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BajanThings six years on…
It is that time of year to reflect on BajanThings six years on since launch and over the past twelve months. We hope you had a Happy Christmas even if you had to self-isolate away from your family. What was your BajanThings all time favourite post? What was your BajanThings 2020 favourite post? My all…
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Alan Emtage – the Bajan who invented the ftp search engine in 1989 while a post-grad student at McGill University
Bajan Alan Emtage in 1989, aged 25, invented the first internet (ftp) search engine – Archie. The name Archie is derived from Archive with the v removed. At the time Alan was a post graduate student at McGill University working as a volunteer systems administrator for the School of Computer Science where he conceived and…
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Four days up and twenty days down – The Small World crossing of the Atlantic December 1958
The Small World was a silver and black hydrogen filled balloon captained by Arnold “Bushy” Eiloart, whose quest was to be the first balloon to complete a transatlantic voyage from Tenerife to the east coast of the United States. The Small World balloon had the registration G-APOB. The gondola had the registration The Small World…
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George Blackman BWIR – There were no parades for us
In 1915 Britain’s War Office, which had initially opposed recruitment of West Indian troops, agreed to accept volunteers from the West Indies. A new regiment was formed, the British West Indies Regiment (BWIR), which served in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. “They called us darkies. But when the battle starts, it didn’t make a…
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Banja in Barbados and its influence on calypso throughout the West Indies
The story of Banja and its development and its influence on calypso though the West Indies told by our guest contributor Roger Gibbs – who is Toronto based. Here we re-publish Roger Gibbs’ video presentation: Early Calypso in Barbados. In addition to the video Roger has also provided us with a transcript for those that…
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King Ja Ja, L’Année Passée and Rum & Coca-Cola
This is a follow-on to the well-known Barbadian folk song Millie Gone to Brazil and is how two classics songs L’Année Passée and Rum & Coca-Cola trace their heritage back to the Bajan folk song: King Ja Ja. It is told by our guest contributor Roger Gibbs. King Ja Ja of Opobo King Ja Ja…
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Lt. Joseph Nathaniel Griffith – the Bajan that taught a band to play
This is the story of Bajan Lt. Joseph Nathaniel Griffith who was the Trinidad All Steel Percussion Orchestra (TASPO) musical director which debuted at the Festival of Britain at the South Bank Exhibition in London on 26th July 1951. At the time TASPO was probably the most technically advanced steelband in the world. Bajan: Lt. Griffith…
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Beautiful Barbados
Beautiful Barbados is being spoilt by ecologically uncaring, illegal and unscrupulous fly tippers dumping waste off-the beaten track. Here are some pictures of our beautiful island that only those of us who enjoy hiking and walking in the gullies and trails will ever see. Every parish has similar dumping hot-spots – there are way too many to include…
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Barbados Sugar-Works 1640 – 1924 (Summary)
Jim Webster in collaboration with Francis Ward, has put together three posts for BajanThings all on the theme of Barbados Sugar-Works (Sugar Plantations / Sugar Estates / Sugar Factories). This post brings together the three data tables in one place: In addition Jim Webster has also produced a detailed index of Maps of Barbados going…
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The Barbados Trailways Project
The Barbados Trailway Project is an ambitious plan to convert the Train Line into a multi-use pathway for use by Bajan cyclists, walkers and runners. Since the train stopped running in 1937 the tracks were removed and the route used by the surrounding farmers to gain access to their fields. It was also used by…
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BajanThings
Bajan history. Interesting Bajan people. Hiking in Barbados and Overseas. International Travel…