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B M & T ••• September/October 2016 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 18 Exploring island history and culture Each Caribbean destination offers a host of attractions for visitors to explore its unique history, arts and architecture. Some of the top events and attractions showcase the island's vibrant and diverse musical heritage. Jamaica is home to the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston, a required stop for any vis- itor interested in the life of the Reggae legend, and the Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival is held each January in Montego Bay. Quelbe, the official tradi- tional music of the Virgin Islands, can be described as a "scratch band sound," accord- ing to the website of the USVI Department of Tourism. The music was invented by slaves working on sugar plantations where drum beating and dancing were forbidden by Danish law. The ingenious musicians formed percussion bands with homemade bamboo flutes, bass drums, steel triangles and dried gourds. Over years, the guitar, tambourine, tail pipe and ukulele were added to the mix. The Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is an annual event held on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday in Trinidad and Tobago. The event is well known for participants' color- ful costumes and exuberant celebrations. Carnival is the most significant event on the islands' cultural and tourism calendar, with numerous cul- tural events such as "band launch fetes" running in the lead up to the street parade on Carnival Monday and Tuesday. Boasting a different though no less exiting carnival, The Bahamas offers an extravagant Junkanoo street parade filled with elaborately themed colorful costumes, music and dance that takes place in The Bahamas on Boxing Day (in December) and New Year's Day. The liveliest and largest of the sensational Bahamas Junkanoo party celebrations is in Nassau, but you can also experience the intoxicating carnival atmosphere on Grand Bahama Island, Eleuthera/Harbour Island, Bimini, The Exumas and The Abacos. The town of Loiza, just east of San Juan, is called the African cultural center of Puerto Rico. It's listed by the web- site African Diaspora Tourism as a must-see attraction. Another notable Black heritage attraction on the island is the Museum of Our African Roots in Old San Juan. On Curacao, the Museum Kura Hulanda in Willemstad showcases historical and art exhibits from Africa and the Caribbean. In the USVI, visitors can tour the Cruzan Rum Distillery on St. Croix, which has been making rum since the 1600s. St. Croix also is home to the Fort Christian Pub, the only micro- brewery in the Virgin Islands. The Haagenson House museum on St. Thomas and Whim Museum on St. Croix display works of local artisans, from mahogany pieces to linens. The Annaberg Plantation ruins in St. John's National Park are one of USVI's most notable sightseeing attrac- tions. Bridgetown, Barbados and its military posts have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its histori- cal and cultural attractions are abundant. Housed in a for- mer 19th century military prison, the Barbados Museum holds a collection of rare historical maps. Tyrol Cot Heritage Village features a historic Palladian-style home and a mod- ern village displaying local crafts. The Nidhe Israel Museum sits next to the old- est continually operating syn- agogue in the Western hemi- sphere, built in the 17th centu- ry. Other museums open for tour include the Barbados National Heroes Gallery and Museum of Parliament; the Sunbury Plantation House, known for its collections of mahogany antiques, old prints and horse-drawn carriages; the George Washington House, where the first U.S. president stayed during his only visit outside Colonial America; St. Nicholas Abbey, which has a working run distillery onsite; the Springvale Eco-Heritage Museum; and the Sir Frank Hutson Sugar Museum. Sampling the culinary Caribbean is a cultural exploration all its own. Jamaica serves up its national dish of ackee and salt fish, along with other favorites like rice and peas and jerk chicken. For a taste of the local Bajan cuisine of Barbados, try the national dish, flying fish and cou-cou, the latter being an okra and cornmeal concoction. Eateries in U.S. Virgin Islands offer many local specialties among a multicultural array of dining choices. There's kallaloo, a spicy stew made from okra, greens, meat and seafood; pates, a fried meat pastry; and soursop ice cream, made from a native exotic fruit. Then there's this unexpected USVI culinary attraction: The Texas Society's annual Chili Cook-Off, held each September on St. Thomas. Maracas Trinidad Bahamas Junkanoo Photo Credit: Trinidad & Tobago Tourism Development Company