St Kitts has an extremely rich history, and this has played a large part in forming the culture of the island. Much of the culture here has grown around the West African traditions of the slave populations who were brought to the island during the colonial rule of the French and British.
During this time the British also brought in Irish servants. The native population was the Caribs, who were skilled warriors, and they fought many battles with the colonists, but in 1782 the British gained control of both St Kitts and Nevis, and they retained this control until the islands were granted their independence in 1983.
This influence means that English is widely spoken here, while some islanders speak an English influenced Creole. Other influences come from the French and the Irish.
Many of the people on the island are deeply religious, and although some are Christians, others are Rastafarians or follow the Bahai faith. At one time there was a Jewish population here as there is an old Jewish cemetery, but nowadays there is no significant Jewish community.
Much of the culture on St Kitts is very vibrant and festive, and carnivals have an important role to play in island life. The largest carnival takes place over Christmas, and mid-December marks the opening gala with the events and festivities continuing into the New Year.
Carnival traditions include the Junior Calypso show, the National Carnival Queen Pageant and Miss Caribbean Talented Teen Pageant. However none of these have the history of the Masquerade, which has been evolving over the past three centuries and is a mix of European and African traditions.
The dances are a mix of European and African cultures, and the costumes are extremely colourful. It is worth learning a little bit about the history of St Kitts, as it is a very useful background in learning about the culture and tradition of this beautiful Caribbean island.
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