Hi, I’m Sharia!
I’m a Bajan mum of three, born and raised in Barbados and now living in the UK. Like a lot of people who grow up somewhere and then move away, I’ve found myself missing home in ways I didn’t expect — not just the beaches and the food, but the history and the stories that made me who I am. So a few years ago, my family and I decided to do something about that: we started actually learning it, on purpose, together. Child of the Caribbean is where we’re writing it all down.
What you’ll find here
Our first series is Barbados National Heroes — a weekly look at each of the ten men and one woman officially honoured as National Heroes of Barbados, starting with Bussa, who helped lead the largest slave uprising in the island’s history in 1816, all the way through to modern icons who shaped Barbadian culture, politics, and identity. One hero, one week, one post at a time.
Over time, I’m hoping this grows beyond Barbados into other islands and other threads of Caribbean history and culture — but we’re starting close to home and building slowly.
Why I’m doing this
I want my kids to know where they’re from — not just as a place on a map, but as a story with real people in it. None of us are historians here, just a family trying to learn a bit more about our own roots, out loud, where anyone else who’s curious can follow along too. Each post ends with a few questions we actually sit down and talk through as a family, because for us this was never really about collecting facts — it’s about the conversations the facts start.
If you’re Bajan, Caribbean, part of the diaspora, or just curious, I’m so glad you’re here. Come learn with us. 🇧🇧✨
— Sharia
Child of the Caribbean 