Culture of the Cayman Islands
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject. Please help improve the article with a good introductory style. |
Contents |
[edit] Population
The main influences on the culture of the Cayman Islands come from the United Kingdom, North America, and Jamaica. Along with these dominant cultural influences, there are 113 nationalities on the three islands that make up the country. The total population of the Cayman Islands consists of just over 52,000 people, spread throughout the island group with the majority of the people found on Grand Cayman. Roughly 20,000 are native Caymanian, with the remainder of the residents originating elsewhere in the world.
The native people of the Cayman Islands carry with them an air of independence, and are known to have a strong spirit. This courageousness helped sustain the islanders through trying times when the island group was known as "the islands that time forgot." In the past, most of the people of the Cayman Islands got their livelihood from the sea, and were merchant seamen.
[edit] Religion
The influences of American and European culture are most evident in the religion of the Cayman Islands, where Christianity is the most practiced religion. Within the island group, the denominations of Christianity that are practiced are Anglican, Baptist, Catholicism, Church of God, Presbyterian, as well as a few others. Religion is such an important aspect of the culture of the Cayman Islands that on Sundays, most of the local businesses as well as the harbors and ports are closed. These establishments are also closed during Christian holidays like Christmas.
[edit] Language
Due to Cayman's colonial history, English is the main language spoken on the islands, though various local accents can be heard. Each district on the island tends to speak in a slightly different way. This is due the fact that Caymanians historically never left their home district, unless to go into George Town for necessary business. While Caymanians have much greater access to transportation, the trend continues(though to a lesser extent) and it is still possible to tell where on the islands a Caymanian is from depending on the way he speaks. Jamaican patois is also commonly spoken in the Cayman Islands, and certain words have been integrated into the speech of younger Caymanian generations.
[edit] Cuisine
The food of the Cayman Islands adds a distinct flare to the culture of the island group. Some of the islands' dishes include traditional Caribbean favorite like cassava, johnny cake, bread fruit, and meat pie to name a few. Jamaican cuisine has also found its way onto the menus of the Cayman Islands. Jerk seasoning has become especially popular for use on meat dishes like chicken, fish and other meats. The Cayman Islands also has its own original recipes. Traditional Caymanian fare include dishes made from turtle meat like turtle soup, stew, or steak. Conch is also served in the Cayman Islands, and can be prepared in a number of ways.
