Afro-Saint Lucians
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Saint Lucian Creole French | |
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Christianity, Kélé | |
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Afro-Saint Lucians or West African-Saint Lucians, are Saint Lucians whose ancestry lies within the West and Central Africa. However, many Afro-Saint Lucians also have small amounts of non-African ancestry such as Arawak, Carib, European and Indian. [citation needed]
As of 2013, people of West and Central African descent are the majority in Saint Lucia, accounting for 82.5% of the country's population. An additional 11.9% of the country is multiracial, predominantly of Afro-European descent (mixture of various West and Central African ethnic groups and European groups) and Afro-Indian descent (mixture of African and Indian/South Asian).[1]
Origins
Consequently, the slave population, diverse but distinct, is shaped over the course of two centuries by Senegambian slaves (including slaves from the Malian hinterland,
Between 1600 and 1700, most of the slaves, as noted, came from Senegambia. These slaves were mainly used as servants. Meanwhile, Ewe and Fon slaves, from the Slave Coast, exerted as rural slaves[3]
The ethno-linguistic dominance of specific groups in certain areas of work, had a great importance in the origin of Creole identity [3]
History
In 1763, when the British acquired the island by the Treaty of Paris, they imported enslaved Africans as workers. Caribbean conditions were harsh, and many African slaves, like the Caribs (also used as slaves in the island), died, requiring continued importation of new captives. The British continued to import slaves until they abolished the trade in 1808. By that time, people of ethnic African and less so Carib descent greatly outnumbered those of ethnic European background.[citation needed]
On 21 February 1795, an army of French and African freedom fighters led by Goyrand defeated a battalion of British troops. For the next four months, a united front of recently freed slaves and freedom fighters known as the Brigands (also ex-slaves, who instigated revolt across the region) forced out not only the British army, but many of the slaveholders who had been loyal to the British. Just under a year later, the British Army returned, with many more troops than the freedom fighters could manage, and eventually re-imposed slavery until 1807, when the
In 1814, the British regained control of the island, many of those freed had escaped into the thick rain forests.[7]
Even after abolition, all former slaves had to serve a four-year "apprenticeship" which forced them to work for free for their former masters for at least three-quarters of the work week. They achieved full freedom in 1838.[citation needed]
Demography and culture
The culture of Saint Lucia has been influenced by African, Arawak, Carib, East Indian, French and British heritage. One of the secondary languages is a Creole, a form of French patois.[8][9]
Languages
The official language is English;
Music
The Bèlè music type, characteristic of Saint Lucia, Dominica and Martinique is probably of Dahomeyan origin.[12]
Cuisine
The island's cuisine is a unique blend of Indigenous Carib, African, European (mainly British and French) and East Indian cuisine; this creates dynamic meal dishes such as
See also
- Indo-Saint Lucian
References and footnotes
- ^ a b "CIA - The World Factbook -- Saint Lucia". CIA. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
- ^ "St. Lucia: Historical, Statistical, and Descriptive : Henry Hegart Breen : Free Download & Streaming : Internet Archive". Archive.org. Retrieved 2016-01-11.
- ^ a b c d "St. Lucian Kwéyòl on Saint Croix". Cambridgescholars.com. Archived from the original on 2014-10-16. Retrieved 2016-01-11.
- ^ "YouTube". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-01-11.
- ISBN 9042009284. Retrieved 2016-01-11.
- ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ They Called Us the Brigands. The Saga of St. Lucia's Freedom Fighters by Robert J Devaux
- ^ a b "About St. Lucia". Castries, St. Lucia: St. Lucis Tourist Board. Archived from the original on 2013-06-05. Retrieved 2011-11-11.
- ^ a b Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (U.S. Department of State) (12 August 2011). "Background Note: Saint Lucia". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2011-11-11.
Languages: English (official); a French patois is common throughout the country.
- ^ "Kweyolphone Countries Take Stock of the Language's Growth". Government of Saint Lucia. Archived from the original on 2012-04-02. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
- ^ "Welcome to the International Organisation of La Francophonie's official website". Paris: Organisation internationale de la Francophonie. Archived from the original on 2010-11-04. Retrieved 2011-11-11.
- ^ "Musique". Habitation-sucrerie.fr. Archived from the original on 2016-02-24. Retrieved 2016-01-11.