EARLY CAYMAN HISTORY

Christopher Columbus is credited with discovering the Cayman Islands. The explorer was on his fourth voyage of discovery when his ships, the Santiago de Palos and the Capitana, sailed past Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. The date was May 10th 1503 and his son Ferdinand noted in his journal: “We were in sight of two small low islands filled with tortoises, as was the sea all about.”  Columbus and his men didn’t stop. Worm-eaten and leaking badly, their ships laboured on until they had to be beached and eventually abandoned in St. Ann’s Bay, Jamaica.

 Some historians question whether Columbus was really the first person to set eyes on the Cayman Islands. In 1499, Queen Isabella of Spain authorized four other voyages to the New World and there may have been several other unauthorized voyages. A full year prior to the visit of Columbus, the three islands appear on the Cantino map, published in 1502. Another clue is that there were as many as a million Caribbean and Arawak Indians living in the adjacent coastal areas around Cayman at the time of Columbus’ visit. Archival research suggests that Cayman is a word of Carib- Indian origin meaning crocodile. The Carib Indians (Caribs) were proficient mariners and they were known to have made ocean-going journeys in canoes up to 80 ft. in length. On Columbus’ second voyage, the explorer met with an old Carib in Cuba who had travelled to Jamaica as a youth. In Jamaica itself, hundreds of thousands of Caribs were living just up wind and up current from Cayman. Is it possible that the Caribs were our first visitors?

 In 1655, Admiral Penn and General Venables were sent from Britain by Oliver Cromwell to take Hispaniola from the Spanish. The so-called “Western Design” failed as the English did not capture the Spanish stronghold; however, they did manage to seize Jamaica. Shortly thereafter, Cayman became a possession of the United Kingdom following the signing of the Treaty of Madrid in 1670.

 From the time of the earliest explorers, Cayman was renowned for the “vast herds” or “fleets” of turtles, which returned to the beaches to breed. In the summer, ships of French, Dutch and English origin would often visit to ‘turn’ turtles and secure wood and water.

 About 200 years ago, the people of Cayman embraced a strong Christian ethic and this heritage continues to the present day.  As a result, and despite the celebration of Pirate’s Week at the beginning of November, the piratical part of Cayman history is downplayed in favour of district heritage days. However, some of the most notorious pirates did indeed visit Cayman and the Islands were an ideal refuge for buccaneers. Cayman is remote and isolated, in the northwestern part of the Caribbean, but on the route of treasure galleons returning to Spain, laden with gold and silver from the New World. The Islands offered pirate captains the possibility of finding crews to man captured vessels, a ready source of protein in the form of turtle meat and a quiet location away from the authorities where pirates could hide their loot and careen and repair their vessels following an engagement. Some of the biggest names in buccaneering circles including Lowther, Lowe, Henry Morgan and Blackbeard, prowled the coasts of the Cayman Islands.

THE LEGAL SYSTEM

The Cayman Islands legal system is based on English common law with the addition of local statutes, which have in many respects changed and modernized the common law. The Islands have a good legal and judicial system, constantly being upgraded to enhance the Islands’ safety and reputation as a leading financial centre. The courts system in the Cayman Islands is a simple one and practice and procedure are based on English law. Minor criminal and civil cases are tried by a Stipendiary Magistrate sitting in the Summary Court. All serious crimes and most civil cases are tried by the Grand Court, which is presided over by the Chief Justice and Grand Court Judges permanently resident in the Islands. Appeals lie from the Grand Court to the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal, which sits in Grand Cayman, and from there to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in England. New residents, especially those from the US, may be surprised to find that barristers in court wear wigs and gowns.

THE POLITICAL SYSTEM

Elections take place every four years. A constitutional review is currently underway but at the present time the people still elect 15 representatives to sit on their behalf in the parliament or legislative assembly. In addition to the 15 elected representatives, three official (nominated) representatives are included in the parliamentary process.

 Immediately following an election, the elected representatives meet and vote on whom, out of their number, should form the government cabinet. Five members are chosen and are assigned various ministerial responsibilities by the Governor. Ministries include such things as health, public works and tourism. The five members of the cabinet then determine who out of their number will become Leader of Government Business and, in addition, the backbenchers or non-cabinet members choose one amongst their number to become Leader of the Opposition.

RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UK

The Cayman Islands have been connected to the United Kingdom since the signing of the Treaty of Madrid in 1670. From that time until 1962, Cayman was linked to Jamaica as a dependency. In 1962, Jamaica chose to become independent but the Cayman Islands decided to remain a British colony. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office recently discontinued the use of the term “Dependent Territory” and we are now called an “Overseas Territory”. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office appoints a Governor whose responsibilities cover a number of areas including National Security, Foreign Affairs, Police, Immigration, Passport Office, Postal Services, and other portfolios such as Broadcasting, District Administration and the Civil Service.

