#west indies
February moods…with Bel Ami Lucien, visual artist from Martinica
Island Paradise. Trinidad and Tobago.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines gets rather confusing, especially philatelically, what with the Grenadines being an island chain stuck (geographically AND politically) between Saint Vincent to the north and Grenada to the south. Which means there are various postal issues from a whole slew of the islands, depending on which Grenadines you’re looking for, plus all the “Saint Vincent” stamps and the “Saint Vincent and the Grenadines” stamps you could hope for. Another victim of pillaging colonial forces in the West Indies, Saint Vincent (as it is informally known, just to confuse things further) gained full independence from Britain in 1979.
Stamp details:
Stamp on top:
Issued on: May 8, 1861
From: Kingstown, Colony of St. Vincent
MC #1
Second row left:
Issued on: April 22, 1958
From: Kingstown, Territory of St. Vincent
MC #180
Second row right:
Issued on: October 27, 1969
From: Kingstown, State of St. Vincent
MC #255
Third row left:
Issued in: 1980
From: Kingstown, St. Vincent
MC #534
Third row middle:
Issued on: April 24, 1980
From: Grenadines, St. Vincent
MC #188
Third row right:
Issued on: March 14, 1983
From: Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
MC #651
Stamps on bottom:
Issued on: January 28, 2016
From: Kingstown, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
MC #7644-7647
Recognized as a sovereign state by the UN: Yes (since September 16, 1980)
Official name: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Member of the Universal Postal Union: Yes (since February 3, 1981)
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As you’ll no doubt recall, the English and the French have a complicated history - and the history of Saint Lucia handily reflects that, having endured the flip-flopping dominion by the French and English through the early years of colonization (it was claimed seven times each by both before the English took definitive control in the early 1800s - earning it its informal sobriquet “Helen of the West Indies”). Saint Lucia gained full independence as a member of the Commonwealth of Nations in 1979. [Incidentally, it is the only nation on earth named after a once-living lady - in this case, Saint Lucy of Syracuse, named by the French sailors (it is thought) who shipwrecked on her shores on St. Lucy’s Day.]
Stamp details:
Top left:
Issued on: December 18, 1860
From: Castries, Colony of Saint Lucia
MC #1
Top right:
Issued on: December 18, 1960
From: Castries, Territory of Saint Lucia
MC #165
Middle stamps:
Issued on: February 22, 1979
From: Castries, Saint Lucia
MC #450, 452
Stamps on bottom:
Issued in: 2019
From: Castries, Saint Lucia
Colnect #2019-01
Recognized as a sovereign state by the UN: Yes (since September 18, 1979)
Official name: Saint Lucia
Member of the Universal Postal Union: Yes (since July 10, 1980)
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Redonda, in the Leeward Islands of the West Indies, was for a time a British possession (though was named Santa Maria de la Redonda by none other than Cristoforo Colombo hisself) used pretty much exclusively for harvesting the guano found in copious amounts on this tiny (one mile long, a third of a mile wide) Caribbean island (closest neighbor is Montserrat; next closest is Nevis; but legally, these days, Redonda is part of Antigua and Barbuda). When the guano industry declined, the few workers who stayed on the islet departed and Redonda is now considered uninhabited, though that hasn’t stopped the ongoing succession of the Redonda monarchy - yes, the Kingdom of Redonda was first described by novelist M. P. Shiel, who claimed his father conceived of the idea in 1865 (the year M. P. Shiel was born), and since his (Shiel’s) 15th birthday and concurrent ascent to the throne, the kingship has been passed down, generally not through a blood tie but through a kinship of letters, from one writer to another. This has, perhaps naturally, led to a number of pretenders to the throne and there are currently various claimants to the throne of Redonda. Presumably needless to say, any postage stamps issued from Redonda are not considered legal philatelically, what with one of the ostensible requirements for legal stamps is that they’re used by people for sending mail - difficult on an uninhabited islet.
Stamp details:
Issued in: 1981
From: Redonda,
MC #N/A
Recognized as a sovereign state by the UN: No
Claimed by: Antigua and Barbuda
Member of the Universal Postal Union: No
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Carnival Costumes ✨ #blackwomenincostume ( @sk_visionz @lucyandvagabond @krystalangelique @jeanclaudephotgraphyllc @deedeefbaby @idouglasphoto @_mariecollette_ @sunnationjamaica @superstarriri @ownbyfemme @jeffreycharlesproductions @xkandiexx @stacilyon_ @chels.cee @lilanikole) https://www.instagram.com/p/B87OtizDkqk/?igshid=t7aa53za7pa2
West Indians in everything meh son. Guess where Ms. Boo Boo Kitty have roots? Cayman Islands… where de Cayman massive?!! Catch up with Ms. Gealey on her instagram : https://instagram.com/gracegealey/
Grace Gealey (born July 26, 1984), is a Caymanian-American actress, known for her role as Anika Calhoun in the Fox musical prime time soap opera, Empire. (via wikipedia)
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@badgalriri: if you grew up in the Caribbean, you took a bath like this in somebody backyard!!! My #majesty
Haaa.. Fuh True - The ACCURACY in that caption though..
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Feature:Phylecia Renae - @phyleciarenae
Goal:She just started a new venture which entails finding, interviewing and promoting Caribbean people who are entrepreneurs, entertainers, business people, etc.
My Caribbean folks, since you are doing amazing things with your gifts and talents, why not showcase it on a platform such as YouTube? If you want someone or yourself to be featured on Di Riddim Sweet, please contact Phylecia.
Location:New York
Contact:[email protected]
Tumblr: http://phyleciarenae.tumblr.com/
CARNIVAL 2015 Trinidad week 4 Vlog
They are “CARNIVAL FLAVOR” from the Japanese SOCA crew
Ann-G (vocal) | MARICA | KEI (dancer)
I absolutely adore this photo my friend took snorkelling the shallow coral croppings off Frederiksted area. Christmas tree worms and brain corals are some of my favorites. Out to sea, St. Croix, USVI. c. 2014
Photo cred: ED
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Undersea hedgehog; West Indian Sea Egg; Tripneustes ventricosus. I named him Billy. Frederiksted, St. Croix, USVI. c. 2014
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Beach weather. Should’ve stayed home but oh well, I love a good gray sky. Palms at Pelican Cove, St. Croix, USVI. c. 2014
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Quick jaunt to Isaac Bay with new triathlete amigos post the Half Ironman Triathlon. I don’t even know why other humans let me hang out with them. Isaac Bay, St. Croix, USVI. c. 2014
photo cred: ED
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It’s 4:25 am and I can’t get back to bed. Thinking about where I’d rather be instead to keep less than happy thoughts out of my head. They say a lot about the mystery of the sea, but like a bird’s song, it’s one of the only honest things I know. I think I am coming to terms with the uncertainty of everything else…including myself. Palms at Pelican Cove. St. Croix, USVI. c. 2014
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We hiked up to Bodkin Mill on the Northshore on Saturday. It was pretty overgrown, which hid the sick panoramic sight of the island, but it’s always nice to explore old ruins and stand amidst a colorful history. I hope you did something that made you feel alive today, if not…get to it! Happy Monday. Bodkin Mill, St. Croix, USVI. c. 2014
pc:ED
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