Happy Birthday To My Increasingly West Indian Boys
As a proud West Indian, I had plenty of good reasons for wanting to start Uncommon Caribbean eight years ago. The two best ones: my identical twin boys.
They were six years-old the day we published our very first article. I remember being a little worried about them at the time, though not because of their health or safety, or anything like that. No, the worry I had was one that I imagine is shared among many West Indian parents raising their kids outside of our home region.
Would my kids ever really appreciate their West Indian roots?
Sure, they knew a little about the Caribbean, especially “Daddy’s Island,” roti, Crucian hook bracelets, and the very best chocolate bars in the world. Growing up in the States, though, I feared that they’d never really know the region; never really understand the true essence of what makes the Caribbean so special, or to love the islands as their own.
So yeah, a lot of what I write is intended for my boys, my adventures and the stories that come of them spurring a greater connection among the three of us, as well as (I hope) a love within them for the entire West Indies.
If Uncommon Caribbean works similarly for you, deepening your love for the islands, then I hope you’ll join me in wishing my boys a very happy birthday today. After all, without them, this site may never have existed at all.
*Photo: Pumpkin Bluff Beach, North Caicos
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