The Virgin Islands of United States popularly known as United States Virgin Islands (U.S. Virgin Islands, American Virgin Islands or USVI) is a United States Overseas Territory in the Caribbean which is inhabited by mostly descendants of Africans, who were enslaved and brought to the Caribbean by Europeans to labor on sugar plantations. US Virgin Islands was formerly known as Danish West Indies until 1916.
US Virgin Islands woman from St John island
The Islands which is renown for its white sand beaches, crystal-blue waters and idyllic sailing venues forms part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles. It is situated precisely in the Atlantic Ocean, about 40 miles (64 km) east of Puerto Rico and immediately west of the British Virgin Islands. They share the Virgin Islands Archipelago with the Spanish Virgin Islands (administered by Puerto Rico) and the British Virgin Islands.
The territory consists of four main islands: Saint Thomas, Saint John, Saint Croix, and historically distinct Water Island, as well as several dozen smaller islands. The main islands have nicknames often used by locals: "Twin City" (St. Croix), "Rock City" (St. Thomas) and "Love City" (St. John). The total land area of the territory is 133.73 square miles (346.4 km2). The territory's capital is Charlotte Amalie on the island of Saint Thomas.
US Virgin Islands kids of the St Thomas majorette junior performing traditional dance: credit W, Bostwick
US Virgin Islands which currently has overwhelming population of black Africans of mostly West African ancestry was originally inhabited by the Ciboney (Cave-dwellers Greater Antilles in the Caribbean Sea), Tainos (Arawaks), and latter Kalinago (Caribs). Christopher Columbus, Italian explorer, navigator, and colonizer sited the Islands on his second New World voyage in 1493 and named the Island "Las Once Mil Virgenes," in honor of Saint Ursula and her virgin followers. Up to and including the 17th century, these islands were captured and controlled by many European powers, including France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom. 
In 1672, while expanding its influence into the Caribbean Sea, the Danish West India Company built settlements on Saint Thomas, then on Saint John in 1694; Denmark later purchased Saint Croix from France in 1733. Denmark transformed the islands into royal Danish colonies in 1754, and soon thereafter, the sugarcane business began to prosper, driven of course on the backs of slave labor.
US Virgin Islands people
It is important to note that it was on these Islands that about 150 enslaved Akwamu (Akan) warriors from Gold Coast (Ghana) launched one of the most earliest, bloodiest and long-devastating slave rebellions on their European masters in November 23, 1733. The Akwamus on St. John especially did not see themselves as slaves, but rather as free men abducted from their homeland. Many were nobles, wealthy merchants or powerful warriors who were accustomed to large commands. The Akwamu slaves captured the fort in Coral Bay and took control of most of the island, intending to resume crop production under their own control and use other ethnic Africans as slave labor. The revolt ended in mid-1734 when several hundred French and Swiss troops sent from Martinique defeated the Akwamu. in fact, other African slaves of different ethnicity did not support the rebellion. Some even joined the Europeans against the Akwamus. It must also be emphasized here that, even before the Akwamu fomented slave revolt in the Caribbean island of St. John in 1733, in 1693, Asimani an Akwamu warlord who was unhappy about how the Whites were controlling trade instead of blacks led a raid and seized Osu Christianborg Castle (which used to be the seat of the Ghana government), from the Danish colonists. The Akwamu thus controlled many of the trade routes from the interior to the coast in the eastern half of what is now Ghana and created a capital at Nyanoase whiles Asamani became the unofficial governor of the Gold Coast.
The Danes (Denmark) sold USVI (formerly Danish West Indies) to the United States in the Treaty of the Danish West Indies of 1916. They are classified by the UN as a Non-Self-Governing Territory, and are currently an organized, unincorporated United States territory. The U.S. Virgin Islands are organized under the 1954 Revised Organic Act of the Virgin Islands and have since held five constitutional conventions. The last and only proposed Constitution, adopted by the Fifth Constitutional Convention in 2009, was rejected by the U.S. Congress in 2010, which urged the convention to reconvene to address the concerns Congress and the Obama Administration had with the proposed document. The convention reconvened in October 2012 to address these concerns, but was unable to produce a revised Constitution before its October 31 deadline.
US Virgin Islander
According to the CIA`s "The World Factbook" of 2014 (cia.gov) the population of US Virgin Islands is hovering around 104,170. Out of this estimate approximately 72.6% are Blacks or Afro-Caribbeans of African ancestry, 13.5% are Whites, 1.1% Asians, 3.5% are of mixed ethnicity, whilst other minorities constitutes about 6.1%. It is also said that Hispanic or Latino of any race in USVI constitute 17.4% (10.3% Puerto Rican, 5.4% Dominican). Of the majority African descendants on this Islands majority are Akans (Akwamu, Fantes, Asantes, Akyem), and Gas from Ghana, with few Igbos and Yoruba from Nigeria, and some Fon and Ewes from Dahomey (republic of Benin). The evidence of Akan domination on Virgin Islands just like most Caribbean Islands is exhibited in their repertoire of folklore which is based on Akan story-telling characters Anansi (Kwaku Ananse) and Nto como (Ntikuma/Ntsikuma). Ananse stories are known by every US virgin Islander of African origin. They have never forgotten their African root.
