Barbadians

"Bajans" redirects here. For other uses, seeBajan (disambiguation).

Bajans

Flag of Barbados
Regions with significant populations
Barbados284,589(2014)
United States	65,653(2013)
Canada	37,780(2016)
United Kingdom	18,762(2011)
Trinidad and Tobago	1,147
Jamaica	1,000
Australia	483
Languages
Bajan Creole,English
Religion
PredominantlyProtestant,minority (3.4%)Roman Catholic,other religions includeIslam,Judaism,Rastafari,Hinduism,BuddhismandBaha’i
Related ethnic groups
OtherCaribbean peoples(especiallyAfro-Caribbeans),Americo-Liberians

Barbadians,more commonly known asBajans(pronounced/ˈbeɪdʒənz/BAY-jənz) are people who are identified with the country ofBarbados,by being citizens or their descendants in the Bajan diaspora. The connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Bajans, several (or all) of those connections exist and are collectively the source of their identity. Bajans are amulti-ethnicandmulticulturalsociety of various ethnic, religious and national origins; therefore Bajans do not necessarily equate their ethnicity with their Bajan nationality.

History

The earliest inhabitants ofBarbadoswere indigenousKalinago(Caribs) andArawaksfrom South America. Between 1536 and 1550, Spanish raiders regularly seized large numbers of indigenousTainoand Kalinago from Barbados to be used asslave labouron regionalplantations.This prompted the Kalinago to flee the island for other Caribbean destinations such asDominicaand St Vincent. The first European settlement on Barbados were English colonists. Africans were brought to Barbados during the slave trade.

Ethnic groups

Most Barbadians are of African or mixed-race descent. They are descendants of enslaved people brought from West Africa. Mixed-race Barbadians are descendants of Europeans, Africans, and other ethnic groups. White Barbadians are mainly of British and Irish descent. There is also a small population of Syrians, Lebanese, Jewish, Indian and Chinese people in the country.Scotland deportedRomato Barbados in the seventeenth century.Barbados has a small Asian population who are mainly Indians. The Asians were brought to Barbados as indentured labourers in the late 19th century. Barbados's Indian population also come fromGuyana.Indians have influenced Barbadian cuisine, music, and culture. Barbados is also home to expatriates from other countries who mainly come from the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.

The largest ethnic groups in Barbados is black (92.4%) or mixed (3.1%). 2.7% of Barbados' population is white and 1.3% South Asian. The remaining 0.4% are East Asians (0.1%) and Middle Easterners (0.1%).

Culture

Barbadian culture is influenced by African, European, and Indigenous traditions. Barbados is famous for its music, with genres such ascalypso,soca,andreggaebeing the most popular in the country.Rihannais one of the most well-known Barbadian musicians. Barbadian cuisine is a fusion of African, European, indigenous and Caribbean influences. Some of Barbados's most popular dishes arecou-couandflying fish.Barbados'srumindustry is a significant contributor to Barbadian culture and history.

Diaspora

Many Barbadians now live overseas and outside of Barbados; the majority have migrated toAnglophonecountries, including around 65,000 in the United States, 37,780in Canada,some 19,000in the United Kingdom,and some 500–1,000 Barbadians inLiberia.In addition to Anglophone countries other groups of Barbadians have moved to Latin countries includingBrazil,CubaandPanama.

List of notable Barbadians

Main article:List of Barbadian people

See also

• Barbadian nationality law
• Demographics of Barbados
• Afro-Barbadians
• Barbadian Americans
• Barbadian Brazilians
• Barbadian British
• Barbadian Canadians
• Island Caribs