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Culture[edit]

Main article: Culture of Antigua and Barbuda
Antigua Carnival
Typical Antiguan homes in Saint Mary
Typical Barbudan homes in Codrington

The music of Antigua and Barbuda has a primarily African character, with minimal influence from European music.[1] The first known records of music in Antigua and Barbuda dates back to Christopher Columbus' discovery of the island nation in 1493, when it was still home to Arawak and Carib people. Still, very little research has been done on early music from the islands. African labourers are documented in history to have danced outside in the 1780s to the toombah (later tum tum), a drum adorned with tin and shell jingles, and the banjar (later bangoe, maybe related to the banjo).[2] Antigua's indigenous music, known as Benna, came into being after slavery was abolished. Benna uses a call-and-response format, and its audience is typically interested in obscene gossip and rumours. Benna was widely utilised as a popular communication tool by the beginning of the 20th century, disseminating information around the island.[2][3]

The art of Antigua and Barbuda began with the Arawak people. Their artwork included pictographs and petroglyphs. These geometric shapes, animals, and plant artworks are said to have been used for ceremonial or religious purposes. Painting, sculpture, and ceramics were among the artistic traditions that European settlers brought to Antigua and Barbuda. Local painters used European art forms to produce Antiguan and Barbudan art in their own unique styles. Social issues, nature, and Caribbean identity were the subjects of this artwork.[4] Traditional crafts from Antigua and Barbuda include scrimshaw, pottery, sculptures, ethnic dolls, and photography.[5]

Every year, on the island of Antigua, people celebrate their freedom from slavery with the Antigua Carnival. Over thirteen days, there are brightly coloured costumes, talent events, beauty pageants and music. The celebration runs from late July to Carnival Tuesday, the first Tuesday in August. On the island, Carnival Tuesday and Monday are both observed as public holidays. In an effort to boost travel to Antigua and Barbuda, the Old Time Christmas Festival was replaced in 1957 by the Antiguan Carnival.[6][7][8] Another annual festival held in Antigua is Antigua Sailing Week. Sailing Week is a week-long yacht regatta held in the waters of English Harbour. Sailing Week was founded in 1967 and is known for being one of the top regattas in the world.[9][10] The main festival held in Barbuda is Caribana. Caribana takes place every year during Whit Monday weekend[11] and features various pageants, calypso competitions, and weekend beach parties.[12]

Antigua and Barbuda has eleven public holidays.[11] On the advice of the Cabinet, the Governor-General may also proclaim other holidays.[13] Historically, about three weeks before Christmas Day, carol singers would roam the various villages, carrying carol trees and lanterns. "John Bulls" are replicas of "masked African witch doctors", that often dominated the country's Christmas festivities. Jazz bands were also common sights, dressed in red and green clown costumes.[14]

Cuisine[edit]

Main article: Cuisine of Antigua and Barbuda

Fungee (pronounced "foon-jee") and pepperpot are the national dishes. Fungee is a cornmeal-based dish that resembles Italian polenta.[15] Other regional cuisines include saltfish, lobster (from Barbuda), ducana, and seasoned rice. Additionally, there are regional confections such peanut brittle, sugar cake, fudge, and raspberry and tamarind stew. The Antigua black pineapple is prized for its juicy, sweet flesh, which is claimed to taste different from other pineapple kinds. It is a well-liked fruit in the area and is included into many regional specialties and sweets. It is said to be the sweetest variety of pineapple.[16][17]

An important part of the Antiguan and Barbudan breakfast is Antigua Sunday bread. It is sold in many bakeries on both islands, and instead of being made with butter, it is made with lard. There are often decorative twists on the crust of the bread.[18][19] Antiguan raisin buns, often called "bun and cheese", is another traditional bread, which is sweet and most popular during Easter. It is sometimes made with spices such as nutmeg.[20]

Sport[edit]

The Antigua Recreation Ground, the national stadium
The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Saint George

Cricket is the most popular sport within the islands. With Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards KNH OBE OOC who represented the West Indies cricket team between 1974 and 1991, Antigua had one of the world's most famous batsmen ever.[21][22] The Antigua and Barbuda national cricket team represented the country at the 1998 Commonwealth Games, but Antiguan cricketers otherwise play for the Leeward Islands cricket team in domestic matches and the West Indies cricket team internationally. Teams from the various villages and parishes compete in the Parish League.[23]

Association football is the second most popular sport in the country,[24] with the Antigua and Barbuda national football team being founded in 1928.[25]

  1. ^ McDaniel, pp. 798-800
  2. ^ a b Luffman, John (1788). A Brief Account of the Island of Antigua. London. cited in McDaniel, pp 798-800
  3. ^ Antigua and Barbuda's Cultural Heritage Archived 2005-10-26 at the Wayback Machine and McDaniel, pp 798-800
  4. ^ "A' Design Award and Competition - Design Encyclopedia - History Of Art In Antigua And Barbuda". competition.adesignaward.com. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
  5. ^ "Antigua and Barbuda / Pressroom". www.antigua-barbuda.org. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
  6. ^ "History of Antigua's Carnival". Antigua's Carnival | Antigua Barbuda Festivals Commission. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  7. ^ "Antigua's Carnival". Visit Antigua & Barbuda. 2018-09-17. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  8. ^ "8 of the best Caribbean carnivals". Travel. 2023-07-14. Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  9. ^ Beckett, Luisa. Yachting Escapes: The Caribbean. The Escapes Group ltd. p. 50. ISBN 978-1-60643-795-7. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  10. ^ Vaitilingam, Adam (31 January 2002). The Rough Guide to Antigua and Barbuda. Rough Guides. p. 129. ISBN 978-1-85828-715-7. Retrieved 24 March 2012.
  11. ^ a b "Antigua and Barbuda Public Holidays". ab.gov.ag. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  12. ^ "the barbudaful community". Barbudaful. Retrieved 2023-07-22.
  13. ^ "Public Holidays Act" (PDF).
  14. ^ "ANTIGUA & BARBUDA'S CULTURAL HERITAGE". antiguahistory.net. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  15. ^ "Antigua & Barbuda National Dish & Recipe." Archived October 13, 2010, at the Wayback Machine Recipeisland.com. Accessed July 2011.
  16. ^ "Antigua Black Pineapple | Local Pineapple From Antigua and Barbuda". www.tasteatlas.com. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  17. ^ "The Antigua Black Pineapple: An Island Treasure | Sandals Blog". Hello Paradise - The Official Sandals Resorts Travel & Lifestyle Blog. 2019-01-02. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  18. ^ admin (2016-06-01). "Antigua Sunday Bread". Cooking Sense Magazine. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  19. ^ "Antigua's traditional bread shops struggle amid food price hikes". BBC News. 2022-09-03. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  20. ^ ChainBaker (2021-05-02). "Antiguan Raisin Buns, Unique Bun & Cheese Recipe". ChainBaker. Retrieved 2023-02-05.
  21. ^ "Viv Richards was a complete genius: Imran Khan". Dawn. Pakistan. 2 April 2011. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  22. ^ Featured Columnist (13 November 2013). "The ICC Ranking System's Top 10 Batsmen in ODI Cricket History". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 7 August 2014.
  23. ^ "ACB Antigua Parish League". Cricket268. 2024-01-20. Retrieved 2024-06-24.
  24. ^ "Antigua & Barbuda taking small steps towards respectability | World Soccer". worldsoccer.com. Archived from the original on 2014-03-24. Retrieved 2014-03-25.
  25. ^ "ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA". Concacaf. 2021-03-07. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
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