Rising out of the social and economic discontent of Jamaica in the late 1960s, reggae music was like nothing before it. A heady meeting ground where drum, bass and melody alchemised with word, sound and power, reggae — and the Rastafarian religion with which it is inextricably bound — brought a welcome message of political …
A few years ago, Caribbean Beat published an article noting: “Trinidad Carnival is not a spectator sport but a participatory event. Or a series of participatory events.” Among that series of events is the annual Panorama — a music festival and competition that acts as a gauge of steelband player and arranger creativity, dexterity, and …
I intend to have an amazing Carnival 2024. Honestly, I felt as though I wasn’t on my A game in 2023. Not with respect to the music … It’s something I never spoke about because I felt it was just a little too dark. I don’t even know how I got through that. I think …
In almost every Caribbean territory, the carnival season culminates in an explosion of “mas”! Mas itself is the Caribbean term for processional masquerade and revelry “out in the road” at carnival time. And while carnival might be described as a festival of festivals — mas, music, fetes, and more — the term “carnival” is used …
Across the Caribbean, there are awe-inspiring reserves that allow natural ecosystems to thrive. Whether hiking, diving, wildlife watching, or just sitting quietly allowing nature to bring you back in to balance, here are five escapes for your bucket list Codrington Lagoon Antigua & Barbuda Barbuda’s 62 square miles of coral limestone slope from low, gentle …
There’s nothing like the anticipation of preparing to land in your favourite destinations Princess Juliana International Airport, St Maarten (SXM) If you’re heading to this island of two nations — the Dutch Sint Maarten and French Saint-Martin — you’ll probably be landing at SXM, where the runway skirts the Simpson Bay Lagoon. Maho Beach, at …
One of the unexpected pluses of televised international sport is the opportunity it gives to appreciate the world’s many national anthems. These always take place before the action starts, but they’re sometimes more entertaining than what follows. Everyone probably has a favourite. I like (or used to like) Russia’s solemn state anthem — composed in …
The Caribbean has a plastic pollution problem. But, reports Karen McDonald Gayle, community groups have been leading the way to ensure we can continue to enjoy our beautiful bodies of water From rainforest to reef, the Caribbean has a level of biodiversity that defines the region’s history, culture and heritage — and which we often …
Meet the unforgettable Myrl Parker of Scarborough, Tobago “January girls, yes they are the best”, sang Lord Kitchener. Meet Myrl Parker of Scarborough, Tobago. I met her on the Buccoo Boardwalk in 2022, where she was surrounded by friends and family. It was her 70th birthday — but her friends said that’s what she always …
Here are the top 10 Caribbean Beat articles — many from deep in our archives — for 2023 It’s always fascinating for us to look at the statistics for the Caribbean Beat website over a year. And what’s always of particular interest to us is which pieces — both from new issues, and from deep …