Today tourism is the primary economic activity, accounting for 80% of GDP and employment. The islands normally host 2 million visitors a year, many of whom visit on cruise ships.
Virgin Islander Culture reflects the various peoples that have inhabited the present-day U.S. Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands throughout history. Although the territories are politically separate, they maintain close cultural ties. Like much of the English speaking Caribbean, Virgin Islands culture is syncretic, deriving chiefly from West African (mostly Akans from Ghana), European and American influences.
Virgin Islands culture continues to undergo creolization, the result of inter-Caribbean migration and cultural contact with other islands in the region, as well as the United States. Migration has altered the social landscape of both countries to the extent that in the British Virgin Islands, half of the population is of foreign (mostly Caribbean) origin and in the U.S. Virgin Islands, most native-born residents can trace their ancestry to other Caribbean islands.
US Virgin Island lady in her carnival attire
Symbolism: The territorial bird is the indigenous yellow breast, and the territorial flower is the yellow elder, commonly called "Ginger Thomas." The flag, adopted in 1921, is white with a yellow American eagle grasping three arrows in its left talon and with an olive branch in its right, between the blue initials "V" and "I." On its breast is a shield of the United States.
US Virgin Island women
Geography
The U.S. Virgin Islands are in the Atlantic Ocean, about 40 miles (64 km) east of Puerto Rico and immediately west of the British Virgin Islands. They share the Virgin Islands Archipelago with the Spanish Virgin Islands (administered by Puerto Rico) and the British Virgin Islands.
The territory consists of four main islands: Saint Thomas, Saint John, Saint Croix, and Water Island, as well as some 50 smaller islets and cays. The total area of the USVI is 133 square miles.
The main islands have nicknames often used by locals: "Twin City" (St. Croix), "Rock City" (St. Thomas) and "Love City" (St. John). The combined land area of the islands is roughly twice the size of Washington, D.C.
The U.S. Virgin Islands are known for their white sand beaches, including Magens Bay and Trunk Bay, and strategic harbors, including Charlotte Amalie and Christiansted. Most of the islands, including Saint Thomas, are volcanic in origin and hilly. The highest point is Crown Mountain, Saint Thomas (1,555 ft or 474 m). Natural hazards include earthquakes and tropical cyclones (including hurricanes).
Beautiful US Virgin Islands
Saint Croix: The largest of the four islands in the USVI, St. Croix is sometimes referred to as the ‘big island’. It lies at 17°45′N 64°45′W: the easternmost point in the United States of America is St. Croix's Point Udall. The island has an area of 214.66 km² (82.88 sq mi), 22 miles long and the widest point is a little more than 6 miles and serves as a residence to 53,000+ .
St Croix Beach
Residential areas are fairly spread out around the island with a concentration of homes, schools, grocery stores and so on in the center of the island. Resorts and condos are mostly on the north shore and vacation villas can be found in various areas. The big island offers a big assortment of activities for visitors to enjoy.
The terrain on the east end of the island is rocky and arid with short grassy hillsides and many cactus clusters. The west end of the island is lush with large fruit trees and ferns gracing the mountains. In the middle of the island are miles of beautiful beaches, rolling pasturelands and beautiful land. St. Croix's highest peak, Mount Eagle, is 1,088 feet high. The land slopes to flatlands on the southern side of the island. There are two main towns Frederiksted and Christiansted. There are a few natural harbors and protected bays. St. Croix is about 40 miles away from St. Thomas. Three National Parks: Salt River which protects a diverse ecosystem in addition to pre-historic ruins; Buck Island with stunning marine gardens; and five historic structures in Christiansted that give visitors a look into Danish colonial way of life. Additional parks and preserves include: Sandy Point notable for its beauty and for its protected sea turtles, and Jack and Isaac Bays.
The trade wind blows more or less along the length of the island. The hills of the western part of the island receive a good deal more rain than the east end; annual rainfall is on the whole extremely variable, averaging perhaps forty inches (1,000 mm) a year. The east end of the island is a dry desert range with a substantial amount of cactus, while the west end has lush vegetation and palm trees, giving the island multiple ecosystems in a small area. Fairly severe and extended drought has always been a problem, particularly considering the lack of fresh ground water and lack of freshwater streams or rivers on the island. The island has a desalination plant, but most residential homes and businesses have a built-in cistern used to collect rainwater.
Saint Thomas: St. Thomas is home to the capital of the U.S. Virgin Islands and main port city, Charlotte Amalie. The district with its thirteen miles long by four miles wide, has a land area of 31.24 square miles (80.9 km2) and has been the heart of St. Thomas’ activities from colonial times to present. It lies at 18°20′N 64°55′ W. Charlotte Amalie, the main area and the sub district, is home to almost half of the islands 51,000+ residents. Other residents live on the East End, West End and North Side.
St. Thomas is known for having one long ridge of hills running east and west through the center of the island with smaller ridges branching off from the center. St. Thomas, thirteen miles long by four miles wide, encompasses a little over 31 square miles. The highest point is Crown Mountain at 1,556 feet. St. Thomas has a beautiful natural harbor and many protected bays. There are relatively no flat areas on St. Thomas.
