Bajan Fun Facts

 

 

  • The name ‘Barbados’ is derived from the Bearded Fig Trees once found in abundance on the island.

  • Barbados is 21 miles long and a smile (14 miles) wide!

  • Barbados is the birthplace of Rihanna, who moved to the United States at the age of sixteen to pursue her music career.

  • Barbados was chosen by Tiger Woods as the location for his wedding in 2004.

  • Barbados has always flown only the British Flag, until achieving its independence in 1966.

  • When first settled in 1625, Barbados was found to be almost completely covered in dense jungle, with a very large population of wild pigs.

  • The Capital city, Bridgetown, was originally named “Indian Bridge” for the rude bridge which had been constructed over the river (now known as the Careenage) by the Indians. It was later called the “town of St. Michael” in official documents, before finally being named Bridgetown when a new bridge was built in place of the Indian Bridge, sometime after 1654.

  • Bridgetown and its historic Garrison are a World Heritage Site. Indeed history is all around you on our lovely island – from the historic Parliament Buildings (3rd oldest in the Commonwealth) to the lovely Plantation Great Houses including Sunbury and Nicholas Abbey, where the St. Nicholas Abbey Rum is made.

  • Speaking of rum, did you know that Barbados is the birthplace of rum? While on your Barbados holiday be sure to visit one of the island’s rum distilleries for a tour and a taste!

  • The United Nations Human Development Index (2011) ranked Barbados in the highest bracket “Very High Human Development”, well above the regional average for the Caribbean and Latin America.

  • Visitors highlight the friendliness of Barbadians as the island’s greatest and most pleasing asset. This is reflected in the highest repeat visitor factor in the region of 39%.

  • The first slaves in Barbados were white (known as Indentured Servants); people who, for various reasons, had been deemed enemies of the Crown. This practice was so prevalent during the period 1640 to 1650, that a phrase for punishment was coined “to be Barbadoed”.

  • The Lord Nelson Statue, erected on Bridgetown’s Trafalgar Square on 22nd March 1813, is older than the statue and square of the same name and fame in London. Bridgetown’s Trafalgar Square was renamed National Heroes Square in April 1999, in honor of the national heroes of Barbados.

  • During the period 1841 – 1845, Barbados was considered the healthiest place in the world to live, having 1 death per 66 people, compared to world averages of approximately 1 death per 35 people.

  • People, in times past, traveled from all over the world to Barbados for it’s Healing Qualities. These people were to be immersed totally, with the exception of the head, in the sands of the beaches of Cattlewash in St. Andrew. This treatment was believed to cure many ills. This practice lasted for some years before waning.

  • In 1846, Barbados had on record 491 active Sugar Plantations, with 506 windmills.

  • The national dish of Barbados is Coucou and Flying Fish, which is made with corn meal, okra and flying fish, of course!  It is topped with an aromatic sauce of tomato, onion, chives, thyme, fresh pepper, garlic and other herbs.  The fish can be steamed, battered and fried, or grilled.

  • South Carolina, in the USA, was originally settled by Barbadians, and it’s first Governor was a Barbadian.

  • Bajan Creole is an English-based creole language spoken on the island of Barbados and in the United States coastal regions of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and northeast Florida where it is known as Gullah.

  • LAST but certainly NOT LEAST…..throughout the History of Barbados, it is well known that the Mongoose in Barbados never crosses the road unless someone is watching.