Your Ultimate Guide To Barbados

Village Life in Barbados

For years the people of Barbados have enjoyed a special connection with each other that sees them being familiar with each other despite the distances they live from each other.

Village life in Barbados is no different when it comes to that general kind of connection. The typical village in Barbados comprises of smal wooden houses that are built quite close to each other. One may dare to say that the closeness of these houses within the village setup augured well for keeping villagers in touch with each other's affairs. Whether or not that was a good or bad thing is yet to be determined.

Villages consisted of a population that comprised of men and women who were plantation workers, farmers and possibly artisans. Men were more often than not the bread winners while most women would stay at home and take care of family business.

Villagers usually looked out for each other and made sure that they were each other's keepers. It was not at all unusual for a villager to leave home and tell the neighbour where they are going and possibly what time they will make it back home. This created quite an advantage in the village as it meant that anyone coming into the neighbourhood who doesn't belong there could be dealt with accordingly. Hence the chances of a high crime scenario in these villages years ago was unheard of.

Rum Shops in de Village

What would village life in Barbados be without the rum shop culture? The rum shop not only sold rum but it also sold what can be considered convenient items. These items might very well include rice, sugar, flour, biscuits, salt meat, some tin goods, potatoes, onions, corned beef, cooking oil and other items that shop owners thought would appeal to villagers and save them the hassle of having to trek into Bridgetown.

As in the instance of the years ago stand pipe culture, the rum shop is an ideal place where friends and strangers can come together and discuss just about anything that pleases them. Conversations flow freely and are inclusive of but not limited to cricket, social and political affairs and the latest gossip. Sometimes fights are even known to "break out" at the village rum shop when arguments get too heated.

It is then safe to say that rum shops throughout the villages in Barbados certainly take on the character of the very people that frequent them.