Slaves and Traditions

Boujour! So, here is the next part of the story. After the French took the island from the Caribs, the the English came and decided they wanted it! They fought for years and the island went from French to English seven times. The English finally won and they ruled the island until 1979!

In the meantime business men came to produce sugar cane. They needed people to work in the fields.

So, do you know what they did? Men with ships went to Africa and caught African men and women. They put them in chains and forced them in their boats. They brought them to Saint Lucia and made them slaves. They were forced to work in the fields and beat them if they didn’t work. Slavery lasted for over one-hundred years!

Many of the traditions they have come from the days of slavery. They have traditional dance. They wear special dresses. Here’s a video Karen took of children dancing in their traditional clothes.