Historic buildings found throughout downtown Charlotte Amalie take visitors back to the Danish era when the town was a bustling port of trade; while modern additions of taxis, shops, souvenir vendors and cruise ships in the harbor remind that it is tourism that currently drives the economy.
In the capital of the Virgin Islands, Charlotte Amalie, stands a large fort and if its walls could talk what a history it would tell. Fort Christian is the oldest standing structure in the Virgin Islands; it has stood as a sentry overlooking the Charlotte Amalie Harbor for over 300 years. Fort Christian might tell tales of the Danish militia that were stationed at the fort, of settlers being required to attend religious gatherings at the fort and of governors that resided within the fort’s walls!
Cowpet Bay West condos at St Thomas, USVI
Saint John: St. John is located about 4 miles from St. Thomas' east end, the location of the territory's capital, Charlotte Amalie, and four miles southwest of Tortola, part of the British Virgin Islands. It has hills and valleys and relatively few flat areas. St. John land area encompasses 50.8 km² 20 square miles ((19.61 sq mi) of beautiful scenery. The island is 7 miles long by 3 miles wide. The highest point is Bordeaux Mountain at 1,277 feet. The island's coastal areas have many fine protected bays. A natural harbor is found in Coral Bay, however Cruz Bay is the main town and 'harbor'.
St John
St. John is home to the Virgin Islands National Park which protects over 7000 acres of the 12,500 acre island. It offers visitors a unique opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the beautiful natural resources of the island. Because there are no airports on St. John, the only access to the island is by boat. The ferry service runs hourly from St. Thomas and daily from Tortola; regular ferries also operate from Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke and Anegada. Approximately 60% of the island is protected as Virgin Islands National Park.
St. John is well known for its well-preserved natural beauty and attractive beaches. Restricted development and preservation in St. John contrasts heavily with such adjacent and overdeveloped islands as St. Thomas and St. Croix. St. John is a travel and honeymoon destination with two main resorts and one of the top ten beaches in the world. It is also considered to be the wealthiest and most expensive of the U.S. Virgin Islands, attracting a high level of affluent tourists. The island's high level of affluence has earned it the distinction of being the "Beverly Hills of the Caribbean". Cruz Bay on the western coast of the island is St. John's principal port. From there, a ferry operates throughout the day to and from Charlotte Amalie and Red Hook in St. Thomas. It is also home to (among other things) car rental locations, several bars and restaurants, day charters, and shopping areas of which the three main ones are Mongoose Junction, the Marketplace, and Wharfside Village. Coral Bay on the eastern side of the island is the other (smaller) town on St. John, and offers very limited amenities.
Two-thirds of St. John is owned by the National Park, so most of the island is undeveloped. Some of the most picturesque beaches in the Caribbean are located along the island's north shore. The most spectacular and well-known of these is Trunk Bay, which has consistently been voted one of the "Ten Best Beaches in The World" by Condé Nast Traveler magazine, has received similar recognition from other publications and is rated a Blue Flag beach. Since the beaches are located on National Park land, they are all open to the public with the exception of Caneel Bay Caneel Bay (resort on the north shore, which lies on Rockefeller’s former personal estate). The remaining coastal land, mostly in the north and in the east, is private property, and contains many secluded private villas and cottages. The National Park Service also offers two campgrounds on the island's beaches at Maho Bay and Cinnamon Bay. The reefs near St. John's beaches are also world-famous for their snorkeling. In some areas, such as Trunk Bay and nearby Cinnamon Bay, signs identifying various marine flora and fauna have been placed by the National Park Service among the many offshore coral reef to assist visitors. There are also sailing charters available that tour the island, as well as tours around the British Virgin Islands. Boats are available at Gallows Point, Connections or The Guide Booth in Mongoose Junction.
The beaches on the south side of St. John are mostly pebble and coral beaches, are considerably wilder and are also more remote. Some are only accessible by hiking through natural terrain.
Tourism starts late October and runs through June, when The St. John Festival starts. The off-season is considered to be the hot summer months with the heat peaking during August–September.
In popular culture, at the end of John Grisham's best selling novel The Pelican Brief the heroes escape to St. John: specifically, a small cottage in Maho Bay, along the North Shore of St. John. The alien beach scene toward the end of the movie 'Contact' was shot at Hawksnest Bay.
Water Island: It is the smallest populated island of USVI group. It is only 491.5 (1.989 km2) acres in size. Water Island is 2½ miles long and ½ to 1 mile wide. It is administratively a part (subdistrict) of the St. Thomas District. Water Island is a residential island, with a population of 182+.
The island which is of volcanic origin and lies to the south of Saint Thomas in the Charlotte Amalie harbor has an irregular shape with many bays and peninsulas. The highest Point is 300 feet above sea level. It is located just half a mile from St. Thomas' south side. Ferry service runs regularly from Crown Bay, Saint Thomas to Phillips Landing, Water Island; the ferry ride is about 10 minutes.
