Dominica: Island of Culture

Dominica is one of the beautiful islands in the Caribbean. Dominica is largely covered by rainforest and is home to the world's second-largest hot spring called Boiling Lake. The island is volcanic, has many waterfalls, rivers, springs, and sandy beaches. Some plants and animals thought to be extinct can still be found on this island. Because of the volcanic soil, agriculture can easily be planted and harvested because of the rich soil. Most of the crops planted consist of the following: citrus fruits, vegetables, coffee, patchouli, aloe vera, cut flowers, mangoes, guavas, and papayas.

Among the agriculture, waterfalls are a great source of water, and a beautiful sight to look at. Some of the most impressive include: Victoria, Sari Sari, Middleham, Trafalgar, Spanni, and Emerald Pool. 

Dominica’s culture heavily influences the food which the people prepare. Dominica has several fishing villages, which is a reason to expect a lot of seafood incorporated in their meals. In addition to this, because of the crops they grow, there are a lot of vegetables and fruits with their meals. Because of all the animals that are on the island and in the rainforest, Dominica has a lot of frogs. The unspoken national food is “Mountain Chicken”, which is actually fried frog. It actually tastes like chicken!  This is a popular delicacy and eaten often in Dominica, along with all the seafood which are brought into the main area of the island from the fishing villages.

The people of Dominica have a rich history. If you were to step in to Dominica, the first thing you would see a woman wearing is traditional creole attire. Usually, this consists of colorful costumes with a history behind the clothing. On feast days, women attire consists of floor length dresses with bright colors and a design across the hem of lace. As the time passed, lace was replaced with ribbon, and a dress was now a long skirt with a shortened blouse. As time progressed more, patterns and styles changed, but the traditional wear, ideas and meaning remained.

One event that Dominica is well known for celebrating, is Carnival. Carnival is a time where the people of Dominica come out to play, sing, and dance! However, the taking place of Carnival has a deeper meaning, started by the Catholic Europeans in the late 1700s. After the abolition of slavery, the slaves who were then free celebrated in the manner in which they celebrate today, embracing their freedom. Many figures such as the Sensay, Darkies, Bwa-Bwa, and so on. These are all characters played by the people who participate in Carnival, and it wouldn’t be the same without them. There are also events in which the Carnival goers enjoy, such as the Pappy Show Wedding. This is a mockery od a traditional wedding ceremony. The more outrageous the costume, the better the wedding was. This is one of the many events which occur in the fun and colorful Carnival.