THERE WAS a moment in Barbados when a gentle blue wave met the white sand beneath me, taking the seashells below. A once bright sky slowly dimmed to yellow, then pink and orange; mosaic of colours between the palm trees in the distance.

I could still hear splashes and excited voices of people just yards from me, locals because of the small distinct pangs in which their words drifted off. At that moment, I knew I was home.

My journey to Barbados, one of the country’s of my heritage, was shrouded in not only heightened anticipation but also the cultural significance of returning during the season of carnival.

My stay on the island began in the parish of Christchurch at the Abidah by Accra Hotel. Located on the south-coast, it boasted a luxurious, adult-only accommodation with views overlooking the blue waters of Enterprise Bay. 

It was just a few minutes walk from the popular fishing village of Oistins where their Friday Night Fish-Fry of lobster, dolphin (or Maui Maui) and of course fish is a legendary staple of the island. 

Off to the Races

Not far from there, I attended the Barbados Derby at the Garrison Savannah, St. Michael. Along with the national sport of cricket, any true sports fan would hail horse racing as a focal point of activities on the island. With you’re a betting man (or woman), a day at the races offers so much more for all the family including parades, picnics and street food vendors. For fans there is the option to view the day’s race in their vast stalls, but others can choose to opt in to bask in their exclusive members lounge or boxes which boasts a bar and picturesque views of the race course.

A vibrant and colourful culture found in carnival, music and cuisine is what Barbados is famed for. Amid this is the popular dance move called, Wuk-Up, better known as “working up your waistline” which has roots in Sub-Saharan Africa. 

Wuking-Up

The dance move is said to be different from a whine as it focuses on the isolation of the limbs and movement of the hips through the waistline. In preparation for the road, we met at the PowerHouse Studios for our very own Wuk-Up workshop led by dancer and choreographer Sim Simma. 

There, I was put through my paces with some key moves to some of the biggest soca hits. To Wuk-Up in true carnival spirit, it could be a solo mission, partnered or even on all fours! Despite the choreography, the essence of Wuking-Up is to simply feel the beat and go where your waistline takes you. 

Cool Runnings

Looking out onto crystal blue waters with a mimosa in hand is probably what many travel to Barbados for, but those that dare to venture beyond the white sand beaches are sure to find a new side to the tropical island. Cool Runnings, Catamaran Cruises has been voted 2nd Most Popular Attraction by the globally recognised Zagat Survey as “the Rolls-Royce of catamaran excursions” in Barbados.

Setting sail on their lunch or sunset cruise offers unlimited food and drinks as well as the chance to take a swim. If you’re not a seasoned swimmer like me, the crew supplies you with life vests with great diving points around the boat.

For me, the highlight was being able to be in the ocean again which took me right back to my first trip to the island. There’s also room for a spot of snorkelling to see some of the sea turtles exotic fishes that call the water home. Cool Runnings, Catamaran Cruises are for great views of the surrounding area with different stops throughout your tour, but also there’s still time to relax for the sunbathers amongst your group. 

@coolrunningsbarbados

Soca Forever

Crop Over season runs from July 1st right until Kadooment Day as so in true Bajan fashion, the island is busy and booming with soca anthems in the build up to the long road. In Bridgetown, Barbados hosted the ultimate beach party Lifted where party-goers can Wuk-Up the night away on warm sandy beaches. The night offered some of the best soca hits on the island, but also throughout the Caribbean with DJs such as Private Ryan and Jus-Jay keeping the soca energy high. What stood out to me was the ode to the music of the Black diaspora as they played classics from Nigeria’s Afrobeat to South Africa’s Amapiano. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on a VIP ticket also, you’ll be treated to exclusive access to a private bar and sitting area. It wouldn’t be a beach party also if you didn’t try the regular shisha on offer.