The island has no significant commercial establishments. A number of homes on Water Island are available to accommodate visitors. The main attractions are beaches, including Honeymoon Beach, plantation ruins, Fort Segarra, an underground fort partially constructed by the U.S. during World War II, and scuba diving site Supermarket Reef, in Limestone Bay.
The east-most third of the island is a gated community, Sprat Bay Estates. This includes Sprat Point, a 30 acre peninsula and nature preserve owned by the United States Department of the Interior, and private Sprat Bay Beach, located between Sprat Point and Carol Point. All beaches in the USVI are public when approached from the water.
One of the principal attractions of Water Island is Honeymoon beach, in Druif Bay, on the west end of the island. Initially Honeymoon Beach could hardly be called a beach. It was an area about 50 feet long strewn with vegetation and rocks and only extended about 10 feet from the water line. The trees and brush were removed, 200 truck loads of rock and gravel were hauled off, and the beach stone was broken up with a bulldozer. The sand was sifted to remove any remaining debris and a dredge was used to remove the seaweed and to deposit sand on the shore. Rows of palm trees were planted back from the shoreline. This was all accomplished under the direction of Walter Phillips, the Master Leaseholder in the early 1950s.
Fort Segarra was built as part of the United States' defense strategies during World War II on Water Island in the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. World War II seacoast batteries here were Battery 314 at Flamingo Point (1944, never completed) and an Anti Motor Torpedo Boat Batteries. In addition some barracks, watch towers, ammunition bunkers were also created near Carolina Point as well as an infrastructure of docks, roads, water, sewage and power systems. It was to be an underground fort and its purpose was to protect the submarine base on St. Thomas. The war ended before its completion and the project was subsequently abandoned. The uncompleted post was transferred to the Army's Chemical Warfare Division in 1948 for testing poison gas and chemical agents on goats and pigeons for several years. Following the conclusion of these tests, the Army transferred control of this area to the Interior Department in 1952.
Gun emplacements, tunnels and underground rooms which were created during the Second World War building efforts are still visible. The site is now open for viewing, and tunnels and underground chambers are open for tours. The area is monitored by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and soil samples are monitored from the former chemical test sites to ensure "that no residual contamination remains from previous Department of Defense activities.
Language
The official language is English, although Virgin Islands Creole, an English-based creole, locally known as "dialect," is spoken in informal situations. The Virgin Islands Creole spoken on St. Croix, known as Crucian, is slightly different from that spoken on St.
A Dutch Creole, Negerhollands, arose in the seventeenth century on Saint Thomas from interactions between Dutch planters and African slaves and spread to Saint John and Saint Croix. In the next century, German missionaries translated the Bible into that language. With emancipation and the influx of English Creole speakers from other islands, the use of Dutch Creole declined. An English Creole arose on Saint Croix and is still spoken, although its use is generally limited to older islanders. The United States takeover in 1917 resulted in American English becoming the standard administrative, educational, and economic language. "Virgin Islands English," which retains some Creole features, is widely used in personal and informal situations.
Thomas and St. John. Because the U.S. Virgin Islands are home to thousands of immigrants from across the Caribbean, Spanish and various French creole languages are also widely spoken. Spanish has become increasingly important because of immigration from nearby islands; Spanish speakers make up 35 percent of the population of Saint Croix.As of the 2000 census, 25.3% of persons over the age of five speak a language other than English at home. Spanish is spoken by 16.8% of the population and French is spoken by 6.6%.
History
The first human habitation in the islands came in a form of ancient cave-dwelling Ciboneys. The human dwelling of the islands occurred as early as about 1000 BCE, with the arrival of Arawakan-speaking people from the Orinoco River basin of South America. Primarily farmers and fishers, they began to settle in villages about 200 BCE and eventually developed into the complex Taino culture beginning about 1200 CE. The warlike Carib settled in the islands in the mid-15th century and conquered the Taino. They were the islands’ dominant culture by the time Christopher Columbus reached St. Croix in 1493. Columbus named the islands Santa Ursula y las Once Mil Virgenes, in honour of the legendary St. Ursula and the 11,000 martyred virgins. Over the next two hundred years, the islands were held by many European powers, including Spain, Great Britain, the Netherlands, France, and Denmark-Norway.
In 1555 a Spanish expedition defeated the Carib and claimed the islands for Spain, but by 1625 English and French settlers were farming on St. Croix. In 1650 the Spaniards evicted the remaining English settlers, but the French took the islands later that same year. St. Croix was willed to the Hospitallers (Knights of Malta) in 1653, but they sold it to the French West India Company. In 1666 the English evicted the Dutch buccaneers who had established themselves on Tortola (now in the British Virgin Islands). That year Denmark claimed St. Thomas, and in 1684 it claimed St. John.
The Danish West India Company settled on Saint Thomas in 1672, on Saint John in 1694, and purchased Saint Croix from France in 1733. The islands became royal Danish colonies in 1754, named the Danish-Westindian islands (Danish: De dansk-vestindiske øer). Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries, until the abolition of slavery by Governor Peter von Scholten on July 3, 1848. The first Africans to be sent here were mainly from Ghana (mostly Fantes, Gas, Asantes, Akyem and later Akwamu). Few other Africans from Dahomey and Nigeria were also brought in. The need for other African of different ethnicity became important for Danes, because the Akans, especially the Akwamus were very troublesome to be controlled. The Akans never see themselves as slaves and this led to serious slave rebellion in 1733 in which 150 Akwamu warriors nearly captured the entire Island of Saint Johns.
