The Spirit of Life An Island Parish

4,000 miles south-west of the British Isles,

where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Caribbean Sea,

lies the island of Anguilla.

Colonised by English settlers in the 17th century,

it was quickly abandoned because of its poor soil,

so the African descendants, many of them former slaves,

became landowners,

rather than plantation workers,

fostering an independent spirit and close connection to the land

that still flourishes. Today, just 3% of the population is white,

and it's now one of the 14 British Overseas Territories

with its own government and the Queen as its head of state.

Fire!

It's very similar to growing up in Cornwall,

everybody looks out for each other,

and it's just a really nice way of living.

I mean, I've been here 23 years.

I still think I'm kind of British.

With an average temperature of 80 degrees,

British expats have been lured here by the beaches, low taxes

and relaxed way of life.

We have a tradition in Anguilla of going to take a sea bath.

This is the epitome of paradise!

You know, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

But this delicate island's future is precarious.

With few natural resources,

Anguillans have always had to be inventive to make ends meet,

competing with larger nearby islands like Antigua and St Kitts

for the tourist dollar.

Here, the threat of hurricanes is ever-present,

and in the eye of these storms is a rock -

the Anglican minister Bishop Errol Brooks,

who presides over the island's largest parish.

As a people, we stand strong

when things get rough.

This paradise is extremely fragile.

In the days to come,

it's carnival time in Anguilla.

A little bit concerned at some of those outfits there, Trudy!

I mean, I quite like it.

Friends Trudy Nixon and Sue Ruan prepare to join a carnival troupe.

It's quite exciting.

Rookie sailor Reggie Oliver joins in the sailing regatta.

You know, it's one of those experiences

you'll never forget for the rest of your life.

The barbecue king, Ken Vanterpool,

cooks up a storm using his home-made charcoal.

That open-fire barbecue we do in the Caribbean.

Coal, the coal, to me, is what really creates

that fantastic barbecue.

And carnival revellers parade to Sandy Ground.

Carnival is all about stealing other people man!

It's late July, and despite a little unseasonal weather,

the locals aren't going to let it dampen

a week of carnival celebrations.

From her home in the valley,

Dr Linda Banks is getting ready for a special church service.

I love this necklace,

it was specially made for me by a local artist,

you know, so, on this first Sunday, which is closest to August 1st,

we all go to church in our African clothes, celebrating emancipation,

celebrating the fact that we were freed from slavery.

At St Mary's Anglican church,

Bishop Brooks is holding a service to commemorate August 1st 1834,

when the abolition of slavery came into force on Anguilla,

freeing over 2,000 slaves.

# Praise the light above... #

Emancipation is a great celebration in the Caribbean.

THEY SING A HYMN

During the first week of August, we have our carnival,

and the celebration is all in connection with the emancipation

of the slaves.

Today is the 11th Sunday after Pentecost.

It's also being observed as Emancipation Sunday.

Today's reading is one of Linda's own poems.

What makes you so proud

To strut up and down in your African gowns day and night?

What makes you hold on to a history long gone

That was so full of wrong, hate and spite?

'We try to inculcate in our young people the fact that, you know,

'it has not always been like this,

'that our forebears were actually brought from Africa to these islands

'to work in the fields.'

And suffered a lot of indignity, a lot of oppression.

-Let us bless the Lord.

-ALL:

-Thanks be to God.

Go in peace and continue to love and serve the Lord.

In the name of Christ, amen.

And do have a pleasant day.

Carnival in Anguilla is a mixture of boat racing and street parades.

Anybody can participate in the parades by signing up to a troupe.

I'm a little bit concerned at some of those outfits there, Trudy!

We've got capes.

A nervous Sue Ruan from Devon is joining a troupe

for the very first time,

despite having lived in Anguilla for over 20 years.

She has the support of best friend Trudy Nixon,

a seasoned carnival reveller.

Is that the only option with the...?

No, when I spoke to her, she said...

I said I didn't want a tiny costume, so, I mean, she sent me some others,

but when I saw them, I nearly jumped.

That's one.

So I said, OK, give me another option

that covers us up a bit better.

And that was the other one.

I mean, I quite like it.

It's quite a bit high.

There's not a lot going on there!

There's not much support, really, in that, is there?

-No, no.

-So that would be our option for us, then.

I think so.

Having decided on their preferred outfits,

they've come to pay organiser Janicia Brooks.

She's ordering the troupe's costumes.

So I'm going for the monokini.

Where do you get the costumes made?

-In Trinidad.

-In Trinidad?

Fantastic. And Sue was showing me a picture,

and we've got big feathery headdresses.

That's the most important thing for Trudy, is the headdress.

It's going to be a good amount of feathers.

Yeah.

What we're concerned about is that we get covered up,

because we're not spring chickens anymore!

