PLANTATIONS. BOTH ISLANDS HAVE TRADITIONAL DANCES, MUSIC, AND A VARIETY OF THEIR FESTIVALS HAVE CELEBRATED IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.

AFRO-CARIBS VILLAGES WERE WELL ESTABLISHED BY 1834 AND MAINTAINED THEIR TRADITIONAL CULTURE WITH A WEB OF SOCIAL RELATIONS. MANY ENGAGE IN AGRICULTURE AND LIVE SIMPLY. RELIGION AND THE ANGELICAN FAITH PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN EDUCATION SO THEY HAVE RESPECT OF THEIR RELIGION AND ELDERS.

BY THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT PROVIDED FREE EDUCATION BUT MOST FOLKS REMAINED IN RELATIVE POVERTY WITH LITTLE WEALTH. VERY FEW HAD ELITE STATUS. WITH HOUSE AND FURNISHED AND OTHER GOODS.

BY THE 1950'S THEY ELIMINATED SUGAR AND COTTON PRODUCTS AND MANY FOLKS MOVED TO THE GREAT BRITAIN AND OTHER COUNTRIES. THUS SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TOOK PLACE IN THE 1960'S WHEN GREAT BRITAIN ESTABLISHED THE ASSOCIATION STATE OF ST. KITTS/NEVE INDEPENDENT IN 1983. ST. KITTS WANTED INDEPENDENCE FROM NEVIS AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT . IN 2010 MORE KITTIANS LIVE ABROAD THAN ARE EMPLOYED IN VARIOUS POSITIONS. FAMILY TIES ARE STRONG AS THEY VISIT HOME FREQUENTLY. YOUNGER ISLANDERS LOOK FORWARD TO COMPLETING EDUCATION ABROAD AND LIVING ELSEWHERE.

BASSETTE IS THE LARGEST CITY IN CITY WITH 18,000 PEOPLE. SOME FOLKS LIVE IN COLONIAL HOUSES
OTHERS IN CONTEMPORARY ARCHITECTURE. SOME HOMES ARE PLANTATION OWNERS, SOME ARE INNS THAT ARE TRANSFORMED INTO INNS FOR TOURISTS. HURRICANES ARE A THREAT.SOME TOWNS HAVE MODEL WOOD FRAME HOUSES. MOST FOLKS OWN CARS VS. MOPEDS. THEY HAVE THEY HAVE GOOD ROADS.

THEIR FOODS ARE OF VARIOUS DISHES THAT BETRAY THEIR OFF ISLAND ORIGINS AND MANY OTHER TRADITIONS. THEY TYPICALLY EAT RICE, BEANS, THEY HAVE GOAT WATER FROM THE MEAT GOATS WITH VARIOUS VEGIS. THEY EAT FISH SERVED IN CURRY AND CRADLE. THEY FRY CHICKEN AND DRINK BEER AND RUM. THEY HAVE A BREWERY HERE.

MOST FOLKS HAVE THEIR OWN GARDEN AND A FEW CHICKENS. PEOPLE ALONG THE COAST IMP0RT GOODS. SUGAR PRODUCTION IS A BIG PART OF THEIR INCOME. BOTH ISLANDS HAVE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, THEY EXPORT; AND SOME CATTLE PRODUCTS. THEY NEED TO IMPORT MANY FOODS. BOTH ISLANDS MAKE ELECTRONICS FOR EXPORT, AS WELL AS BEVERAGES, BEER, AND PLASTICS. THEIR ECONOMY IS MOSTLY TOURISM AND ACCOUNTS FOR 53% OF THEIR REVENUE. MOST OF THE LARGE RESORTS ARE OWNED BY AMERICANS.

THE ISLANDS HAVE DRUG CARTEL AND SMUGGLING. YET THERE IS LITTLE CRIME HERE.

WOMEN HAVE MORE RESPECT ONCE THEY APPROACH MIDDLE AGE. BUT MALES ORIGINALLY HAVE MORE RIGHTS. SOME SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENUERS ARE WOMEN. MANY WOMEN HAD EXTENDED KIN HELPED WITH RAISING CHILDREN AND PROVIDED MATERIAL AND EFFECTIVE NEEDS OF THE CHILDREN WHILE MEN WORKED FARMS. MOST CITIZENS DESCENDED FROM LABOR OF CORN SUGAR. MARRIAGE IS THOUGHT OF AS A SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY. MANY CHILDREN ARE BORN OUT OF WEDLOCK. THE NEWLY WED COUPLES PREFER THEIR OWN HOUSES, MANY HAVE NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO BUY ONE. THEIR CHILDREN ARE TAUGHT TO REPECT THEIR ELDERS AND PARENTS THEIR ETIQUETTE REFLECTS THE CONCEPT OF RESPONSIBILITY, BASED UPON BRITISH NORMS.

RELIGION REMAINS A VERY IMPORTANT INITIATION IN THEIER SOCIETY. IT MAINTAINS COMMUNITY AND REINFORCES WAYS TO RESPECT BEHAVIOR. THEY BELIEVE IN CHRISTIANITY AND OBECK A FARM OF WITCHCRAFT. WHERE A SUPERNATURAL CAN BE HARMED BY ANOTHER PERSON.

THE ISLANDS HAVE GOOD HEALTH CARE AND HOSPITAL. THEY HAVE A CULTURE IN WHICH MUSIC, ARTS, AND CRAFTS AND DRAMA PLAY DOMINAT ROLES. IT HAS PROVEN TO BE A VENUE WHICH NEVISANS CAN EXPOSE THE YOUNG TO REAFFIRM PRIDE IN THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE. THEY HAVE THEATRE GROUP AND SOME CRAFTS-PEOPLE, AND THEY HAVE A MUSEUM.

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