Culture of Montserrat
Montserrat
Culture Name
Montserratian
Orientation
Identification.
Before 1995, this pear-shaped island had a population of about ten
thousand and was lush, green, mountainous, isolated, and unspoiled. There
are three green-clad mountain ranges and the island is edged by largely
black sand beaches. Much of the land is fertile with a healthy tropical
Location and Geography.
Montserrat, covering 39.5 square miles (63.7 square kilometers), is a
British Crown colony between Nevis and Guadeloupe. Christopher Columbus
gave this Caribbean island its name. On his second voyage, Columbus
noticed that the island resembled the land around the Spanish abbey of
Santa Maria de Montserrati.
Montserrat occupies a region of the earth's crust that is
geologically unstable, with volcanic activity and earthquakes an ever
present reality. Hurricanes and other natural disasters have long plagued
this otherwise idyllic "Emerald Isle" of the Caribbean.
Economic issues and ecological necessity remain persistent features of the
national culture and values. Although many people are impressed with the
individuality of the island, Montserrat is a country looking for a
national identity.
Demography.
Montserrat has for some time been considering independence from Great
Britain. It has a unique blend of Anglo-Irish and African cultures and
thus is an example of a fairly successful blend of two very different
cultures and races. Until recently, national self-image was a hot topic as
a result of extensive outmigration. After Hurricane Hugo in 1989, the
population dropped from 11,500 to slightly less than 10,000 people. After
1995, volcanic eruptions halved that number.
Linguistic Affiliation.
The official language is English, but a dialect is widely spoken on
informal occasions. Monserratians tend to use standard English in formal
contexts and creole English in informal contexts.
Symbolism.
The national emblem is a carved Irish shamrock adorning Government House,
and the island's flag and crest show a woman with a cross and harp.
Other cultural survivals, such as a value systems, codes of etiquette,
musical styles, and an Irish recipe for the national dish called
"goat water" stew, are considerably more problematic as
cultural legacies.
History and Ethnic Relations
Emergence of the Nation.
Very little is known of the early history of Montserrat. The aboriginal
population probably was made up of Arawak Indians who were killed off by
Carib Indians by the time of Columbus's voyage in 1494. The Caribs
left the island by the middle of the seventeenth century but continued to
raid it. They named the island
Alliouagana
("Land of the Prickly Bush"), perhaps after the aloe plant.
Montserrat is often referred to as "the Emerald Isle of the
West" because the Irish figured prominently in its early history.
Montserrat was first settled in 1632 by a British contingent from the
mother colony of Saint Kitts. Although the original colonists were English
and Irish, Montserrat quickly became a haven for Irish Catholics escaping
from religious persecution. The Irish first came as indentured servants
and later as slaves to work in the plantation system.
Later, Catholic refugees from Virginia came to escape from religious
persecution. By 1648, there were one thousand Irish families on the
island. The French occupied the country between 1644 and 1782 but ceded it
to Britain in 1783.
Montserrat
In 1649, Cromwell sent political prisoners to Montserrat, increasing the
population and helping to preserve its Irish character.
National Identity.
Irish cultural retentions are largely symbolic. Some claim that
modern-day Montserratians have an Irish brogue, but linguistic evidence is
not conclusive. Irish names abound, and the phenotype of the inhabitants
seems "lighter" than it is in other Afro-Caribbean
countries. Most of the inhabitants appear to be of an African heritage.
The national emblem is a carved Irish shamrock adorning Government House,
and the island's flag and crest show a woman with a cross and harp.
Other cultural survivals, such as a value systems, codes of etiquette,
musical styles, and an Irish recipe for the national dish called
"goat water" stew, are considerably more problematic as
cultural legacies.
Montserrat's luxuriant vegetation, emerald hills, and fern-covered
ravines have given it a striking resemblance to Ireland, and its history
has left ruins of the plantation period as well as colorful houses in the
capital city of Plymouth. However, the contemporary culture is
pan-Caribbean with a heavy overlay of African and Anglo-Irish elements.
