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All Aboard the Landship!

Bajan landship is guaranteed cheer you up. (And you didn’t even know you were sad!)

Landship, a tradition unique to Barbados, developed during the several centuries of British rule as a way for African Barbadians to emulate (and also satirize) the strict hierarchies of the British navy while using playful dance moves to reference a harsh history of slavery and colonialism.  A landship is a Barjan community dance society (“a ship on land”) whose members dress up like British naval officers and support staff and dance in processions like British naval officers do–sort of.

I am a Bajan

Many people in Barbados speak an inventive hybrid form of English known as Bajan. You know what All Around This World thinks about that? “Cheese on bread!”
Bajan speakers revel in the playful nature of Bajan phrasing and pronunciation. For example, Bajan speakers pronounce “th” as “d” (such as “dem” instead of “them), leave “to be” out of sentences (“I here” instead of “I am here”) and use the same word three times for emphasis. So, instead of “This music class is great!” a Bajan speaker (like our good friend RUPEE) may say, “Dis music class good good GOOD.”