For the remainder of the period of Danish rule, the islands were not economically viable and significant transfers were made from the Danish state budgets to the authorities in the islands. In 1867 a treaty to sell Saint Thomas and Saint John to the United States was agreed, but the sale was never effected. A number of reforms aimed at reviving the islands' economy were attempted, but none had great success. A second draft treaty to sell the islands to the United States was negotiated in 1902 but was defeated in the upper house of the Danish parliament in a balanced ballot (because the opposition literally carried a 97-year old life member into the chamber)
The onset of World War I brought the reforms to a close and again left the islands isolated and exposed. During the submarine warfare phases of the First World War, the United States, fearing that the islands might be seized by Germany as a submarine base, again approached Denmark with a view to buying them. After a few months of negotiations, a selling price of $25 million in United States gold coin was agreed (this is equivalent to $580 million in 2013 dollars). At the same time the economics of continued possession weighed heavily on the minds of Danish decision makers, and a consensus in favor of selling emerged in the Danish parliament.
The Treaty of the Danish West Indies was signed in August 1916, with a Danish referendum held in December 1916 to confirm the decision. The deal was finalized on January 17, 1917, when the United States and Denmark exchanged their respective treaty ratifications. The United States took possession of the islands on March 31, 1917 and the territory was renamed the Virgin Islands of the United States. Every year Transfer Day is recognized as a holiday, to celebrate the acquisition of the islands by the United States. U.S. citizenship was granted to the inhabitants of the islands in 1927.
Water Island, a small island to the south of Saint Thomas, was initially administered by the U.S. federal government and did not become a part of the U.S. Virgin Islands territory until 1996, when 50 acres (200,000 m2) of land was transferred to the territorial government. The remaining 200 acres (81 ha) of the island were purchased from the U.S. Department of the Interior in May 2005 for $10, a transaction which marked the official change in jurisdiction.
In 2004, the 25th Legislature of the Virgin Islands established the Fifth Constitutional Convention, a constitutional convention gathered in order to draft a new constitution. In June 2009, Governor John de Jongh, Jr. rejected the resulting constitutional draft, saying the document, "violate[d] federal law, fail[ed] to defer to federal sovereignty and disregard[ed] basic civil rights". A lawsuit filed by members of the Convention to force Governor de Jongh to forward the document to President Barack Obama was ultimately successful. The President of the United States forwarded the proposal to Congress—which then had 60 days to approve or reject the document—in May 2010, along with a report noting concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice and restating the issues noted by Governor de Jongh. A U.S. Congressional resolution disapproving of the proposed constitution and requesting that the Fifth Constitutional Convention reconvene to consider changes to address these issues was signed into law by President Obama on June 30, 2010.
Months later, a federal lawsuit was filed in the Federal District Court of the Virgin Islands in 2011. The lawsuit claimed that the United States had to provide U.S. Virgin Islanders with the ability to be represented in Congress and vote for U.S. President. The case is Civil No. 3:11-cv-110, Charles v. U.S. Federal Elections Commission et. al (3:11-cv-00110-AET-RM). It alleged that racial discrimination present in an all-white and segregated U.S. Congress of 1917 was the impetus to deny the right to vote to a majority non-white constituency. The case was ultimately dismissed and closed on August 16, 2012 by District Judge Anne E. Thompson from the Federal District Court of the Virgin Islands, Division of St. Croix.
Hurricane Hugo struck the Virgin Islands in 1989, causing catastrophic physical and economic damage. The territory was again struck by Hurricane Marilyn in 1995, killing eight people and causing more than $2 billion in damage. The islands were again struck by Hurricane Bertha, Hurricane Georges, Hurricane Lenny and Hurricane Omar in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2008, respectively, but damage was not as severe in those storms.
Economy
The U.S. Virgin Islands economy is based primarily on tourism and other services. The leading sectors in employment are government service; trade, encompassing personal, business, and domestic services including tourism; manufacturing; and finance, real estate, and insurance.
Trunk Bay beach on St. John in the US Virgin Islands
The tourism industry is the main industry, generating 80% of GDP and employment. The majority of tourists are from the USA and the most common way to get there is by sea. The tourism industry mostly employs those who have migrated to the U.S. Virgin Islands. In 2005, a record of 2.6 million visitors visited.
About one-fifth of the total land area is farmland, most of it on St. Croix. In the late 20th century agricultural production underwent a transition from the traditional reliance on sugarcane to more-diversified crops. Fruits (especially mangoes, bananas, papayas, and avocados) and vegetables (notably tomatoes and cucumbers) are the main crops grown. Cattle (ranched on St. Croix), goats, sheep, and pigs are the main livestock. St. Croix produces milk sufficient for island needs. The government has built dams on St. Croix and St. Thomas to improve farmers’ water supply. Only 6 percent of the land is forested, but the government has planted large areas of St. Croix with mahogany and has reforested parts of St. Thomas. A bay forest on St. John supplies leaves for the bay-rum industry. Fishing is restricted to supplying local needs and to sportfishing.