Sugar and slaves eventually changed both the economy and the culture. In
the seventeenth century, after tobacco production waned, Montserrat
developed into a typical plantation colony. The date of the arrival of the
first slaves (1651) corresponded roughly with the start of the sugar
industry. Slaves quickly outnumbered Irish indentured servants, and
eventually there were more blacks than whites.
By 1705, a planter class, based on slave labor and sugar, was fully
established. The planter class attempted to control and coerce the blacks,
leading to several rebellions, including the Saint Patrick's Day
rebellion of 17 March 1768.
Sugar fortunes began to disappear toward the end of the eighteenth
century. Earthquakes, droughts, hurricanes, French raids, and the loss of
slave labor after emancipation (1834) combined to end the
"plantocracy." Cotton supported the economy until the 1960s,
when tourism and an elaborate real estate construction scheme were
instituted.
Montserrat has become an emigration society, with remittances being
important sources of revenue. The recent volcanic eruptions have made
Montserrat dependent on Britain for its survival.
Urbanism, Architecture, and the Use of Space
Some islanders are sensitive about the size of Montserrat. Its size of
30,000 acres, of which almost two-thirds are mountainous and barren,
coupled with the recent economic and ecological crises, has created an
"economics of scale." The industrial and commercial
potential has been hampered by low population growth, mountainous terrain,
poor air access, the high cost of energy, and a limited infrastructure.
Choked by conditions of underdevelopment and poverty, nationalism is a
sentiment held by a relatively small segment of the population. Lacking in
this national self-image are emotionally charged symbols such as flag
waving. Rather than chauvinistic political rhetoric, one is more likely to
hear references to an unspoiled landscape, satisfaction with the customs
and lifestyle, and sentiments of security derived from the safety of a
home isolated from the rapidly changing world.
Food and Economy
Food in Daily Life.
Native-grown breadfruit, mango, soursop, pawpaw, and cashews are regarded
by some locals as less desirable food.
Basic Economy.
Agriculture has not supported the population. To foster tourism, the
government decided to avoid high-rise hotels
instead, Montserrat was to be a model of "the way
A woman walks along a narrow street in the town of Plymouth.
the Caribbean used to be." In the 1960s, Montserrat embarked on a
tourist venture called "residential tourism." In a country
where 90 percent of the citizens are black, white North Americans and
Europeans were encouraged to settle in a restricted part of the island as
permanent or part-time residents. The result has been a concentration of
prosperous white foreigners living in villas by the sea, with multiple
servants and imported amenities.
Another economic factor was the establishment of an offshore medical
school that catered to North Americans, mostly from the United States.
Montserrat was a regional media center, broadcasting to the entire
Antillean region. The most famous of the foreign studios, however, pulled
out after the last hurricane.
Montserrat's agricultural history has been marked with repeated
the island has been plagued with charges of international
and the trade deficit has been balanced only by overseas
remittances and capital from foreign expatriates. When Hurricane Hugo
struck in 1989, aid for reconstruction was provided by the United Kingdom.
Major Industries.
The economy is based mainly on agriculture, real estate, building
construction, tourism, and assembling industries. There is little
manufacturing activity. There was, until the volcanic eruptions, an
exp and the island was beginning to build an
integrated cotton industry (sea island cotton), although the island lacks
the technology to handle large volumes of cotton. The off-shore medical
school had to move to another island after the recent natural disaster.
The government had plans of reviving farming, creating a tourist
industry, and supporting a real estate-and-home- but
Montserrat has been for many years marginal in relation to overseas
markets, compounded by a series of natural disasters to the island.
Social Stratification
Classes and Castes.
The pattern of social stratification that emerged after the slavery
period remains relatively unaltered. Lower classes predominate in this
The upper class includes resident owners and managers of the larger
estates, expatriate colonial officials, professionals, religious leaders,
bank managers, and larger merchants. Most are white or light-skinned.
