Afro–Virgin Islanders,[1][2]African Virgin Islanders,[3] orBlack Virgin Islanders,[4] are people of theAfrican diaspora who reside in theUnited States Virgin Islands,[1][2]British Virgin Islands, andSpanish Virgin Islands, which, overall, constitutes theVirgin Islands.
4,919 enslaved Africans were forcibly transported from theBight of Benin.[5] 16,203 enslaved Africans were forcibly transported from theBight of Biafra.[5] 18,618 enslaved Africans were forcibly transported from theGold Coast.[5] 1,149 enslaved Africans were forcibly transported fromSenegambia.[5] 1,635 enslaved Africans were forcibly transported fromSierra Leone.[5] 2,818 enslaved Africans were forcibly transported from theWindward Coast.[5] 12,774 enslaved Africans were forcibly transported from westernCentral Africa.[5] 28,638 enslaved Africans were forcibly transported from an unspecified region(s) inAfrica.[5] Of the 86,910 enslaved Africans who were forcibly transported, 73,109, or 84%, arrived in theUnited States Virgin Islands andBritish Virgin Islands.[5]
The British Virgin Islands' census, which reflected the transition fromsubsistence agriculture and cotton to the more labor-intense production ofsugar, corresponded with the growth of its population: 547 Afro–Virgin Islanders in 1717; 1,509 Afro–Virgin Islanders in 1720; 6,121 Afro–Virgin Islanders in 1756; 9,000 Afro–Virgin Islanders in 1774; and 9,220 Afro–Virgin Islanders in 1805.[6]
The Spanish Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, and United States Virgin Islands are connected with one another through their historic statuses of beingUnited States’colonies.[7] Additionally, the islands are interconnected through their considerable numbers of diasporic African populations and their diasporic African cultural heritage (e.g.,cuisines, cuisine preparation, cultural pride in African/Cocolo heritage, farm-based economy,popular music, religious music).[7]
Virgin Islands Creole is limited in its written attestation prior to 1900.[8] However, the earlier developed Virgin Islands language,Negerhollands, provides supportive evidence for its diagnostic traits existing much earlier than 1900.[8] The diagnostic traits, which derive fromAfrican languages, are found in both Virgin Islands Creole and Negerhollands.[8]Saint Kitts Creole and Virgin Islands Creole also share many of the same words found in African languages.[8] Regarding the diagnostic traits found in Virgin Islands Creole, in descending order, the followingethnic groups were found among enslaved Africans in the Virgin Islands: "Amina, Karabari,Ibo, Sokko, Watje, Kassenti,Congo, Kanga, Papa,Loango,Angola andFula."[8] Additionally, in ascending order, the following languages were spoken among enslaved Africans in the Virgin Islands: "Akan,Gbe,Igbo, and several WestBantu languages."[8] Further, the Akan language contributed significantly to the development of Virgin Islands Creole.[8] Furthermore,languages from the Gold Coast also contributed significantly to the development of Virgin Islands Creole.[8]
Since theenslavement period of Afro–Virgin Islanders in the United States Virgin Islands, themusical anddance culture ofCariso inSt. Croix andBamboula inSt. Thomas has existed.[9] Compared to Bamboula and Cariso,Quelbe is a younger cultural tradition.[10] Though Bamboula and Cariso have undergone a decrease in popularity in the Virgin Islands, the popularity of Quelbe has increased.[10]
Out of 110,000 people, Afro–Virgin Islanders, who are the most numerous group, constitute approximately 48% of the population in theUnited States Virgin Islands.[1]Afro-Caribbean people also constitute approximately 27% of its population.[1]
In the Spanish Virgin Islands,Black Virgin Islanders constitute 56% ofCulebra’s 1,818 residents and, possibly due to undercounting, 28% ofVieques’ 9,301 residents.[7]
In addition to being found to have 2.6% (±2.1%)Native American and 10.6% (±2.3%)European ancestry, Afro–Virgin Islanders fromSt. Thomas, who were sampled in 2008, were found to be 86.8% (±2.2%)West African.[11] In addition to being found to have 5.6% (±4.9%)Native American and 16.9% (±21.1%)European ancestry, Afro–Virgin Islanders fromSaint Thomas, who were sampled in 2013, were found to be 77.4% (±21.9%)West African.[12]
Risk allele variants G1 and G2 are associated withchronic kidney disease, which are common among populations ofSub-Saharan African ancestry; the G2 variant occurs at a 3%-8% rate among populations of westernCentral African ancestry and origin.[13]
Someinfectious diseases are protected against due toAfrican ancestry.[13] Hereditaryblood disorders, such assickle cell anemia andthalassemia, produce an effect on the development ofhemoglobin, which, consequently, prevents the reproduction ofmalaria parasites within theerythrocyte.[13] Populations withWest African ancestry, which come as a result of theTrans-Atlantic slave trade, tend to have occurrences of sickle cell anemia and thalassemia.[13]
{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal= (help)| Geography |
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| Secondary Afro-American diaspora |
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