St.Lucia

History of St. Lucia

Known as the Helen of the West, this 238.23 sq mi picturesque destination is our second feature. St. Lucia was first settled by Arawak Indians around 200 A.D., though by 800 their culture had been superseded by that of the Caribs. These early Amerindian cultures called the island "Iouanalao" and "Hewanorra," meaning "Island of the Iguanas." There was no European presence established on the island until its settlement in the 1550s by the notorious buccaneer Francois le Clerc, a.k.a. Jambe de Bois, or Wooden Leg. Peg-Leg le Clerc set up a fine little base on Pigeon Island, from whence he issued forth to prey upon unwitting and treasure-laden Spanish galleons. Around 1600, the Dutch arrived, establishing a fortified base at Vieux Fort. The first attempt at colonization occurred just a few years later, in 1605. An unfortunate party of English colonists, headed to Guyana on the good ship Olive Branch, landed on St. Lucia after having been blown off course. After a month, the party had been reduced to only nineteen, and those were soon forced to flee from the Caribs in a canoe. A few decades later, in 1639, a second party of English colonists under Sir Thomas Warner also failed in their settlement attempt.

By mid-century the French had arrived and had even "purchased" the island for the French West India Company. The persevering British were less than enchanted with this idea, and Anglo-French rivalry for the island continued for more than a century and a half. The island's first settlements and towns were all French, beginning with Soufriere in 1746. By 1780, twelve settlements and many sugar plantations had been established. Two years earlier, the British launched their first invasion effort at the "Battle of Cul de Sac." By 1814, after a prolonged series of enormously destructive battles (7 times British, 7 times French), the island was finally theirs. Over the next century St. Lucia settled into the stable democracy and multicultural society that it is today. The country remained under the British crown until it became independent within the British Commonwealth in 1979. Despite the length of British rule, the island's French cultural legacy is still evident in its Creole dialect.

Language

Most St.Lucians are bilingual as they speak English and French Creole. This is as a result of their history. Their French Creole is similar to that spoken in Haiti and Dominica. Famous St.Lucian sayings include:

·         Hesalop- An expression to exclaim excitement or surprise. Usually used at a cricket game or if someone falls

·         Salop- dirty, nasty

·         Kabawé; ''Kah - Bah - Way'' - Patwois name for ''Rum Shop''

·         Bava; ''Bah - Vah'' - A patwois term for someone who is all talk and no action.

·         Choops; ''Ch - oops'' - a sound made with the mouth of most Caribbean and African persons to express disgust or disapproval.

·         Grine; - Sensual dancing, most times between a man and woman in which the woman grinds her buttocks upon his crotch in rhythm to the music

·         Oye; "Oh - Yee" - A word used to call out an individual or group, most times to catch attention. It is the equivalent of saying 'hey' when shouting out a person.

·         Bomb; "Bom"- Another word for prostitution

·         Boujwa; "Boo - Juh - Wah"- A high class individual with many expensive possessions

·         Chookoolooks; '' Chou - kou - looks '' - The lucian equivalent to ''bae''

Currency

St.Lucia uses the Eastern Caribbean Dollar which is equivalent to  $1 USD =$2.70/ $2.50/ $2.67 ECD  which depends on where it is changed. US dollars are accepted island-wide and most stores and restaurants accept major credit cards and traveller's cheques.

Weather

There are two main seasons- the dry season (during the northern hemisphere winter and spring) when the temperatures are a bit cooler and we experience less rain, and the wet season (during the northern hemisphere summer and autumn) when days are likely to be warmer and we expect higher rainfall. However, the seasons have become unpredictable as it rains during the dry season and vice versa.

Transportation

There are two types of transportation available. There are public buses which price varies based on distance and taxis. Taking a public transport gives an authentic St.Lucian experience as you get to interact with the locals and see the island from their perspective. However, be careful as tourists are often overcharged not only on transportation but in general.

Places to Visit

Here is a list of places to visit:

•         Sulphur Springs Park
•          Gros Piton Nature Trail
•         Tet Paul Nature Trail
•      Pigeon Island National Landmark
•          Piton Waterfalls
•         New Jerusalem Mineral Baths
•      Diamond Botanical Gardens
•         Gros Islet Friday Night
•          Marigot Bay
•          Mamiku Gardens
•          Rainforest adventures/treetop adventures

NB: There are many other beautiful places to visit and eat at. Be on the lookout for individual blog posts on them.