There are no poor whites. The upper classes generally live and work in the
capital city of Plymouth, speak English, and adhere to legal forms
A fisherman untangles his net from his boat on the beach at
Carr's Bay.
of marriage and a nuclear form of the family. They belong to the
Anglican, Methodist, and Roman Catholic denominations.
The middle class consists of salaried employees or civil servants who work
for the post office, hospitals, courts, or the police department. This is
the class that aims for secondary schooling. With increased educational
opportunities, there is a growing middle class, which tends to use
"standard" English in formal contexts, and creole English in
others. Many of these households employ at least one domestic servant.
Mostly Anglican, Methodist, or Roman Catholic, this is the class most
anxious about appropriate behavior. There is an emerging professional
The lower classes are primarily black and are characterized by sporadic
employment, with many people dependent on remittances. Virtually all live
outside Plymouth. Migration was predominantly a lower-class phenomenon
before the 1995 evacuations. Most of the members of this class follow
Pentecostal faiths. Relationship patterns perhaps represent the greatest
institutional variation between classes.
Political Life
Government.
Representative government was introduced in 1936; Montserrat got a new
constitution in 1952, and Britain introduced a bicameral system of
government in 1960. Virtually all effective political power has been in
the hands of the few who control production (the monopoly of the wealthy).
Montserrat has elected to remain a colony, although some have argued for a
discontinuation of colonial status. There is almost total dependence on
Great Britain.
Leadership and Political Officials.
Montserrat has a representative government with a ministerial system,
practicing parliamentary democracy rooted in the Westminster model. The
head of state is represented by a governor, who exercises executive
authority. Britain is still responsible for the island's external
affairs, defense, and law and order, although Montserrat has a fairly
autonomous local government. The chief minister is John Osborne, who has
always favored independence for the country. The recent natural disasters
effectively put this question to rest for now.
Social Problems and Control.
A nation of emigration, with severe loss of population, Montserrat has
choking conditions of underdevelopment, poverty, unemployment, declining
productivity of abused space, unavailable markets, land problems, and
insecure subsistence production, as well as fear, suspicion, and mistrust,
especially since the natural disasters of Hugo and the volcanic eruptions.
It is a nation suffering from a colonial past, a Caribbean laboratory with
"infinitely limited alternatives." There have been various
schemes proposed to eliminate some of the social problems, but to date all
have failed, e.g., the geothermal project that did not take into account
popular superstition about disturbing the dormant volcanoes. The present
socioeconomic crises cannot be separated from the recent natural
disasters. Great Britain has had to bail out the Montserratians once more.
Nongovernmental Organizations and Other Associations
In a typical parish, there might be three rum shops, four small provision
shops, a sub-post office, the Methodist church and smaller Holiness
church, and a school. However, Rotary and Jaycees are both active on the
island. Montserrat has a theater with plays that address Caribbean issues
and at least two dance groups. Choral music groups and sports are also
Gender Roles and Statuses
Gender roles vary by class, with more rigidity in the lower strata.
Homosexuality is feared. Marriage is valued, being associated with
socioeconomic standing and as a demonstration of ambition and the
attainment of social adulthood.
Marriage, Family, and Kinship
Once a proposed marriage union is recognized, the couple are referred to
as being "friendly" or as being "sweethearts."
The migration of either party in such a union is regarded as terminating
that union. Most lower-class Montserratians eventually legally marry,
because marriage is associated with a higher socioeconomic standing. Legal
divorce is fairly rare.
Domestic Unit.
The major domestic unit is the household, which encompasses kinship,
mating, land tenure, and inheritance. Migration has caused some unique
problems for maintenance of the domestic unit in Montserrat.
Inheritance.
About half the children born are technically illegitimate, but no stigma
is attached to this fact. All children are entitled to an equal share of
the parents' fixed property regardless of birth order or sex.
Kin Groups.
Standard English kin terms apply in Montserrat, except for
"niece" and "nephew," which are rarely used.
