Culture & Identity of Grenada

Introduction

Grenada is extraordinarily rural as about 60% of the people life in more rural areas. This greatly contributes to the way of life in the island nation as the people are spread out. Despite the rural nature of the island, few people make a living in agriculture and the lifestyle seems to be rooted in socialization, not where a person lives or what a person does for a living.

In more rural areas the people seem to live a bit farther from each other than they do in cities, which makes the opportunities to socialize even more important. Many people live for the trip to the market, church, or a local shop where people gather to gossip and catch up. In these rural areas jobs can also be more difficult to come by (nearly a quarter of the population today is unemployed), but many people have found jobs in agriculture and numerous services industries.

Urban life in Grenada is only slightly different as the urban life typically refers to the island's larger towns. In these locations there is much more access to amenities and life can be a bit easier in that sense, but unemployment is high.

No matter the location or occupation of a person, the way of life in Grenada is rooted in socialization with friends and family. Much of the people's free time is spent in the home with these people, out at the market catching up, or outside playing sports. Bars, restaurants, dance clubs, and other common forms of entertainment are rarely frequented by the locals, although all exist.

Identity

The people of Grenada tend to identify as Grenadians, which is arguably defined on citizenship, but is more closely associated with the lifestyle of the people on the island. In their past the Grenadians have often separated themselves from political identities and conflicts, but today this political term is the best term to unite the people. Despite this, citizenship is secondary in being included in this definition. The true meaning of being a Grenadian today is based on the easy-going lifestyle, socialization, friendship, family, and events that they live regularly today, events that are used as an excuse to meet their friends and family, while showcasing their foods, dress, music, and anything else that defines their culture today.

This page was last updated: December, 2013