The islands also receive cross-over subsidies, which generated approximately $100 million for the Virgin Islands in 2008.
With the help of funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the Virgin Islands Next Generation Network (a government-owned subsidiary) is bringing broadband internet access to the territory, in an effort to stimulate the technology sector and business generally.
Manufacturing: Manufacturing industries developed significantly in the 1970s, especially on St. Croix island. Most industries depend of tax concessions and the financial advantages they derive from being a U.S. territory. An alumina factory processed bauxite until December 2009. The Hovensa oil refinery produced 495,000 barrels per day (78,700 m3/d), and closed down in February 2012.
Major Industries. Manufacturing consists of textile, electronics, pharmaceutical, and watch assembly plants. Saint Croix has one of the world's largest oil refineries and an aluminum smelter. The need to rebuild after hurricanes has caused an upsurge in the construction industry.
Trade. Imports include crude oil, food, consumer goods, and building materials. The major source of export revenue is refined petroleum, with manufactured goods contributing a significant amount. The major trading partners are the United States and Puerto Rico.
Social Stratification
Classes and Castes. Historically, the society was divided along caste and color lines. Even after emancipation in 1848, ex-slaves' participation in the political process was restricted and their freedom of movement and emigration were limited by legislation. A result of Danish determination to maintain the status quo was the Fireburn of 1878, a labor revolt on Saint Croix that destroyed many plantations.
Symbols of Social Stratification. The use of Standard English characterizes the upper classes. Children often use native forms at home and speak Standard English at school. A higher percentage of males speak dialect than do females. The use of dialect is considered an important part of the culture but an impediment to educational and economic mobility.
Political Life
Government. Congress established the government through the Revised Organic Act of 1954. The Office of Insular Affairs of the U.S. Department of the Interior administers the islands. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected by popular vote for four-year terms. There is a fifteen-seat Senate whose members are elected for two-year terms. The islands elect one representative to the U.S. House of Representatives who may vote in committees and subcommittees. Virgin Islands citizens do not vote in United States' presidential elections. The judicial branch is composed of the U.S. District Court, with judges appointed by the President, and the Territorial Court, with judges appointed by the governor.
Leadership and Political Officials. The current governor and the current representative to the U.S. House are both Democrats. In the Senate, the Democratic Party holds six seats and the Republican Party and the Independent Citizens Movement have two seats each; the remaining five seats are held by independents.
Social Problems and Control. The high cost of living and the low pay scale for service sector jobs have created widespread discontent. Saint Croix has seen drive-by shootings, but most crime is property-related. To protect tourism, the government has increased the law enforcement budget. Local officials work with the Drug Enforcement Agency, Customs, and the Coast Guard to combat the illegal drug trade.
Social Welfare and Change Programs
The Department of Human Services attempts to provide for the needs of low-income persons, the elderly, children and families, and the disabled.
US Virgin island lady
Nongovernmental Organizations and Other Associations
The Saint Croix Foundation is active in community development and has established anticrime initiatives. Environmental associations on the three main islands promote ecological awareness, sponsor guided outings, and encourage responsible legislation.
Gender Roles and Statuses
Division of Labor by Gender. Women are increasing their participation in the economic and political areas. The U.S. Small Business Administration established the Virgin Islands Women's Business Center in 1999 to encourage and train women business owners. The heroine of the 1878 labor rebellion in Saint Croix was "Queen Mary," a canefield worker. The current Senate president and the presiding judge of the Territorial Court are women.
St Croix man from USVI
Marriage, Family, and Kinship
Marriage. One in three families is headed by a single female parent. The rate of unmarried teenage pregnancy is increasing and is a major social concern. Wedding customs range from the traditional African "jump the broom" to European-influenced church ceremonies.
Domestic Unit. According to 1995 census data, married couples comprise 57 percent of households and unmarried females with children, 34 percent. The average household has two children.
Inheritance. The concept of jointly owned "family land" accommodates the pattern of alternately settling down and moving that has characterized the lives of many families since colonial times.
US Virgin island woman from St Thomas wearing her African Heritage dress
Socialization
Infant Care. Women are responsible for infant care. Breast-feeding is supplemented by formula given in bottles; the use of formula results in early weaning. In more traditional households, folk beliefs about infant care, including the use of "bush tea" to induce sleep, are common.
Child Rearing and Education. A "bogeyman" is used as a threat to correct children's bad behavior. Education is compulsory and free. Multicultural education is seen as a necessity, but there is growing concern about the public schools, and those who can afford private schools generally choose that alternative. A higher percentage of females than males finish high school.
Higher Education. The University of the Virgin Islands, founded in 1962, has campuses on Saint Thomas and Saint Croix. It offers bachelor's degrees in a number of areas and master's degrees in business administration and public administration.
Religion
As in most Caribbean countries, Christianity is the dominant religion in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Protestantism is most prevalent, reflecting the territory's Danish colonial heritage. There is also a strong Roman Catholic presence.
The predominant religious affiliations are Baptist (42 percent), Catholic (34 percent), and Episcopalian (17 percent). Remnants of African culture are found in the belief in spirits.
