Afro-Virgin Islanders, ^{[1] [2]} African Virgin Islanders, ^[3] or Black Virgin Islanders, ^[4] are people of the African diaspora who reside in the United States Virgin Islands, ^{[1] [2]} British Virgin Islands, and Spanish Virgin Islands, which, overall, constitutes the Virgin Islands.

Origins

4,919 enslaved Africans were forcibly transported from the Bight of Benin. ^[5] 16,203 enslaved Africans were forcibly transported from the Bight of Biafra. ^[5] 18,618 enslaved Africans were forcibly transported from the Gold Coast. ^[5] 1,149 enslaved Africans were forcibly transported from Senegambia. ^[5] 1,635 enslaved Africans were forcibly transported from Sierra Leone. ^[5] 2,818 enslaved Africans were forcibly transported from the Windward Coast. ^[5] 12,774 enslaved Africans were forcibly transported from western Central Africa. ^[5] 28,638 enslaved Africans were forcibly transported from an unspecified region(s) in Africa. ^[5] Of the 86,910 enslaved Africans who were forcibly transported, 73,109, or 84%, arrived in the United States Virgin Islands and British Virgin Islands. ^[5]

History

The British Virgin Islands' census, which reflected the transition from subsistence agriculture and cotton to the more labor-intense production of sugar, corresponded with the growth of its population: 547 Afro-Virgin Islanders in 1717; 1,509 Afro-Virgin Islanders in 1720; 6,121 Afro-Virgin Islanders in 1756; 9,000 Afro-Virgin Islanders in 1774; and 9,220 Afro-Virgin Islanders in 1805. ^[6]

Culture

The Spanish Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, and United States Virgin Islands are connected with one another through their historic statuses of being United States’ colonies. ^[7] Additionally, the islands are interconnected through their considerable numbers of diasporic African populations and their diasporic African cultural heritage (e.g., cuisines, cuisine preparation, cultural pride in African/ Cocolo heritage, farm-based economy, popular music, religious music). ^[7]

Language

Virgin Islands Creole is limited in its written attestation prior to 1900. ^[8] However, the earlier developed Virgin Islands language, Negerhollands, provides supportive evidence for its diagnostic traits existing much earlier than 1900. ^[8] The diagnostic traits, which derive from African languages, are found in both Virgin Islands Creole and Negerhollands. ^[8] Saint Kitts Creole and Virgin Islands Creole also share many of the same words found in African languages. ^[8] Regarding the diagnostic traits found in Virgin Islands Creole, in descending order, the following ethnic groups were found among enslaved Africans in the Virgin Islands: "Amina, Karabari, Ibo, Sokko, Watje, Kassenti, Congo, Kanga, Papa, Loango, Angola and Fula." ^[8] Additionally, in ascending order, the following languages were spoken among enslaved Africans in the Virgin Islands: " Akan, Gbe, Igbo, and several West Bantu languages." ^[8] Further, the Akan language contributed significantly to the development of Virgin Islands Creole. ^[8] Furthermore, languages from the Gold Coast also contributed significantly to the development of Virgin Islands Creole. ^[8]

Music

Since the enslavement period of Afro-Virgin Islanders in the United States Virgin Islands, the musical and dance culture of Cariso in St. Croix and Bamboula in St. Thomas has existed. ^[9] Compared to Bamboula and Cariso, Quelbe is a younger cultural tradition. ^[10] Though Bamboula and Cariso have undergone a decrease in popularity in the Virgin Islands, the popularity of Quelbe has increased. ^[10]

Demography

Out of 110,000 people, Afro-Virgin Islanders, who are the most numerous group, constitute approximately 48% of the population in the United States Virgin Islands. ^[1] Afro-Caribbean people also constitute approximately 27% of its population. ^[1]

In the Spanish Virgin Islands, Black Virgin Islanders constitute 56% of Culebra’s 1,818 residents and, possibly due to undercounting, 28% of Vieques’ 9,301 residents. ^[7]

Religion

Genetics

Saint Thomas

Autosomal DNA

In addition to being found to have 2.6% (±2.1%) Native American and 10.6% (±2.3%) European ancestry, Afro-Virgin Islanders from St. Thomas, who were sampled in 2008, were found to be 86.8% (±2.2%) West African. ^[11] In addition to being found to have 5.6% (±4.9%) Native American and 16.9% (±21.1%) European ancestry, Afro-Virgin Islanders from Saint Thomas, who were sampled in 2013, were found to be 77.4% (±21.9%) West African. ^[12]

Medical DNA

Risk allele variants G1 and G2 are associated with chronic kidney disease, which are common among populations of Sub-Saharan African ancestry; the G2 variant occurs at a 3%-8% rate among populations of western Central African ancestry and origin. ^[13]

Some infectious diseases are protected against due to African ancestry. ^[13] Hereditary blood disorders, such as sickle cell anemia and thalassemia, produce an effect on the development of hemoglobin, which, consequently, prevents the reproduction of malaria parasites within the erythrocyte. ^[13] Populations with West African ancestry, which come as a result of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, tend to have occurrences of sickle cell anemia and thalassemia. ^[13]

References