GEOLOGY

The Cayman Islands are the tops of pinnacles reaching up from the Cayman Trench – one of the deepest sections of ocean in the world. The Cayman Ridge stretches from the Sierra Maestra mountain range in Cuba to the Gulf of Honduras. This ridge forms the northern margin of the Cayman Trough, which is 100 miles wide and reaches depths in excess of 18,000 ft. Their position is near the Oriente Transform fault and the mid-Cayman rise means that the three islands are separate uplifted fault blocks that were pushed up by friction between the North American and the Caribbean plates. According to the research of geologist Brian Jones, each island appears to have a granodiorite foundation, which is succeeded by a cap of basalt and the uppermost layer is composed of carbonates. These carbonates were created by living organisms such as corals, algae and shells, and were laid down during sea level changes over the past 30 million years.

FLORA AND FAUNA

Cayman is world-renowned for its marine life, but there is much to see on land as well. Over 650 different species of plants have been recorded and the forests are far more diverse than those found in more temperate northerly latitudes. Two of the best places to see the flora and fauna of Grand Cayman are the Botanic Park and the Mastic Trail. Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are particularly popular with bird watchers. Little Cayman has a major breeding ground for a species of cormorant called the Red Footed Booby. The colourful native parrot can be heard chattering in almond trees, especially at sunset. Frogs and lizards are common around houses, especially those backing onto the bush. Bats can be seen at night (and are completely harmless). Large, edible, grey land crabs crawl across roads after heavy rains. Agouti (known locally as rabbit) are shy and rarely seen. Fresh water ponds attract migrating birds and are filled with hicatee (a species of aquatic tortoise) and tiny minnows. About half of Cayman is swamp so there are large areas of mangrove wilderness. The mangroves are an important breeding ground for fish and birds and their protection is a major project of the National Trust for the Cayman Islands.

MOSQUITOES

Cayman has come a long way, not least in the reduction of mosquitoes. Before the Mosquito Research & Control Unit (MRCU) was established in 1965, mosquito numbers were legendary. On a single night 793,103 mosquitoes were caught in a light trap in Bodden Town. Reports of livestock being suffocated during the night were common and people just did not venture out of doors without a smoke-pot to drive off mosquitoes. Then a man called Dr. Marco Giglioli came to Cayman. He believed that by manipulating the water levels of the swamps (the main breeding ground for mosquitoes) he could control the mosquitoes by physical means. This worked. He then introduced a species of fish into the swamps that are a particularly voracious predator of mosquito larvae. Finally, aerial spraying in remote areas had a massive impact. Nowadays, mosquitoes are only really a nuisance for about 15 minutes around sunset, and then only in the summer months after significant rainfall. Reducing the numbers of mosquitoes has been one of the most significant factors in allowing Cayman to move forward to where it is today.

CUSTOMS & TRADITIONS

Once known as the “islands that time forgot”, the Cayman Islands have been catapulted into the 21st century at, some say, an alarming rate. Interestingly, the last decade has seen a determined effort to maintain the delicate balance between preserving the essence and simplicity of the past while moving resolutely into the future to maintain the country’s status as one of the world’s premier tourism, banking and finance centres. Many Caymanian customs and traditions are linked inextricably to religious holidays. Whether camping by the sea at Easter or hunting for land crabs during the rainy season, events are social in nature and family-orientated. Visit East End on any given Sunday and you will see families and friends, recently returned from church, ‘shooting the breeze’ on their front porches or enjoying a noisy game of dominoes under the shade of a breadfruit tree. Being up on the ‘Marl Road’ (gossip) is as important as drawing breath in the Cayman Islands!

Backing Sand

Family outings to the beach at the weekend are a major part of Caymanian culture, but sand plays another very important role in Cayman culture at Christmas time. Unlike other parents around the world, Caymanians have always been able to guarantee their children a white Christmas. The tradition of ‘backing sand’ has stood the test of time. Often beginning as early as October, women and children could be seen, by the light of the moon, carrying ‘ground baskets’, woven from leaves of the magnificent thatch palm trees that tower loftily over the Islands, brimming with powder-white sand from the beaches. The sand would be deposited in the front yard and on Christmas Eve raked into intricate patterns and decorated with shiny new conch shell pathways. 

Catboat Regattas

Cayman’s proud maritime history has served to provide many lasting traditions.  The Catboat, a simple sailing boat once used for fishing and turtling in and around Cayman waters is enjoying a revival thanks to the recently established Cayman Islands Catboat Club. Regular regattas are held in Grand Cayman and the sight of these humble, yet skilfully crafted, vessels tacking their way around George Town’s bustling harbour, vying for space amid the cruise ships, dive boats and tenders, is a truly remarkable snapshot of the juxtaposition of past and present that you will encounter constantly in Cayman.