I know, I know, but this is about culture,

you kind of show a little bit of skin, you know!

THEY LAUGH

-330.

-OK, there we go.

Thank you so much.

Thank you very much.

Also planning for the carnival festivities is Ken Vanterpool,

Anguilla's barbecue supremo.

His barbecue shack, on the strip outside St Mary's church,

is legendary.

I focus on locals.

Tourists, we welcome them.

But I want to make sure that my locals

get a good product at a very good price.

A chicken and a johnny cake, with a drink, you need nothing else.

So this is a johnny cake, Caribbean tradition, the johnny cake.

People in those olden days call it "johnny" for whenever you are on a

long ride - you have it, you could just keep on biting on it.

They are great - soft and nice and very tasty.

For part of carnival week,

Ken moves his barbecue three miles down the road to Sandy Ground Beach,

which becomes a hub for the festivities.

He's been running his stall for 20 years,

barbecuing chicken and pork ribs,

which he serves with his secret barbecue sauce.

That open-fire barbecue we do here in the Caribbean,

just taking wood and burning it, making a charcoal,

taking some chicken,

dry rub, put it on a grill, turn it brown.

And the coal, the coal, to me,

is what really creates that fantastic barbecue.

And to ensure he has a plentiful supply of grade-A charcoal,

Ken and his team make it themselves.

So this is actually how we put the wood together.

This is going to give us about 40 bags of coals.

We cover it all up, leave a little hole at the top,

light some fire in it.

It is a traditional thing. I used to work along with,

helped my dad set up his, when I was a little boy.

Cos the coal is expensive, 25-30 US dollars per bag.

The process of making a charcoal stack can take a few days to build

and a week to burn and cool down, so planning in advance is critical.

Come this way, come.

At a local beach, Ken is gathering seaweed and moss,

which will go on top of his stack to make the woodpile burn slowly.

A couple of months ago, we had a lot of seaweed,

all the beaches on the southern side all covered with moss.

OK, let's go.

Process again, full and...full and let's go.

Before adding his beach seaweed,

the stack is layered with some tree branches.

They form a nice bedding over it, so that too much air does not get in.

If too much oxygen gets into the wood,

it's going to catch fire and burn to ashes.

Next goes the layer of seaweed and moss to help further contain and

airlock the stack.

Long, hard process.

Stick it all on.

And then we got to take some dirt and cover it all.

Then we light it.

Once lit, the job is still not done.

Over the next few days, as the wood burns down, the stack will move,

so Ken will have to make regular visits to keep an eye on it.

At night, you can't sleep,

you've got to be up three or four times at night to come and check.

At the end of the day, you're smiling within a week's time,

then you pull this down and you get 40, 50, 60 bags of coals.

The national sport in Anguilla is boat racing

and carnival week is dominated by a regatta.

Each village competes for the fiercely contested bragging rights

with hand-built boats that are manned by crews of up to 20.

In the village of Island Harbour, on the east of the island,

Tommy Webster and his crew are at the final stage of working on this

season's brand-new boat.

It's the latest model in a long line of the prize-winning boat UFO.

I came up with this design

and so far we only tried it out in three races,

and it seems to be doing real well.

You go up?

OK.

At 28 feet long, the wooden hull has an epoxy resin skin

and the boat has been made entirely on site right here in Island Harbour,

using traditional skills and craftsmanship.

Now, come peel our graphics, all freehand done.

This is the fourth UFO boat the Island Harbour crew have built

and they have high hopes it will continue their winning legacy.

These are some of our accomplishments.

The same amount we have here we already distributed with the crew members,

sponsors and big fans.

Racing is a part of life, you know, it's a part of our culture,

our origin. It's in us, it's in our blood.

Born to race. Don't care what size race it is.

We just want to race. It's in us.

UFO's status as one of the top racing teams on the island

is the stuff of local folklore, as Reggie Oliver,

from New York, knows too well.

Wow! This is the famous UFO,

one of the most famous boats on the island!

Oh, boy!

This boat just means so much

because it was the championship boat when I first came to Anguilla,

so it was...

it was a big deal.

On the day of the race,

novice sailor Reggie will be joining the 17-man crew for the first time.

At the helm will be Tommy's uncle, Irvine Webster.

Hey, man!

It's going to be an honour for me, man,

because I saw it win so many battles

and there is so much pride here in Island Harbour, you know,

so this was, like, my favourite boat.

But to be on this boat, I never dreamt about that, you know!

Yeah, put you on the bail out, Reggie.

We have a five-gallon bucket and you're going to be bailing the water out.

Yeah, when I first came down, I heard that they would throw you

overboard, coming in, to lift weight off.

-Before.

-That's right, they made it a rule now...

-They can't do that.

-They can't do that?

-If you do it, you get disqualified.

-Is that right?