@liftedeventsbarbados

The sun truly never sets in Barbados – at least it does not feel like it! At Bellevue Plantation, one of the very first plantations on the island and built in 1735, welcomed hundreds across 100 acres to the Mimosa Premium Breakfast Party. Don’t let the sunrise fool you, in thinking that the party’s over as you have an array of drinks on offer, accompanied with soca music and of course breakfast offering one of the island’s delicacies, Bajan pancakes.

@mimosaexperience

Into the Barbados Night 

What many in the Caribbean know as J’vouert, is known as Foreday in Barbados. Dubbed the night parade, it’s a street party that can see up to thousands party from the early hours of the night until sunrise. My first Foreday morning fete experience was with Native Caribbean, where we were given our very own shirts to wear amid what would be alot of paint! Foreday is arguably the biggest party to be at before hitting the road and the biggest sign there is that Crop Over season is in town. But don’t let the lack of sun and bedtime hours mislead you! Foreday was packed with travelling soca music and overflowing rum punch, wuking-up where the beat and night took you. We really did party until the sun came up and if you’re ready to embrace the true spirit of Crop Over then Foreday morning is a fete you can’t sleep in on. 

@nativecaribbean

Grand Kadooment

The morning of Grand Kadooment has a different kind of energy in the air. This day is what the Crop Over season is all about and everything before then was in preparation for the road. My Trinidadian side had always thought as masqueraders we would be traditionally “playing mas,” but in Barbados when thousands take to the streets it’s known locally as “jumping”.

It was my very first carnival parade, but to have the opportunity to jump in the Caribbean itself was a special moment for me knowing the history of carnival. I took to the road with Zulu International which is one of the biggest mas bands in Barbados that has even caught the attention of Rihanna. They are known for their whimsical and fantasy-like designs across four sections inspired by Greek mythology. I jumped with their Demeter section, known as the Goddess of agriculture, fertility, and the harvest. 

On the road, soca music could be heard for miles and where learning to Wuk-Up just days earlier was put to the test. I was able to see the best of the Bajan spirit too. From the locals that took to line the roads to hype you up, to ensuring you never went too long without a refill of rum either.

Being on the road, it took me through the neighbourhoods of Barbados, where someone to wuk-up with or to keep energies high was never far. Grand Kadooment was a dream, amid the flowing feathers and glowing crystals that make up the glamour of carnival, it was knowing I was walking in the spirit and to the beat of my ancestors which made the road even more special.

@zululinternational

My time in Barbados was magical and returning to the place of my heritage after so long felt surreal. I saw moments of what I knew growing up from the macaroni pie and Bajan pepper sauce for dinner to suddenly remembering how to play dominoes by the beach. It was the pink, orange and yellow sunsets by the beach, the hello from the local walking by and the way of life that made it seem that everything would be alright.

On my last day at the Abidah by Accra Hotel, I said my farewells to the kind staff that made Barbados home to me for the week and that my Monday morning work day away from paradise was pending.

“You have to stay,” said one of them. “You’re a Bajan now.” 

What is Crop Over?

Crop Over season begins on July 1st every year in Barbados and is traditionally marked by blessing the harvest that have strong Afro-Caribbean origins. The island is known for their vast sugar plantations during the slave trade that enslaved people spent gruelling hours working on. At the end of the harvest, what many call “crop over,” they would mimic their slave owners with the traditions from their African heritage that they held onto through costume, dance, folk characters and music.

Nowadays, the festival has distinct Bajan roots with soca often heard as an anthem to festival goers, but they also embrace the sounds of the island such as calypso, raggoscoa and bashment soca. The strong and rhythmic beats are homage to Barbados’ links to Africa. 

End of Crop Over is marked by Kadooment Day, a Bajan term which means a “big occasion filled with fun and merriment”. This day is when hundreds of masqueraders take to the road, reminiscent of the folklore of their ancestors on the Mighty Gryner Highway behind music trucks that lead the way in true Crop Over spirit and endless energy. 

What is known to many Bajans as the “bacchanal” is a reminder of the pain of slavery to the joyous occasion that is Crop Over that is embraced by locals and visitors the world over. 

With special thanks to Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc. and Visit Barbados