A dense flatbread used in many parts of the Caribbean, usually made of cornmeal, shaped into a flat cake and baked or fried on a griddle. The type of batter and method of cooking varies from place to place. For example, Bahamas johnnycake, rather like a sweet cornbread, is sweeter than Barbados johnnycake. In Jamaica, johnnycakes are often made with wheat flour and without cornmeal and is usually fried. Varieties of johnnycake are also made in the U.S. New England states and in the upper Midwest.
Radio CARICOM, the Voice of the Caribbean Community, was launched on Tuesday, July 4, 2004, at the Opening Ceremony of the Twenty-Fifth Meeting of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, held in Grand Anse, Grenada. Radio Caricom is being managed by the Secretariat of the Community and is expected to be established in all member states shortly. Barbados, Belize, Grenada, and St. Lucia, regarded as “pilot states” in the project, were the first to hear the broadcasts of the new service. The Secretariat’s staff will use a “test and fix” approach in refining and expanding the system. Radio Caricom’s initial test frequencies are: Barbados: 100.7 FM; Belize: 02.5 FM; Grenada: 102.5 FM; St. Lucia: 102.5 FM.
More information is available on the service’s web
site:
www.radiocaricom.org
INDIAN FOODS
Some of the delicacies that available when Indians celebrate their major festivals include phulourie, potato ball, bigany, bara, gulgula, prasad, channa (chick peas), chutney (mango, tamarind), ghoja, mahambhoog, and kheer or sweet rice.
CAN IGUANAS BITE?
Yes. They can and they do bite humans. Many people
who keep iguanas as pets have come to learn this the painful way. Even small
or young iguanas can inflict nasty flesh wounds. Large males can tear
flesh, causing wounds that need for stitches or even surgery.
In
some places, including New York City, the keeping of iguanas as pets is
banned.
HURRICANE NAMES
When a hurricane is born, it is given a name that stays
with it until it dies. Hurricanes formed in the Caribbean used to be named
after the particular saint's day on which the hurricane formed. In 1953, the
U.S. National Weather Service, the federal agency that tracks hurricanes and
issues warnings and watches, began following a practice initiated by an
Australian meteorologist and used women's names for tropical storms. In
1979, the agency began using men’s names as well.
The World Meteorological Organization, which prepares the list of names,
selects one name for each letter of the alphabet, except the letters Q, U,
Y, X and Z. English, French, or Spanish, the major languages spoken in
countries bordering the Atlantic Ocean, are used for Atlantic Ocean
hurricanes. The name of the first hurricane of a season starts with the
letter A, the next with the letter B, and so on. Six lists of
names are used for the Atlantic - one list a year. The first list is used
again, after the sixth year. Names of notable hurricanes are retired and
never used again.
Atlantic Hurricane Names
More about Hurricanes
THE FIRST CARIFESTA THEME SONG
WELCOME TO CARIFESTA
composed and sung by Guyanese calypsonian Malcolm Corrica (Lord Canary)
for the first ever Carifesta
Welcome to CARIFESTA '72
Oh what a great cultural break-through
The whole Caribbean territory,
South and Central America will be
Getting together and taking part
In this Festival of Creative Arts
Where Drama, concerts, folk groups and dance,
Art and literature will be in exuberance.
CHORUS
CARIFESTA '72
CARIFESTA I'm inviting you
To twenty-two days of education,
frolic and fun,
CARIFESTA '72
CARIFESTA it's a big to-do
We welcome you to CARIFESTA '72
The dark hand rising grasping the sun,
Depicts the skills and aspirations of
the tropical man with talent untold.
All of this CARIFESTA will unfold,
The children pageant, the children
art exhibition
Will sure please your heart.
So book your passage B.W.I.A.
For CARIFESTA '72 right away.
CHRISTOPHENE or CHO-CHO
Christophene (scientific name: Sechium edule) is a small edible pear-shaped vegetable, that is well-liked in the Caribbean. Light green or cream in color, it is a native of Mexico and is known by many other names including Cho-cho, Chayote or Mirliton. Most North Americans call it "vegetable pear". However, in markets frequented by people of the Caribbean in the United States, it is called cho-cho. A member of the squash family, it grows on a vine and is mostly eaten boiled.
For a look at TV programs reflecting the people or the Caribbean and their culture, link to Banyan.