Thatch Weaving & Rope Making

Another noteworthy tradition is that of thatch weaving. ‘Laying rope’ was once one of the few means of making a living for women and children while the men were away at sea and this valuable custom has been passed down from generation to generation. Certain districts were known to produce the best ‘tops’ for cutting and people would often walk for miles to collect bundles of thatch which would later be stripped, dried and twisted into fine fathoms of rope. These, in turn, would be traded overseas or exchanged for goods such as cloth, sugar or kerosene.

Turtles & Turtling

When the first Europeans came to the Cayman Islands they found one of the largest turtle nesting grounds on earth. For nearly 200 years, ships of all nations came to these shores to turn green turtles and dry their flesh, an easily obtainable source of protein for ship or plantation stores. Early on, Cayman became the centre of the Caribbean turtle industry. The English from Jamaica, who first settled in Cayman in the 1660s, came to be regarded as skilled turtlers. By 1800, the turtle population had dwindled and the local turtling fleet turned their attention to the south coast of Cuba and the coastline of Central America. Until the early 1960s, Cayman still supplied the largest share of turtles entering foreign markets from the Caribbean. These were mostly caught on the Mosquito Coast of Nicaragua. The turtling culture continues to this day, with approximately 20 Caymanians licensed to catch 4 turtles per year. In addition, the Cayman Turtle Farm is a major tourist attraction, while continuing to supply the local market with turtle meat.

THE TRADITIONAL CAYMAN HOME

The oldest known style of Caymanian home is the ‘wattle and daub’ cottage, which dates back to the mid-18th century. The house was usually rectangular with foundation posts made from termite-resistant ironwood. Gaps between the ironwood or mahogany posts were in-filled with a basket weave of wattled sticks and then plastered on either side with a lime daub made from burnt coral. The earliest roofs were thatched using palm tree fronds, but in more recent times wood, shingle or corrugated zinc have been used. Windows were simple openings with wood board shutters, while smoke-pots helped keep out mosquitoes. Normally these one-story dwellings would feature a steeply pitched roof. This would keep the houses cooler, as hot air rises. The yard would be shaded with seagrape and almond trees, and there would be a separate “caboose” for cooking.

ATTIRE & DRESS STANDARDS

Business attire is usually conservative: for men, long trousers, long sleeved, collared shirts and a tie. Jackets are very rarely worn even in board meetings, but are compulsory for lawyers attending court proceedings. For women, a smart skirt, dress or slacks with a blouse is appropriate. Many workplaces dress down on Fridays. For social occasions, Cayman residents love to dress up and even so-called casual attire will be quite smart. Women dress in the same way they would in America and Europe. Away from the workplace the dress is casual: shopping and running errands are done in whatever is cool – shorts, T-shirts and sundresses are acceptable, but only tourists wear swimwear away from the beach.

DATE SYSTEM

The Cayman Islands use the English date system: day/month/year. However, because of the influence of the US, some people write the date as month/day/year.

DAYLIGHT SAVINGs TIME

Cayman does not adjust its clocks when the US goes to daylight savings time. During the summer, we are on US Central time and in the winter, we are on US Eastern time.

GREENWICH MEAN TIME (GMT)

The Cayman Islands’ Standard time is 5 hours behind GMT. When the United Kingdom is on British Summer Time the time difference between the UK and Cayman is 6 hours. In 2008, British Summer Time starts on Sunday March 30th and ends on Sunday October 26th.

SUNDAY CLOSINGS

By law, most businesses in Cayman close on a Sunday. Establishments open on a Sunday include some pharmacies, gas stations, restaurants and hotels.

PUNCTUALITY

As in most cultures, punctuality is important and expected.

GREETING CUSTOMS

The Island greeting custom is as follows: The polite thing to do is to always say “Good morning” or “Good evening” on first meeting. In referring to a Caymanian we usually use the first name but preface it with a ‘Miss’ or a ‘Mr.’ For example “Miss  Sophie” or “Mr. Charles”. ‘Mrs.’ is rarely used. If you do not know someone’s name, and they are older than you, then you should refer to him or her as “Sir” or “Ma’am”.

BUSINESS HOURS

Typical business opening hours are:

Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5pm

Saturday 9am to 1pm (Usually only retail outlets are open on Saturdays)

BANK HOURS

Most banks are open during the following hours but some bank branches are also open on Saturdays between 9am and 1pm,

Monday to Thursday 9am to 4pm and  Friday 9am to 4.30pm.