-Yeah.

Well, I'm going to be doing what you guys tell me to do,

so whatever you tell me to do, that's what I'm going to do.

But we're going to win!

The first parade of carnival week is Jouvert.

The procession starts at 5am in The Valley

and, by 10am, it's expected here at Sandy Ground.

Keen to serve the hungry revellers when they arrive,

and also raise funds for St Mary's Church,

are Joycelyn Richardson and a team of helpers

preparing a breakfast of saltfish, chicken and johnnycakes.

We've been doing this breakfast, Jouvert breakfast, for many years.

So we sell tickets and the idea is to raise funds

while we cater to the needs of those who party,

the revellers, and have fun.

Carnival is all about stealing other people man!

LOUD LAUGHTER

Yeah, it's about singing and dancing and having a lot, a lot of fun.

# Da, da, da-da, da, da, da, da-da-da, da-da-da-da, da! #

CHEERING

You won't see me shaking my booty!

SHE LAUGHS

Also getting ready for the Jouvert crowds is Ken,

who's at the nearby beach preparing his barbecue

with his home-made charcoal.

The word "Jouvert" is derived from the French words meaning "day" and "open",

and signals the beginning of carnival week.

With its very early start, and a three-mile walk from The Valley,

the procession mainly attracts a young crowd

and traditionally has calypso and soca music.

It's August Monday and all of us there to have fun.

CHEERING

It's emancipation, that's what we are celebrating,

that's what the revelry is all about.

By the time the party reaches the St Mary's stall, it's mid-morning

and for many it's time for a traditional Anguillian breakfast.

I have...

Saltfish...

with a boiled egg and fried johnnycakes.

You can get baked, but I prefer them fried.

There you go.

Bush tea, if you wish.

People were looking for this roof.

They know we give them good stuff.

At his beachfront barbecue, Ken is struggling to cope with demand.

Ken!

Yeah, I've been very busy today.

It's one of the most busiest days ever.

Thousands of persons, I'm trying to feed them but, as you can see,

we can hardly keep up with it.

We should finish up at 1, 2am... 1, 2am tomorrow.

It's constantly going, going, going,

but that's the price you pay.

As the party moves to the beach,

it's all over, bar the washing, up for the team at St Mary's.

Their efforts today have made over £5,000,

which they'll use towards church building projects.

For the church, it's a good present.

And they know that we are alive and kicking,

and they certainly came and supported the cause.

Further west, Sue is keeping an eye on friend Trudy's home

while she's away for few days.

Girls!

Hello!

And she needs to give a quick Skype call

to give her the latest news about their carnival costumes.

-Hello!

-Hello, hello!

How are you?

I'm fine.

I've got a bit of an update for you, though.

-I got a text...

-Yeah?

-..from the group leader and...

They're not going to arrive in time.

-What?!

-Not for the whole troupe.

-TRUDY GASPS

-I can't believe it!

So, apparently, some people in Antigua are loaning some costumes,

but the only problem is we don't have any...

bikini or swim thing, it's just the headpiece and the feathers.

I have a red swimsuit, so that's fine.

In fact, I've got two red swimsuits, of course.

Only having part of a costume, Sue dives into Trudy's closet...

Oh, here we are.

..to see if she can rustle something together.

Oh. Oh, my gosh!

SHE GIGGLES

Oh.

SHE LAUGHS

You actually wore this one year?

Is this...? Oh, I remember, yes!

With the orange and turquoise headdress.

-Yes!

-Let me see the... Let me see the behind view,

make sure that you've got enough tushie to fill that costume out.

Do you know? That's quite... Yeah!

LAUGHTER

It's August Wednesday

and at Sandy Ground Beach there's a hub of activity

as the competitors for the carnival regatta make last-minute preparations.

There are races throughout the week,

with the top five boats going into a final on Sunday.

Well, the Sonic has a reputation and the Real Deal, they came first and second yesterday,

so we're going to definitely have to do it today.

Today's race will be a first for novice sailor Reggie Oliver,

who'll be joining the crew of his favourite boat, the UFO,

from Island Harbour.

This is all kind of new to me, but boat racing to Anguillians,

it goes back historically into the whole history of the island.

They fish, and they go to other islands to work,

and they made these boats by hand,

so they're great craftsmen and builders,

and so when they get into the racing, that's very important.

HORN BLARES

At the starter's horn, the 14 competing boats get underway.

Today's race takes the boats south around the island to Blowing Point

and back again - a distance of around 27 miles.

Following the tradition of old Anguillian fishing boats,

from where the sport originated,

racing boats have no deck or in-built ballast.

The crew act as the main source of weight

and sit either side of the hull, depending on the point of sail.

Trimming the sails and catching any slight advantage of wind over their

competitors is a continual battle.

