Hello, good afternoon,
I am just wondering which island would be better to live on: Tortola or St.Thomas. I have heard that Tortola is safer than St.Thomas and less tourist come to Tortola. I have wondured which island flourishes with more African features and rituals. I guess that is what I am looking for, more African culture. But both islands are both fairly preety. What island can emphisize that?


Thanks a lot
Rey

Tortola has a smaller population and is less developed in terms of mass tourism when compared to St. Thomas' cruise ship and on-island visitors; but Tortola does have its share of visitors as well. Both islands are beautiful. In terms of African culture - well I suppose that factor is on both islands equally assimilated into the perspective mother country; example West Indian more so then I would say African, combined with American culture for the USVI and West Indian combined strongly with British Culture for Tortola. Both islands celebrate Carnival and preserve Afro-West Indian cultural flavor in food, customs, holidays - while embracing those factors in American and British culture as well.

Could you explain a little more of what you are looking for, when you say features and rituals???

What I ment by African ritual was that do both islands have the same type of music and dance? For example does the BVI celebrate things by using the quadrille and bamboula dance?Do Mocko Jumbies perform on the BVI? If they do is it indegionous to the BVI? Do the same types of masquerades roam the BVI from the USVI? And finally do people on St.Thomas use horses and donkeys to travel?

Music in the Virgin Islands, both US and the BVI is both influenced by West Indian/Caribbean types; reggae, soca, calypso, cadance, zouk, steel pan... and also American music; rap, r-n-b, country.... you have both on both sets of islands. The majority is Caribbean however there is a lot of American music as well. There is traditional scrach band music on both islands, probally a little more on Tortola among the older population. Dancing - you wont find the quadrille or the bambola being the norm on either island - however there are dance groups that teach and promote the traditional dance and perform during festivals - this is true on both sets of islands. Mocko Jumbies you find in the USVI and to some extent as well during festivals in the Bristish islands- I would not say they are indigionous only to the BVIs no - they are found in other Caribbean islands as well - so is the music and dance. Masquearades that perform during Carnival are similar on both islands yes - and again similar to what is found on other Caribbean islands. The factors that you have discussed are what I would consider more part of the West Indian tradition of all the Caribbean islands; from St. Martin to St. Kitts, to Trinidad... these music types and dance types, food although not mentioned in your post and other cultural characteristics that you inquired about.... are historically part of an African cultural background combined with other cultures but realistically speaking - is really a West Indian Culture, A Caribbean Culture, unique to the islands. And it can be appreciated in both the British Virgin Islands are the US VIrgin Islands, as it can be appreciated as well in other Caribbean Islands as well. However it must be noted that the BVI's and the USVI fly American and British flags respectively and thus they are heavily influenced by the cultures of those countries.

No one drives horse and buggies or donkeys to travel - on St. Thomas people drive Jeep Liberties, BMW, Fords, Lexus, Mercedes... you get the picture. You can see donkies in the wild on St. John - on St. Thomas you can see them either in a few people yards, during the Agriculture fair or being paraded around for tourist to take picture with. No donkeys for travel though - thats not been the case for quite a few years, quite a few!

I am not sure I have answered your question. If you are looking for an island where African traditions - traditional African tradtions are practiced without the influence of other cultures, not sure you will find that.

Overall you will find that music, food, dance is quite similar on both sets of islands - in my opionion this is becuase the islands are both Caribbean Islands with a strong West Indian influence. However both sets of islands are very different in the atmosphere - this difference is created because of the difference in 'mother countries' American vs. British.

Please post again if your question is not answered, or if my answer created more questions. Have a good weekend.

Well thanks!
That answeres that question. But now I want to know how is the the arts and crafts on Tortola. Have you ever been to Jamaica? Well if you have, have noticed how the sculptures, pottery and pictures reflects off of the African roots, is Tortola like that. I know I am a little obsested with African cultures but I want to live on Tortola to take my families place. One more question about dance. Is the quadrille and bamboula performed at carnival and on regular basis on Tortola? And finally what are the other traditional dances of the Virgin Islands?



Thanks

You should choose Tortola because it is much safer than St. Thomas.

One thing that wasn't questioned is Rey's eligibility in opting to live either in the USVI or the BVI. They are two completely separate entities, as in countries, with completely different rules and regulations where living and working is concerned.

US Citizenship or registered alien status (as in "green card" allows you work in the USVI as it allows you to work anywhere under the United States flag which includes the territories.

The BVI has its own rules and regulations and Rey should be researching their immigration policies which are most stringent. All the Caribbean islands in some way, shape or form, celebrate and encompass African culture in many ways.

These posts by "Islander" confuse me somewhat because "Islander" is the board moderator, does not usually answer posts either in such detail or with so many grammatical errors and lack of attention to detail, and the Islander name also comes up in BLUE!

Is someone playing games here or is this for real?

The first five posts are 5 years old. I would assume by now Rey has found the answers to his questions.

Gerie

Lord Alive, thank you Gerie! I now feel like a complete bloody idiot because I simply didn't check the prior dates. Either Oliver Jensen had some sort of a point to make or else just dragged up this post to create melee.

Thank you again and I of course stand corrected along with accompanying wet-noodle lashings. Just another reminder to check dates on forum posts. Cheers!