ILLEGAL DRUGS

The Cayman Islands have very strict laws regarding the use of illegal drugs.

CLIMATE

The most pleasant weather in Cayman is during the winter, from December to April. During this time there is little rain, brilliant sunshine and a constant cool breeze. In fact, it can get quite chilly at times so definitely bring a light jacket or sweatshirt for just such days. These months also coincide with peak tourist season.

 May to November is the rainy season, but unless there is a tropical depression sitting over us, the rain is normally only heavy for a few hours and then it will stop for the rest of the day. It is not uncommon to have heavy rain in one part of town and yet be bone dry on the other end of town. The humidity is high in the summer months making the Islands feel damp and sticky.

Fact Sheet

Composition:

Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman

Location:

Grand Cayman – Western Caribbean, about 150 miles

south of Cuba, 480 miles southwest of Miami, 180 miles northwest of Jamaica

Cayman Brac – 89 miles northeast of Grand Cayman

Little Cayman – 5 miles west of Cayman Brac

Capital: George Town, in southwest Grand Cayman

Size: 101 sq. miles (total area)

Grand Cayman – area: 76 sq. miles; length: 22 miles; average width: 4 miles; highest point: about 60 feet above sea level

Cayman Brac – area: 15 sq. miles; length: 12 miles; average width: 1.5 miles; highest point: The Bluff – 140 feet above sea level

Little Cayman – area: 10 sq. miles; length: 10 miles; average width: just over 1 mile; maximum height: 40 feet above sea level

Population: About 53,172

of which 61% or 32,265 are Caymanians (2006)

National Income:

GDP per capita: CI$39,000 (2006)

Total GDP: CI$2.027 million (2006)

Other Statistics (2005):

Unemployment rate: 2.6%

Total Work Permits: 22,394 (foreign workers)

Inflation Rate: 0.8% (inflation rate including housing -4.2%)

Imports: CI$906.1 million Exports: CI$10.7 million

Bank & Trust Licences: 426

Captive Insurance Licences: 740

Mutual Fund Registrations: 8,134

Total Company Registrations: 83,532

Doctors per 1,000 population: 2

Visitor Air Arrivals: 267,300

Cruise Ship Arrivals: 1,930,100

Aircraft movements: 22,972 (arrivals & departures)

Passenger movements: 800,000 (arrivals & departures)

Main Industries:

Tourism, Financial Services

Political Status:

Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom (i.e. British dependency)

Nationalities:

Over 92 different nationalities are represented in Cayman. The majority of the population is Caymanian, Jamaican, British, American, Canadian, Philippino and South American.

Information from The Economics and Statistics Office.

Public Holidays

Christmas

Christmas in Cayman is magical! There might not be snow and log fires, but we do put up real Christmas trees, gardens fill with twinkling lights and the round of parties and good cheer begins. Traditions include visiting the Crightons’ magnificent garden in Red Bay which, from mid-December, becomes a theatrical display of lights. Early in December everyone congregates in central George Town to sing carols and see the Christmas tree lights switched on by the Governor’s wife. There is a Parade of Lights, where boats decked with lights parade in the harbour while the National Choir sings carols, and there are fireworks – always extravagant and inspiring.

Rundown

This popular local show created by David Martins is now in its 17th year. The show was named after a spicy Caymanian dish which combines lots of different ingredients. The format is a series of skits, music, stand-up comedy, monologues, dance and impersonations. It is a gentle satirical look at Caymanian life, politics and its people. For additional information call (345) 949 5477.

Pirates Week

In 2008, Pirates Week National Festival will run for 11 days from November 6th to 16th. Over the last 30 years, it has become the country’s largest celebration, drawing some 35,000 patrons. It now encompasses 32 different events, which in the past have included 8 street dances, 5 heritage days, a float parade and a landing pageant, firework shows, a song contest, 2 golf tournaments, 2 swim meets, an autocross event, kids fun day, 2 teen music nights, an underwater treasure hunt and 2 running races. For more information contact the Pirates Week office at (345) 949 5859.

Gimistory

The Cayman National Cultural Foundation also presents Gimistory, a story-telling festival featuring eight evenings of entertainment by international and local story tellers. Held in the last week of November each year, admission is free and audiences are treated to Caymanian delicacies of fried fish, fritters and swanky (lemonade).

Batabano

The Batabano carnival is usually held the week after Easter each year. It is a colourful four day event which includes a carnival ball, soca song competition, street parade, street dance and a beach fête. For more information, check the Batabano website www.caymancarnival.com.

National Symbols

National Bird:

Grand Cayman Parrot

National Flower:

Wild Banana Orchid

National Tree:

Silver Thatch Palm

National Song:

Beloved Isle Cayman

National Motto:

“He hath founded it upon the seas”