Did You Know
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- Grenada has been nicknamed the isle of Spice. It is the producer of over 12 different spices, including nutmeg, saffron, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, ginger, and allspice. Nutmeg which is Grenada’s most prized spice is referred to as Black Gold. Nutmeg was introduced to Grenada by King George II in 1782. Grenada is one of the world’s largest producers of nutmeg- second to Indonesia.
- The Bougainvillea is The National Flower of Grenada.
- Grand Anse Beach has been rated the Best Beach in the world by Conde Nast Traveller, UK.
- The Molinere Bay Underwater Sculpture Park was the first of Jason deCaires Taylor’s underwater gardens. He created the sculpture park in 2006. The site has been listed as one of National Geographic’s 25 Wonders of the World. At depths of 5-8 metres, they are accessible by snorkeling, diving or glass bottom boat. Dive in and explore the first Underwater Sculpture Park in the Word and see the artistic architecture of the sculptures and diverse flora and fauna.
- Over the years Grenada has been awarded 15 consecutive Gold Medals at the Chelsea Flower Show.
- River Antoine Distillery is home to the oldest functioning water-propelled distillery in the Western Hemisphere.
- Jennifer Hosten – In 1970 Grenadian born Jennifer Hosten became the first woman of colour to win Miss World, the international beauty pageant since it was established in 1951. In 2020 the movie “Misbehaviour” recounted the special moment in history.
- Kirani James, nicknamed the Jaguar, won the 400m World Championship at the age of 18 and Olympic Gold a year later in London in 2012 when he became Grenada’s first-ever medalist in the history of the Games. In 2016 he won a Silver Medal in Rio and Bronze in the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021.
- Telfor Bedeau is known as the Indiana Jones of Grenada. He has kayaked around the island and walked nearly every inch of it and climbed the highest peak Mt. St. Catherine 217 times.
- Boatbuilding, Carriacou Sloops – Carriacou is famous for its traditional boatbuilding which has been passed down through generations. If you have some time, check out the movie Vanishing Sails. Carriacou has the oldest regatta (Carriacou Regatta Festival) in the West Indies now in its 57th year.
- In Grenada, to play a jab is to embrace one’s heritage. Jab has become a symbol of Grenadian culture and freedom. The masquerade Jab Jab is a reenactment by the enslaved showing their retaliation against their captivators or slave masters whom they blamed for decades of suffering. Once slavery was abolished, they celebrated their freedom.
- There is no place else in the world where you can witness the recitation of lines from some of William Shakespeare’s plays. Shakespeare Mas is a unique highlight and feature of Carriacou’s Carnival that you must witness in person. Men dressed in bright colours engage in a battle of words hoping not to fumble on his lines otherwise surrendering to a stroke of his opponent’s stick.
- The World Food Travel Association (WFTA) named Grenada the World’s first Culinary Capital on June 29, 2021. The integration of spices into Grenada’s cuisine has resulted in an overall robust and flavorful national food profile. From fine dining to casual beachside restaurants and even street food, it is undeniable that Grenadians have a taste and flair for delicious food. The island is perfectly positioned as a Culinary Capital, with its many distinctive culinary assets to showcase. Examples include the tradition of saraka, the national dish ‘oil down’, chocolate, ice cream, handcrafted rums, and the many uses of spices. Now savvy food-loving travellers could add Grenada to their bucket list.
- A traditional wedding has six cultural activities attached to it, namely: Cake Baking, the Saraca, the Joining (cake and flag dancing), the Religious Ceremony, the reception and the Second Sunday. Early on the morning of a wedding there is the important ceremony of the dancing of the cakes and flags. This ceremony represents the joining of two families, the bride’s family and the groom’s family. On that morning, immediate and extended members of both families would gather, the bride’s family at the bride’s home and the groom’s family at his home. At these homes there will be a string band providing music as family members sing and dance, occasionally shouting to the top of their voice “hip! hip! hip! hurrah!”. After much merriment in the yard, the two groups would leave the respective homes piloted by the flag dancer, (usually a male) and the cake dancer (usually a female). They would be accompanied with sweet string music. The families would have previously agreed on a neutral site where the two sides will meet. When the two groups meet, the people of the opposite families would dance with each other, a show of unity and love which symbolizes the joining of the two families. A wedding does not only join two individuals but two families.