In addition, it must be remembered that these are Latin peoples; no matter how many superficial Anglicisms have been adopted, there is much more correspondence in temperament to the Latin-American peoples who surround them than to the conservative and restrained ways of the British.
Racial Structure
Yet, the racial structure is extraordinarily heterogeneous and there is little trouble and tension compared to what there might be, brought about in large part by the happy British acknowledgement that the Indies belong to the people living there. The British want cooperation, not servility.
When Columbus came to these islands in the early sixtenth century, they were virtually uninhabited with the exception of a few hostile stone-age tribes, the Caribs and the Arawaks. So the major part of the Indies' burgeoning population is descended from slaves brought in to work the sugar plantations.
After slavery was abolished in 1833, large numbers of indentured laborers were brought from India until this practice ceased about 1910. About a tenth of the total population are East Indians. They form at least half of the population of Trinidad, whose capital, Port of Spain, is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. There are also about 18,000 Chinese and a smaller number of Syrians.
In addition, there are' the descendants of the Spanish, Dutch, French, Portugese and British who have all passed through these islands. The Americans as well have not failed to leave their mark, particularly during the last war. As the calypso that Belefonte popularized goes:
Now the Americans made an invasion.
We thought it was a help to the island
Until they left from here on their vacation.
They left native boy here to mind their children.
Singing brown-skin girl, Stay home and mind baby. Singing brown-skin girl Stay home and mind baby I'm going away in a sailing boat And if I don't come back, Stay home and mind baby.
Now I tell you the story about Milly.
She made nice blue-eyed baby. They say she fancied the mother,
But the blue eyed baby ain't know she father.
(Refrain)
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