Your Ultimate Guide To Barbados

Stick Licking

Stick licking originated in Africa and when practiced in Barbados, involves a straight fire-hardened stick that is made from a hardwood such as that of the guava tree.

This ancient martial art was practiced as a means of self-defense and later developed into a sport.

Stick Licking Contests

Stick licking contests are called seitus. These contests in Barbados were held on Saturdays and even Bank Holidays but rarely known to be held on a Sundays.

To this day, stick licking contests are still quite prevalent at Crop Over Festivities such as Bridgetown Market.

Decline in Stick Licking

Stick licking declined in the 1940s and some believe that the introduction of firearms to Barbados might have been the possible cause for such a decline. Others believe that based on the fact that the sport of boxing started to show its head, was also responsible for the lack of interest on the parts of many Barbadians.

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