by Jennifer Ciotta
To many American tourists, the island of Antigua is obscure compared to the Bahamas, Virgin Islands or even Jamaica. However, Antigua's culture is one of deep tradition thus its inhabitants are proud of their heritage. For instance, any Antiguan will gladly explain the meaning of the country flag: The sun symbolizes the dawn of a new time, while the red color represents the blood of the people, or their energy. The blue, from which the sun rises, is hope while the black symbolizes the African roots of the Antiguans. Another little known fact is that the island is connected with Barbuda, its smaller counterpart. Barbuda's main draw is its unspoiled beaches, free from overexposure of tourists.
Meanwhile, Antigua attracts visitors for reasons such as nightlife and Carnival. The Caribbean is home to whining which is a form of West Indian dancing where one uses the lower half of their body to dance, especially their posterior area. Each island has a specific whine thus the natives will be proud to demonstrate. Shirley Heights is a Sunday night hotspot for true soca and reggae music lovers. Each week bands and singers perform while natives and tourists dance, eat traditional West Indian food and drink rum punch. Besides the craziness of the night, Shirley Heights overlooks Nelson's Dockyard, making it a beautiful site. Carnival, the yearly New Orleans-type festival, is held from the end of July until early August on the islands of Antigua and Barbuda. A ten-day extravaganza, the history comes from the French word Jouvert, which means day break thus the West Indian interpretation to street party. The tradition dates back to August 1, 1834 when slavery was abolished and people took to the streets in celebration. Today Carnival combines music, dance, food and extraordinary costumes, including women dressed as elaborate butterflies and men as colorful warriors. The party literally does not stop for the whole ten days, with partygoers only taking occasional cat naps. Attending Carnival on any island is a once in a lifetime experience, however, when attending Antiguan Carnival remember that their festival is the best since the natives will correct anyone who says otherwise.
Antigua's pink sand beaches are numerous, totaling 365 thus giving the island its advertisement slogan of a beach for every day of the year. High-end resorts are scattered throughout the island, while catamaran tours, yacht charters, scuba diving and snorkeling are offered as well. A trip to the cricket stadium in St. Johns, the capital, proves worthwhile since the tradition of the sport has been around for ages. A cricket game can last for days, and is actually unlike baseball in many ways. It is a dangerous sport since slips (outfielders) do not wear gloves, therefore, many hands are broken during the season. Watching a test match between the West Indies team and another country will engage a tourist since Antiguan fans take their cricket seriously. Onlookers cheer and boo, while rum and Wadadli, the beer of Antigua, are served on the sidelines.
The island possesses a unique history of celebration, leisure and sports, departing from the literary tradition of museums and house tours; however, there is much to be learned from the people of Antigua through jubilant fun and games.
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