As in other Caribbean islands, Rastafari is also prevalent. There are some Jews living in the territory, and a significant Muslim population, primarily of Palestinian descent.
Rituals and Holy Places: Saint Thomas has the second oldest synagogue in the New World. Lord God of Sabaoth Lutheran Church and the Friedensthal Moravian Church on Saint Croix are the oldest congregations of their kind in the United States. To commemorate their freedom in 1848, former slaves built the All Saints Cathedral. The Arawak Indian carvings on Saint John may have religious significance.
Cuisine
Fungi (pronounced fun-gee) is a main staple of the traditional Virgin Islands diet. It consists of cornmeal that has been boiled and cooked to a thick consistency along with okra. Fungi is usually eaten with boiled fish or saltfish.
US Virgin Island woman using ladle to take soup out of cooking clay pot
Because of inter-Caribbean migration, many foods from other Caribbean countries have been adopted into the Virgin Islands culinary culture. For example, a popular dish is roti, of Indo-Trinidadian origin, which consists of curried vegetables and meat wrapped in a paper-thin dough.
Food in Daily Life. Cassava, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes are native to the islands, and a variety of seafood is found in the surrounding waters. Many recipes are based on African sources. Okra is an ingredient in killaloo, a stew with local greens and fish, and in fungi, a cornmeal-based side dish; conch appears in fritters, chowders, and mixed with rice. Guava, soursop, and mango are eaten, along with mamey and mesple.
Their main snack is Pate (Pronounced PAH-TEH), fried dough filled with various meats including beef, chicken or saltfish stuffed inside is a popular snack (similar to a Jamaican patty). Another popular snack is Johnnycake (originally known as 'journey cake'), a pastry also made with fried dough.
Food Customs at Ceremonial Occasions. Sugar cakes made with coconut and boiled sugar, are a traditional midafternoon snack. Maubi, a local drink, is made from the bark of a tree, herbs, and yeast. Souse is a stew of pig's head, tail, and feet, flavored with lime juice that is served on festive occasions.
“Bush tea”, a general term for any herbal tea derived from native plants (including lemongrass), is the hot beverage of choice in the Virgin Islands. Popular cold beverages include maubi, sorrel, soursop, sea moss and passion fruit. Drinks with ginger root are also popular.
Secular Celebrations
Legal holidays include 1 January, New Year's Day; 6 January, Three Kings Day; 15 January, Martin Luther King Day; President's Day on the third Monday in February; Memorial Day on the last Monday in May; Independence Day, 4 July; Veterans Day, 11 November; and Thanksgiving.
Legal holidays commemorating local events include Transfer Day (from Denmark to the United States in 1917); 31 March, Organic Act Day; Virgin Islands/Danish West Indies Emancipation Day, 3 July; and D. Hamilton Jackson Day on 1 November. Carnival was officially reinstated in 1952 and is celebrated at different times. Carnival celebrations include parades, floats, stilt walking "Mocko Jumbies," steel pan competitions, beauty contests, and food fairs.
US Virgin island carnival
Music of the Virgin Islands
The music of the Virgin Islands reflects long-standing West Indian cultural ties to the island nations to the south, the islands' African heritage and European colonial history, as well as recent North American influences. Though the United States Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands are politically separate, they maintain close cultural ties. From its neighbors, the Virgin Islands has imported various pan-Caribbean genres of music, including calypso from Trinidad and reggae from Jamaica.
The major indigenous form of music is the scratch band (also called fungi band in the British Virgin Islands), which use improvised instruments like gourds and washboards to make a kind of music called quelbe. A Virgin Island folk song called cariso is also popular, as well as St. Thomas' bamboula. The quadrille is the traditional folk dance of the islands, and include varieties like St. Croix's Imperial Quadrille and St. Thomas' Flat German Quadrille. The Heritage Dancers are a respected dance troupe that perform traditional folk dances from the Virgin Islands and beyond.
Folk music: Virgin Islander folk music has declined since the mid-20th century, though some traditions, such as scratch bands, remain vibrant. Trends that contributed to this change include the rise of the tourism industry, the switch of American tourists from Cuba to the Virgin Islands following the 1959 revolution, and the growth of industries based on mass radio, television and recorded music. These changes "(diluted) local traditions and (diverted) younger generations" from becoming involved in folk music, because popular styles came to be viewed as having more prestige, class and income.
Scratch bands and fungi music: Scratch bands, also known as fungi bands and formerly string bands, are a distinctive form of folk ensemble; they have survived the decline of other Virgin Islander folk traditions, through adapting to newly imported instrumentation and songs, and becoming a part of a more general revival of interest in folk culture on the islands. The name scratch band may derive from the sound produced by scraping the squash, an instrument similar to the Puerto Rican guiro, but larger, or from the word squash itself, used to refer to the bands first by American visitors and then by locals.
