Isabel La Negra
Who was Isabel Luberza Oppenheimer, more commonly known as “Isabel la Negra”? As brothel madam and generous philanthropist, in life she was a study in contrasts – both scorned and […]
Category Archives: Islands
Cofresí the Pirate / El Pirata Cofresí
Piracy in the Caribbean declined after 1750, but did not disappear. One pirate in particular, Roberto Cofresí (June 17, 1791 – March 29, 1825), better known as “El Pirata Cofresí“, operated […]
Antigua: Wadadli or Waladli ???
The Virtual Caribbean happened to run across an example of trivia controversy in the island of Antigua: Is the island’s original Amerindian name Wadadli or Waladli? And, does it make […]
Martinique: “French Department. African Soul”
“Though the nationality is European and the official language is French, the deep roots of the Creole culture of Martinique come directly from Africa. Birthplace of the concept of Négritude, […]
Grenada: Island of Spice
Composed of seven islands, Grenada is a Commonwealth on the southern end of the Grenadines, an archipelago of over 600 islands in the Windward or Lesser Antilles. These islands are […]
Suriname: : “Taki-Taki, Maroons, Fireworks and Dancing Funerals”
Q: Do you know what Taki-Taki, Maroons, Fireworks and Dancing Funerals have in common? A: They are all part of Surinamese culture. Interesting Facts about Suriname Taki Taki is the common […]
Puerto Rico: “Wepa, Wepa, Wepa”!
What do you know about Puerto Rico? For instance, if you have Puerto Rican friends, you probably already know that “Wepa” is a word of jubilation, normally yelled out to […]
Guadeloupe – “Island of Beautiful Waters”
“Known to its one-time Carib indian population as “karukera”, or “island of beautiful waters”, the French territory of Guadeloupe is a centre of Caribbean Creole culture. French, African and Caribbean […]
Cricket in Jamaica:
Nothing is more British than an afternoon Cricket game. Yet throughout the West Indies, Cricket has moved beyond its colonial origins and acquired a new Caribbean image. Once a sport […]
Cuba: The Revolution
Depending on how one views history and Fidel Castro, the Cuban Revolution is either a victory over imperialism and capitalist corruption; or, the demise of democratic freedom and the virtual […]