From the shore, Theresia Liberd, manager of the boat the Wasp,

keeps tabs on the race.

So the Real Deal is still in the lead...

by at least three, four boat lengths.

You know, you just anticipate to hear when your boat is next,

what's coming for you.

Heading to the halfway point, there are five boats in contention.

Real Deal is in front, Eagle second so far,

then we have the Satellite...

UFO, Sonic, and, you know, it's too much to call on the back.

Onboard UFO, Reggie is keeping out of harm's way

in the middle of the hull,

away from the flying bodies of the crew switching sides

as the boat tacks.

They're sailing and they say, "I see a breeze coming,"

and all of the guys look.

How do you see a breeze?!

To be able to see the wind, to read clouds,

it's a different dimension of thinking than I have.

The UFO today is actually in fifth place

and, if she keeps that position,

she will make it to Champion of Champions on Sunday.

With only days until the final carnival parade,

and their own costumes having failed to materialise,

Trudy and Sue have come to a local school

to pick out costumes that have been donated by locals and from Antigua,

including a couple that Sue has had put aside.

SHE GIGGLES

Are you excited?

-There you go, my dear!

-Oh, my God, it's fantastic!

THEY HOWL WITH LAUGHTER

I think it's going to work.

After checking out the carnival credentials of the headdresses,

they take a look at other items to rustle up a full costume.

Cos it's on your waist, it's actually quite comfortable.

Apparently, my costume has got a big shoulder piece like this

and I've never worn a shoulder piece before.

It's quite exciting.

Actually, this disaster might be turning into quite a good thing.

In terms of costume experience, I'm going to get double the costume,

which is good.

At Sandy Ground, the competitors in the August Wednesday Boat Race

are heading for the finish line.

It really just matter who crosses the line first.

Just the person that comes between the two buoys is what really matters.

It's been a three-and-a-half-hour battle

with the forces of the wind and sea.

But the first one home is the Real Deal.

The UFO makes its way through the finish line,

to the delight of guest crew member Reggie Oliver.

Unbelievable, it was unbelievable.

You know, it's one of those experiences you'll never forget for the rest of your life.

You know, you've got these big 250lb men throwing themselves on each other,

running from one side to the other.

When we got halfway here, I wanted to go to bed!

I didn't realise how strong they are and they're pulling that sail,

that takes a lot of strength, you know.

Quite an experience, though, wow.

Today, the UFO came in fourth and qualifies for a place in the finals,

the Champion Of Champions race on Sunday,

and the chance to build on its fated reputation.

It's the final day of carnival, and time for the Grand Parade.

Come on now, people, The Parade Of Troupes.

Make sure that your costume ready - at least my costume is ready!

Gathering in The Valley,

troupes in their carnival dress get ready to parade through the streets.

The tradition of these costumes stems back to European settlers,

who brought their religious and masquerade celebrations with them,

which, through time, became fused with African and local culture.

We're in the same colour!

Taking part are Trudy and Sue.

Despite the disaster with their original costumes,

Trudy's last-minute loan is beyond her wildest dreams.

I'm just, like, so excited, cos I never thought I'd get the

opportunity to wear a costume like that!

OK...

The wind is going to blow me over, I think.

I'll go downwind of Trudy!

I might not topple over, then.

Trudy, don't move.

Stop, stop, stop. Stop, stop!

This year, over 1,000 locals joined in the parade.

Whether costumes are home-made,

passed down or bought for hundreds of pounds, in the end,

it's all about participating and celebrating.

The carnival celebration, really,

is a celebration of emancipation.

Apart from all the jollification, there is a serious side to it.

We have this celebration as we remember our forebears

and those who were brought across the Atlantic as slaves,

and we thank God for the freedom which He has granted us.

-ANNOUNCER:

-Put your hands together!

It's 180 years since emancipation

and, for Bishop Brooks, the role of the church is as important today

as it was then.

At that time, many of the estate owners felt that

they would have a riot on their hands.

But instead of that, many of the slaves went to church that day

and there was much rejoicing in the streets.

No nation or power has any right to enslave anybody.

We will do our part in trying to make sure

that it doesn't take root in our region again.

In the days to come...

Oh, dear.

Oh, dear, Oh, dear.

..at one of the island's premier resorts,

Anna Kennedy encounters some unwelcome guests...

You can see this is a little white fellow in the middle there.

There's the start of what we don't want, little devil.

..island vet Dr Gary Swanston gets to grips with a reluctant patient...

So here we have Snowflake.

-SNOWFLAKE YELPS

-Oh!

-Snowflake does not like...

-That's not nice!

..and, on neighbouring Antigua,

Bishop Brooks leads celebrations for the 175th anniversary of the diocese.

It's not a party, it's a celebration,

and we do that regularly down here in the Caribbean.

It's a wonderful sight to behold.