The traditional scratch band ensemble varied, but always used a percussive instrument, either the squash, tambourine, or a local form of double-headed barrel drum similar to the Dominican tambora, as well as an accordion, cane flute or violin as a melodic instrument. String instruments were also common, including the banjo, ukulele or a six-string guitar. The ass pipe, made out of a car exhaust tube, often provided the bass, and was played similar to the tuba. Since about the 1980s, the instrumentation for scratch bands became more rigid. The alto saxophone became the most common melodic instrument, replaced sometimes by a silver flute. Conga drums, squash, electric guitar or bass guitar, and a steel (a triangle). Banjo or ukulele, keyboard and additional saxophones or other melodic instruments are more rarely found in modern bands.
The music of scratch bands are a type of folk music that dates back to the days of slavery. The slaves on the islands used found objects to fashion instruments, such as by making strings out of twine salvaged from old sacks. Lyrics traditionally function as oral history, spreading news and gossip. Modern scratch bands play a wide range of dances, including calypsos, boleros, quadrilles, international pop songs, merengues, mazurkas, waltzes, jigs and other styles. They perform at church services, private parties, public festivals, local dances and fairs, christenings and weddings, and also perform for tourists. The scratch band tradition remains most vibrant on St. Croix, where the bands Bully & the Kafooners, Stanley & the Ten Sleepless Knights, and Blinky & the Roadmasters are well known. Scratch bands are less common on St. Thomas, and in the British Virgin Islands, though the popular Elmo & the Sparkplugs hail from Tortola.
Quelbe: Quelbe is a form of topical folk song, and is the official music of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Quelbe is commonly performed by scratch bands, Stanley & the Ten Sleepless Nights being the most popular throughout the Virgin Islands, though their folk origin lies in individuals, who sang the songs in informal settings, celebrations and festivals. These songs typically contained sexual innuendos and double entendres, as well as other hidden meanings; common topics included political events, such as a boycott. One example from the early 20th century chastises a carousel owner for opposing a wage increase:
I rather walk and drink rum whole night
Before me go ride on LaBega Carousel
I rather walk, man, and drink rum whole night
Before me go ride on LaBega Carousel
You no hear what LaBega say
"The people no worth more than fifteen cent a day"
You no hear what LaBega say, man
"The people no worth more than half cent a day" (Soule, Mary Jane; Lieth-Phillip, Margot (1993). Zoop Zoop Zoop: Traditional Music and Folklore of St. Croix, St. Thomas, and St. John. Liner notes. New York: New World Records. cited in Sheehy, pg. 971)
Other folk styles: The quadrille is a folk dance that was formerly an important part of Virgin Islands culture; it is now rarely performed, except on St. Croix. There, locals dance the quadrille at public performance venues, such as St. Gerard's Hall, or as educational spectacles for schools, festivals and holidays, or as entertainment for tourists. Educational and entertainment quadrille troops both wear traditionally styled clothing reminiscent of authentic attire.
The Virgin Islands tea meetings, the David and Goliath play and masquerade jig all probably derive from elsewhere in the Caribbean. The masquerade jig uses elements of theater, dance, music and oratory, and functions as simple entertainment with improvised jigs alternated with humorous monologues. Tea meetings are now only performed as reconstructions in folkloric ensembles; they were evenings of speech-making, feasting and the singing of hymns and parlor songs. The David and Goliath play features music, dance, theater, and dramatic and witty speeches, all based around the biblical plot of David and Goliath.
The Afro-Virgin Islander bamboula tradition is now only performed in a reconstructed fashion. It was a style of song, drumming and folk dance, performed by two drummers on one drum; one drum used his hands and heel, and the other two sticks. African-styled dance and group song with refrains were a constant part, with verses frequently improvised by a soloist.
Traditional Virgin Islander folk music festivals were performed until the late 1950s. Masquerading (mas'ing) was an important tradition, and consisted of groups wearing costumes based around a theme, and playing melodies and rhythms that suggest their identity. Instruments included a fife-and-drum ensemble that featured a cane fife, double-headed bass drum (known as keg or boom-boom) and snare drum (known as kettledrum).
<img alt="fuckyeahcaribbean: Caribbean Quadrille General BackgroundThe forerunners of Caribbean Quadrilles were the Quadrilles of Europe, developing out of dance forms originating in the French royal courts. The immediate forerunner was a contradanse, The Waltz Cotillion, consisting of two couples facing one another dancing six figures with the same chorus between each. Two more couples were added, and the formation was changed to square. In addition, three more figures were added. This structure was called a ‘pot pourri’ popular at the end of the 18th century, during Napoleon’s reign. However, Napoleon wanted to get back to the peasant dances and the pot pourri was found to be too complex and so the verses were taken out leaving the choruses, which became known as the quadrille. Throughout Europe, the Quadrille was at the height of its popularity during the mid. 19th century. British soldiers brought the Quadrille to England the after the Napoleonic wars while a Lady Jersey is credited with bringing the form to selected English high society. Thereby, reflecting the general social divisions of Europe, the Quadrille existed in two versions, one danced by the nobles and the other belonging to peasantry. The court dances of Europe emphasised etiquette, manners and formality, while the peasant’s version emphasised solidarity and togetherness. The former version was more concerned with visual effect and social appreciation rather than enjoyment. In contrast, the latter version regarded enjoyment to be of paramount importance. Two distinctive styles of a similar vein were also developed in Jamaic