Barbados Traditional Festival-Sugarcane Harvest Festival

at the easternmost end of the Western Indian Ocean Islands. There is a beautiful coral island that shines like a crystal pearl on the rippling Caribbean Sea. This is the island country of Barbados. Although Barbados is located in the tropics, due to the influence of the ocean climate, the climate is as warm as spring throughout the year, coupled with the beautiful scenery, making it a world-famous tourist destination. Another outstanding feature of Barbados is that it has abundant sunshine, abundant rainfall, fertile soil, and is rich in sugar cane. The sugarcane planting area accounts for more than four-fifths of the island's arable land. The sugar industry is the largest industrial sector in the country and the world-famous "sugarcane country."

Every year from the last three weeks of June to the first weekend of July, when the sugarcane harvest is completed and the last batch of carriages loaded with sugarcane triumphantly, people ring the gong hanging under the big tree, accompanied by a loud voice, and begin to celebrate the biggest folk festival of the year-the Sugarcane Festival. The Sugarcane Festival is also a grand festival held by the people of Barbados to celebrate the sugarcane harvest. There are bitter and painful memories about the origin of this festival.

Before the 16th century, Barbados was originally the place where Arawaks and Caribbean Indians lived. However, after Spanish colonialists discovered and landed on the island in 1518, they used force to kidnap large numbers of Indians to Haidi Island as slaves. More than 10 years later, when the Portugal arrived on the island, they could hardly see the Indians. There are fig trees covered with vines growing all over the place. These vines are like beards. The Portugal called this island Barbados, from which the name of Barbados comes from. In Portugal,"Barbados" means "bearded place."

In the 17th century, the British came to Barbados, declared the island owned by the British, and began to immigrate to the island. British colonists transported a large number of black slaves from West Africa, transplanted Brazilian sugar cane to the island, and opened sugar cane plantations on the island to make huge profits. Under the whip of the manor owner, the slaves had to work for more than 10 hours a day on the sugarcane plantation. The labor intensity was high, they had insufficient food all year round, and their living conditions were harsh, and many people were killed.

In order to survive and freedom, the slaves revolted many times. In the end, the manor owner had to make concessions. After the sugarcane harvest, they could rest and entertain for a period of time. Therefore, the slaves seized their precious rest after the annual sugarcane harvest. Dressed in costumes, sang and danced, or engaged in other recreational activities, gradually forming the most lively traditional national festival on the island-the Sugarcane Festival (i.e. Harvest Festival).

Since more than 90% of the residents on the island of Barbados are of African descent, dancing to drums is an important part of the Sugarcane Festival. During the festival, whether in cities or rural areas, drums are heard endlessly and people dancing can be seen everywhere. Barbados people have a wide variety of drums and unique styles. There are giant drums that beat the drum surface, miniature drums that beat the drum body with wooden handles, and medium-sized drums that beat the drum surface at the same time and hit the essential parts with the palm of your hand.

Barbados people always beat various drums as needed to make a powerful, beautiful and ear-to-ear sound. When beating drums, various musical instruments are also played to complement each other. Children blow flutes and whistles made of bamboo, sugar cane and cork from time to time, making the festival atmosphere stronger. People danced various popular local dances in a warm and solemn atmosphere.

The most lively scene of the festival is the float. The long train of carriages marched forward in a majestic manner. Each carriage is carefully decorated with ribbons and flowers. Men, women and children dressed in colorful national costumes, holding bouquets of flowers, crowded on both sides of the motorcade, dancing and singing loudly as they walked. The motorcade passed by, drums were singing, whips were heard, and horses were shouting happily. After the parade, a variety of folk sports competitions will be held, such as pig catching competitions and climbing games.

In an open space surrounded by people, a pig was running wildly, and more than a dozen young men were forced to part with it. Even if someone grabbed a certain part of the pig's body, it was still easy for the pig to break free because the pig's body was covered with smooth grease. In the end, the pig will be awarded to whoever can catch the pig. The same is true for climbing games. The wooden poles and ropes are coated with grease, and there are many coins placed at the top. Whoever can climb to the top will be awarded the coins. Because the wooden pole and rope are very smooth, it is generally difficult for anyone to climb on.

On the first day of the festival, every household will have a festive reunion dinner. The whole family sat together, drinking sweet wine made from sugar cane and eating rich food. The main food eaten by Barbados during the festival included tapioca, pies made from cornmeal, butter and pork, ham, bacon and salted fish. Everyone talked while eating, talked and laughed, and was very close.

Starting every Saturday in July, the center of holiday celebrations moves to Bridgetown, the capital. At this time, Bridgetown was crowded with people, traffic stopped, and people leisurely enjoyed the city appearance and competed to buy their favorite items. Many people present each other with lace or handkerchiefs to express holiday greetings. Colorful cultural and artistic programs will be performed on temporary stages set up in the streets and alleys, and people will also conduct activities to select "sugarcane beauties".

Finally, people gathered on the large grassland in the suburbs and burned the "Harding" statue. "Harding" represents the former manor owner who brutally squeezed slaves. The imitation is made of sugarcane bagasse, wears black clothes and a black top hat. People lit a raging fire, and the "Harding" statue was turned to ashes in the fire. The annual Sugarcane Festival ended with cheers.