Children are typically given the name of their genitors regardless of the
type of mating arrangement.
Socialization
Child Rearing and Education.
Children are cared for within the domestic unit of family, which tends to
be matrifocal. Children are given the name of their genitor. Pre-primary
education is provided in nursery schools for 3-5 year-olds, while primary
education for children of 7-11 years is provided in 15 primary schools.
Religion has had a strong influence on education. Anglicans and Methodists
broadened the base, and Quakers also played a vital role in education.
Education, however, tended to render the educated unfit for life on the
Higher Education.
Secondary education is fairly well developed throughout the island, but
access to tertiary education is only through a school of continuing
education sponsored by the University the West Indies.
Water cascades over the yellow rocks and soil of the Galway
Soufriere volcanic vent. Montserrat depends on Britian for its
survival, due to recent volcanic eruptions.
Religious Beliefs.
Protestant sects have multiplied in recent times. Catholics were a strong
religious group in the 1800s, but today the largest religious denomination
is Anglican Protestant. The first church, built by Governor Anthony
Brisket, was probably Anglican. Pentecostal churches are growing.
Medicine and Health Care
Medical services are reasonably adequate on the island, with a number of
private medical practitioners available as well as doctors in the
government health service. Health centers are scattered throughout the
island. Free medical attention and medication are provided for children
and the aged.
Secular Celebrations
Saint Patrick's Day, March 17, is celebrated with feasts and
festivities by the island's Irish inhabitants, and local scholars
made it a national day on which to celebrate the freedom fighters of the
abortive 1768 slave uprising. August 1 is Emancipation Day, and August
Monday a national holiday, with
picnics, bazaars, and dances. Many parishes have village days, beauty
contests, and Calypso contests.
The Arts and Humanities
The arts and humanities are largely confined to folk representations. The
trappings of black power, Afro clothing, and plaited hair have appeared
and disappeared. However, there has been a new appreciation of self and a
search for national identity. The new consciousness has found expression
in research into local folk music, folktales, proverbs, riddles, and
dialects. There has been an attempt to recognize and reconcile the African
contributions to Montserrat's cultural mosaic.
Bibliography
Berleant-Schiller, R. "Montserrat."
World Bibliographical Series
134, 1991.
Fergus, H. A. "Montserrat: Paradise or Prison."
Bulletin of Eastern Caribbean Affairs
12 (1): 1&#x86.
——.
History of Alliouaguana: A Short History of Montserrat
Fitzgerald, T. K., and H. A. Fergus, H. A. "National Self-Image on
A Caribbean Island: Montserrat, W. I."
Journal of Eastern Caribbean Studies
22 (2): 56&#x97.
Fitzgerald, T. K.
Metaphors of Identity: A Culture-Communication Dialoque
Irish, J. A. G.
Life in a Colonial Crucible: Labor and Social Change in Montserrat
1946–Present
Kurlansky, M.
A Continent of Islands: Seraching for the Caribbean Destiny
Messenger, J. C. "Montserrat: 'The Most Distinctively Irish
Settlement in the New World."'
2: 281&#x75.
Philpott, S. B.
West Indian Migration: The Montserrat Case
Schlesinger, P.
Media, State and Nation: Political Violence and Collective Identities
Smith, A. D.
National Identity: Ethnonationalism in Comparative Perspective
Williams, A. R. "Under the Volcano: Montserrat."
National Geographic
192 (1): 58&#x97.
Also read article about
from Wikipedia
Send comment12 Tips for the Convert Muslim | Virtual Mosque
You may also like
About the author
Guest Authors
As a virtual mosque, we strive to provide a safe space for learning and discussion. We would like to invite our readers to join this process. Everyone has a reflection to share, expertise on a specific topic, or a new idea. We hope, by opening up submissions from guest authors, that we can highlight the work of new, talented writers in our virtual community. If you feel like you have something you can contribute, submit a piece by sending it to . For more information about this process, please visit /miscellaneous/announcements/contribute-to-virtual-mosque/}