Caribbean Appreciation Month — Barbados Helped Free Me

In honor of Caribbean American Heritage Month, I found myself reflecting on one of the most transformative travel experiences I’ve ever had.

During my first visit to Barbados in 2023, I didn’t think anything could top the experience; luckily, I was wrong.

There is a freedom associated with being on the island that is home to the culture’s favorite bad gal, none other than Rihanna herself. As a child of the water, I have an affinity for any destination surrounded by water, but this time that feeling came from immersing myself in the history of Crop Over through the lens of FENTY Beauty and the locals who take pride in calling Barbados home.

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What is Crop Over?

Rihanna is no stranger to shutting down the internet, and the same applies during the Crop Over Festival, an annual summer event that spans several months and culminates on the first Monday in August, known as Grand Kadooment Day.

When she isn’t busy with mommy duties, the “Pon de Replay” songstress is on the streets of her island, with the people. During my recent visit, I got a taste of what the festival means beyond the parties and costumes, and thanks to masquerade costume designer Vida by Esquire, for the first time, I had the opportunity to get dressed up to play mas, and it was the most freeing experience of my 33 years on this planet.

Stepping Into My Costume For The First Time

Due to some not-so-ideal lab reports from my doctor and not feeling comfortable looking at myself in photos, I have spent the last year getting reacquainted with the gym. 

That said, this body is still a work in progress; however, unlike the European standards that have been adopted by the country that I reside in (good ole’ America), that didn’t matter when I stepped into my carnival costume. In fact, although it was quite skimpy, I felt more confident than ever before.

Dare I say that adorning myself in those threads added a whole new layer of aura, or what the kids these days call rizz. I couldn’t seem to place why I felt so connected to the attire, but that was soon revealed when I learned that it is more than just a costume. Each of them is tailored specifically to Bajan culture and identity.

Meet DOOFLICKY

While Vida by Esquire took our sizes before we descended upon the island for Glow to Barbados’, Pre-Crop Over Festivities, they did not reveal or allow us to choose which piece we’d be in for the Clear Kayak Barbados photoshoot associated with the try-on.

The costume that found me is DOOFLICKY, adorned with the most colorful beads that cover all the places too precious to be exposed to the world, yet still show enough to convey the essence of what I believe it means to be a true free spirit.

Hence, I was floored when I learned the cultural significance behind my costume.

“Iz time to leggo and be free,” reads the description associated with my outfit. There is such an irony in that, as someone who has stepped into her womanhood and sexuality like never before at age 33.

A bonafied people pleaser, I seem to ramp up my no f–ks given with each passing year, and this costume was a reflection of that.

According to the company, this particular selection is meant to highlight Bajan culture and how it is interwoven into society. The colors and dripping beads were designed to mirror the texture, movement, and layered effect of the Shaggy Bear.

If having motion were a costume, it would be this one.

Its printed pattern fabric pays tribute to costume legend Gwyneth Squires, the late legendary Trinidadian-born Barbadian bandleader, costume designer, and cultural icon who dominated Barbados’ Crop Over Festival masquerade for nearly four decades.

“We salute this stalwart and her bold, yet intricate creations,” continued the costume description. “This fabric was intentionally chosen because it represents a patchwork effect, which mirrors her signature style over the years. Vibrant, detailed, and rich in storytelling.”

Final Thoughts

When I stepped into the clear kayak, it didn’t matter what the scale said, what society said, what my parents would say; what resonated with me was that I’ve cultivated a life rooted in the freedom to be myself. Shanique Liz Yates. A woman of passion, deep devotion to those she loves, and the embodiment of a true free spirit.

To bring things even more full circle, a day after this experience, I visited the Builders of Barbados Wall at Golden Square Freedom Park in Bridgetown, and to my surprise, my family’s last name was one of the many listed on the bricks that symbolize the collective history, sacrifices, and contributions of all the regular people who built the nation over the last 600 years.

That said, as a Black American, finding my family’s surname on such a monument as the Builders of Barbados Wall means my work on the island is far from done. The discovery of this possible stepping stone into my potential ancestors’ past is the type of freedom that can never be bought.

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