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It is widely known that Spain, Great Britain, France, and the United States have all colonized the Caribbean Islands. But did you know that Denmark was a colonial power for some time?
I knew that but even the Netherlands has territory in the Caribbean Islands today. Spain does not have any territory anymore in the Caribbean Islands and it been that way for over a 100 years.
How much Danish influence is still present on its former islands? I know the English and the French often swapted islands, especially in the Lesser Antilles. Regardless who ended up with any particular island before they gained their independence, there are traces of the former colonial power's culture. I know that Saint Lucia got its independence from Britain and they speak English and the British ways are evident there, but there are French hints or lets call them cultural undertones that lets an astute visitor know that Saint Lucia was once French terriory too.
How much Danish influence is still present on its former islands? I know the English and the French often swapted islands, especially in the Lesser Antilles. Regardless who ended up with any particular island before they gained their independence, there are traces of the former colonial power's culture. I know that Saint Lucia got its independence from Britain and they speak English and the British ways are evident there, but there are French hints or lets call them cultural undertones that lets an astute visitor know that Saint Lucia was once French terriory too.
Other than place names (St. Croix, Christiansted, etc) there is virtually no Danish influence left in the USVI. I don't think there was that much to begin with. Very, very few Danish ever even lived there other than maybe a few government officials and their families.
Other than place names (St. Croix, Christiansted, etc) there is virtually no Danish influence left in the USVI. I don't think there was that much to begin with. Very, very few Danish ever even lived there other than maybe a few government officials and their families.
When the USVI was Danish, most of the white colonists were from other parts of Europe. In fact St Thomas had a fairly substantial German merchant class.
The language used by the slaves (Dutch creole) will indicate who the slave owners were, at least in St Thomas, and St John.
In fact the creole dialects of the US and BVI and St Maarten/Martin, are considered to have evolved similarly, suggesting that English was widely spoken in all of those islands, even though only the BVI were British controlled for any extensive period.
How much Danish influence is still present on its former islands? I know the English and the French often swapted islands, especially in the Lesser Antilles. Regardless who ended up with any particular island before they gained their independence, there are traces of the former colonial power's culture. I know that Saint Lucia got its independence from Britain and they speak English and the British ways are evident there, but there are French hints or lets call them cultural undertones that lets an astute visitor know that Saint Lucia was once French terriory too.
There are waaaaay more than simply hints or traces of French in St. Lucia. Kreyol/Patois is spoken by the majority of people. The music and dance are clearly French influenced.
Other than place names (St. Croix, Christiansted, etc) there is virtually no Danish influence left in the USVI. I don't think there was that much to begin with. Very, very few Danish ever even lived there other than maybe a few government officials and their families.
There is actually a bit. There are random aspects of VI dialect that reflect the Danish influence though, especially the pronunciations of "v" and "w." One can still find people with Danish names despite the smaller number that originally came. There is also some cuisine of Danish origin.
There is actually a bit. There are random aspects of VI dialect that reflect the Danish influence though, especially the pronunciations of "v" and "w." One can still find people with Danish names despite the smaller number that originally came. There is also some cuisine of Danish origin.
The language base of the USVI was Dutch creole, because that most of the slave owners were Dutch on STT and STJ. It is hard to tell a Thomian from a St Maartener, even though the latter was never a Danish colony.
Denmark owned these islands, but couldn't populate them, so the Danish were actually a minority among the European settlers.
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