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Discover
the rich cultural tapestry.
Although
named by Columbus, many diverse groups of people
have called the Virgin Islands home. The Arawaks
emigrated from South America over a thousand
years ago, and they were followed by the Caribs,
Africans, and Europeans. Each community has
contributed to the islands, creating the rich
cultural tapestry that is the British Virgin
Islands.
History
is written in the landscape.
Discover
ancient Arawak shell burial mounds on Anegada.
Explore the ruins of sugar mills and plantation
houses on Jost Van Dyke, and at Soper's Hole
on Tortola, look for a trace of the first European
settlement, a Dutch fort built in 1648. On Virgin
Gorda, visit the 19th century Cornish Copper
Mines, and on Guana Island, see the ruins of
a Sugar Mill that reflect the Quaker presence
in the BVI. On Tortola, the ruins of a Great
House mark the spot where William Thornton,
architect of the United States Capitol, once
lived, while on Little Jost Van Dyke the memory
of John Coakley Lettsome, founder of the London
Medical Society, lingers still. The Folk Museum
in Road Town, Tortola and the Anegada Museum
display artefacts from the Indian, plantation,
and slavery eras. Beneath the turquoise waters,
explore the secrets of the wrecks of British
men-of-war and Spanish galleons, and on all
the islands discover how our African legacy
has enriched our customs and traditions.
Catch
the heartbeat of the culture at fairs and festivals.
Our
fungi, calypso, reggae and gospel festivals
are distinctly Caribbean but firmly rooted in
Africa. At hotels, bars, and parks, the lively
beat of fungi, steel pan and calypso celebrates
our heritage. The Easter Festival and the Emancipation
Festival are held every spring and summer, and
during the Christmas Festival, Main Street in
Road Town comes alive with lights and festivities.
At these and other craft fairs held throughout
the year, local artists and artisans display
their amazing work in rattan, terracotta, and
wicker, as well as sculptures, watercolours,
oil paintings, and photography. Our exquisite
cuisine reflects the BVI's location at the crossroads
of the world. Delicious local seafood, fruits,
vegetables, and spices are complimented by European,
African, and Indian influences. Enjoy conch,
whelk, West Indian roti, Johnny cakes, bush
tea, grape-tree wine, exotic rum drinks, and
many other West Indian specialties.
The
British Virgin Islands are overflowing with
stories and secrets. Anegada has its tales of
shipwrecks, Salt Island's history tells of taxes
paid with bags of salt, and on Norman Island
and Deadman's Chest, stories of pirates and
lost treasure abound. Even tiny Marina Cay was
the inspiration for a book and film. This rich
history has made the islands distinct, yet they
all hold something in common - warm, gracious,
friendly people who are happy to share their
folklore and culture with visitors.
Although
Christopher Columbus is often credited with
discovering the Virgin Islands, the first people
to come to these pristine isles, in fact, were
the Amerindians. This pre-historic people, who
originated in the Orinoco Basin in Venezuela,
settled throughout the Windward and Leeward
Islands, migrating via dugout canoe. They arrived
in The British Virgin Islands around 900 BC
and flourished here for well over 1,000 years.
Columbus
came across the Virgin Islands on his second
voyage to the New World in 1493. He named this
bountiful archipelago, Islas Virgines, likening
their untouched beauty to the legend of St.
Ursula and the 11,000 virgins who followed her
to martyrdom. Columbus' sights though, were
on the larger islands of Puerto
Rico and Hispaniola where he hoped to find
gold. The Virgin Islands remained untouched
for over 100 years . . . or at least until its
many sheltered coves were discovered by the
pirates and privateers of the 17th and 18th
centuries. Some of the era's most famous scallywags
are reputed to have launched their raids from
the BVI's shores, including Black Beard, Norman
and Jost Van Dyke. Several of the islands here,
including Norman, Jost Van Dyke and Great and
Little Thatch, are named after these legendary
characters.
The
first European settlers arrived in the mid-17th
century. All indications suggest that there
was no serious Spanish settlement in the islands.
There is evidence to suggest however, that there
may have been a Spanish emplacement to protect
their Copper Mine interests on Virgin Gorda.
A hardy group of Dutchmen are believed to have
constructed a fort at the West End of Tortola,
but their stay here was short-lived as well.
They were soon replaced by British settlers,
and in 1672, the BVI was annexed by Britain
and administered by the Government of the Leeward
Islands. Although the islands' hillsides were
steep and rocky, the English quickly set up
plantations to grow cotton and sugar. Sugar
eventually became king and by the end of the
18th century, sugar, molasses and rum were the
BVI's main exports.
In
1834, the emancipation of slaves in the British
West Indies, a hurricane and a series of bad
economic years put an end to the plantation
system in the BVI. By the mid-1800s, the plantation
holdings were sold to the islands' former slaves,
who turned to fishing and farming as a way of
life. Over the next century, the territory was
administered by a British governor and the people
had little say in the running of their own affairs.
Although there were intermittent calls for greater
local autonomy, it was not until 1950 that the
people's voices were heard and a permanent Legislative
Council was established. In 1966 a new constitution
was implemented.
Today,
the BVI government is comprised of a Legislative
Council of elected at-large and district representatives,
and an Executive Council formed from the majority
government. This territorial government is headed
by a Chief Minister chosen by the members of
the majority party. A British Governor is appointed
by the Queen and acts as her representative
here.
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