Rogues In Paradise - Introduction
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The document discusses 'Rogues in Paradise', a book by Ian R. Clayton that explores the unique characters and culture of Barbados beyond its beaches. It highlights the island's rich history, the warmth of its people, and the extraordinary stories of everyday folk coupled with notable personalities while aiming to reveal the essence of Barbadian life. Through humor and personal anecdotes, the book offers insights into the charm and resilience of the island's inhabitants.
Rogues In Paradise - Introduction
- 1. Ian R Clayton Rogues in Paradise Outrageous Real Caribbean Characters, Rogues & Heroes, Will Have You Doubled Up With Laughter On The Edge of Intrigue! A Book You Simply Must Read!
- 2. Preface In the sixties, I landed my first job managing hotels in Barbados. That was after completing hotel and catering studies in the UK. Next was a stint in Canada to complete my education, and I set off on a new path, building information systems for environmental collaboration and tourism. I returned to Barbados in 1995 with a bag full of technology, including a environmental digital atlas of the Fundy Main and Georges bank (FMG). It was a comprehensive inventory and interactive map of the entire easter shore from Funny Bay in Canada to Main in the USA. Built on my GEOAXSES mapping technology it demonstrated the benefits of digital media. My team of Barbadian professionals developed and launched the Barbados Tourism Encyclopedia in 1996. We spent several years compiling stories, videos, information, and software applications for hotels, tour operators, and tourism in general. This gave me a deep understanding and appreciation of the island. Barbados has a diverse patchwork of people, history, heritage, and culture that often goes unseen by the typical tourist. Even after all this time, Barbadians still surprise me. Their warmth, casual charm, and sophistication are unmatched in my global travel experience. And so, I set out to write a book on the character of the island beyond its pristine beaches. Join me and discover a whole new world.
- 3. Introduction It sat like a coral rock, thick with woods, sticking out of the sea and miles away from anywhere; lost, forgotten, and unwanted. The island was first a home to tribes from the Amazon—God only knows why they paddled all the way there. The seas rage around the dragon’s mouth in the Gulf of Paria off of Venezuela; the tides run faster than an army could paddle, and the waves are mountainous at times. Why would anyone want to voyage over five hundred miles to an island they didn’t even know existed? The Spanish, who arrived next, along with the Portuguese, raided the island and captured the original settlers, taking them home as slaves. Some of the Arawaks and Carib settlers from South America left of their own accord to avoid capture. By the time the British ships landed, the island appeared to be uninhabited and unwanted again. (i) For all intents and purposes, it was just a scrap of land set apart from other scraps of islands in the Caribbean, with no Earthly use except maybe as a port. And even as a port, it was miserable. St. Lucia had the Marigot Bay and Rodney Bay, and lots of shelters where a whole navy could hide away from an enemy or a storm. Barbados, in contrast, had none of that. However, one of the British explorers, Sir William Courteen, had been advised that the island might be a strategically important port in trade route to South America. Now, that was bad advice if you ever heard it. Trade routes, my foot! Barbados was far out of the way. The ships that sailed from Europe could make it to South America all on their own with no help from any island. Sir William took the gamble on Barbados by accident, really. His fleet of some twenty ships and five thousand men was already trading with Guinea, Portugal, and Spain. “Why not add South America?” he thought —in which case, Barbados might be a good investment. After all, his advisors thought it was a good idea. So Sir William dispatched Captain John Powell to scout the area and bring back news of opportunities. (i) Powell found a deserted island that Portuguese explorer Pedro a Campos had named Los Barbados, the bearded one. That was a reference to the bearded fig tree that grew tall on the island's fertile but shallow ground. The tree’s roots hung down from high branches, looking like a beard. Powell reported back to Sir William that the land was uninhabited and was good real estate. ! From this humble stumble of a start, Barbados grew to be the wealthiest and most productive British colony in the new world. It became the centre of the sugar trade and the world's first slave society. Its people, Afro-British Barbadians, became the vibrant patchwork of heroes, rogues, and characters that form the essence of this story of Barbados. The story of Barbados that this book tells starts with the ordinary yet extraordinary people of the island. For the most part, the stories are about everyday folk that are the unsung, ordinary heroes who are, in many ways, extraordinary. They are the beach vendors, the coconut men, and the artisans. You will find a deep essence of good in them all. There are also stories of significant personalities, events, and history— each written with a unique perspective that looks beyond the obvious. I like to find the funny bone in what I see and do in life, and I love to explore people’s motivation, purpose, and outlook. Barbadians are different from other Caribbean personalities. They are highly spiritual and religiously conscious. By nature, they are open, thoughtful, and generous. They love a party but will make time for quiet and shy people and draw them out with disarming innocence and charm. All Caribbean people share similar traits, but Barbadians differs in subtle ways.i Bajans like all people, no matter their background, race, and disposition. They will shoot the breeze and laugh and joke with the most outrageous personalities of our time. Many characters in this book are kind and gentle souls who are distinctively charming. The more roguish ones are also delightful in their own way, which is why they get away with so much. You will laugh out loud and marvel at the audacity of these Bajans, and you will be inspired by their love of life and their boundless joy. Through it all, you will learn about the wondrous island of Barbados.! ! The book ends by looking into the history and heritage of Barbados to understand why Bajans are unique and what makes them the loveable people they are. (ii)
- 4. These Outlandish Rogues Will Change How You See The World Sample.RoguesinParadise.com Get Your Free Chapters Now Ian R. Clayton Acerola- Two Weeks to Judgement Day The most charming rascal steals the hearts and wallets of many he meets and gets away. Now the law has caught up with him, it's pay-up or lock-up Pompasettin All Style & No Substance Leads To A Fall He assumed his fancy attire gave him priority, but he was not expecting the tongue-lashing he got in this true story of island social etiquette. Knowing your place and getting called out, in no uncertain tone, when you don’t is a hard lesson to learn. Murder Most High A tale of intrigue and murder amongst the gentry. Two business partners were doing well in the days of slavery until one fell in love with the others wife. It is a stunning affair that ended very badly for all. The Slave who Became A Madam and Told Off a King Daughter of a slave and herself born into slavery, she defied all odds and became a hugely successful entrepreneur. In a famous altercation with the future