The Kettles of a Bitter Past

Boiling Down The Sweet: The Steel Heart of Barbados' Sugar




The Rise of Sugar in Barbados. Sugarcane cultivation began in Barbados in the early 1640s, when Dutch merchants presented sugar cane harvesting. The island's fertile soil and excellent climate made it an ideal area for sugar production. By the mid-17th century, Barbados had turned into one of the wealthiest nests in the British Empire, making the label "Little England." But all was not sweetness in the land of Sugar as we discover next:

The Hidden Dangers Of Sugar

In the presence of Barbados' sun-soaked coasts and dynamic greenery lies a darker tale of strength and difficulty-- the hazardous labour behind its once-thriving sugar economy. Central to this story is the big cast iron boiling pots, essential tools in the sugar production procedure, however also harrowing symbols of the gruelling conditions dealt with by enslaved Africans.

The Boiling Process: A Lealthal Task

Sugar production in the days of colonial slavery was  a highly dangerous procedure. After collecting and crushing the sugarcane, its juice was boiled in huge cast iron kettles till it crystallized into sugar. These pots, typically set up in a series called a"" train"" were heated by blazing fires that enslaved Africans needed to stoke constantly. The heat was extreme, and the work unrelenting. Enslaved employees withstood long hours, often standing close to the inferno, risking burns and fatigue. Splashes of the boiling liquid were not unusual and could trigger severe, even fatal, injuries.

A Life of Peril

The risks were ever present for the enslaved workers charged with working these kettles. They laboured in sweltering heat, breathing in smoke and fumes from the burning fuel. The work required intense physical effort and accuracy; a minute of negligence could cause accidents. In spite of these difficulties, shackled Africans brought impressive skill and resourcefulness to the procedure, making sure the quality of the final product. This product fueled economies far beyond Barbados" shores.


Now, the large cast iron boiling pots points out this uncomfortable past. Scattered throughout gardens, museums, and historical sites in Barbados, they stand as silent witnesses to the lives they touched. These antiques motivate us to review the human suffering behind the sweet taste that once drove global economies.


HISTORICAL RECORDS!


Proof of The Deadly Reality of the Sugar Boiling House

Historic accounts, such as those by abolitionist James Ramsay, uncover the hidden scaries of Caribbean sugar plantations. Enslaved workers endured extreme heat and the continuous hazard of falling under boiling vats-- a grim reality of plantation life.


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Boiling Sugar: The Bitter Side of Sweet |The Fatal Side of Sugar: |Sweetness Forged in Fire |
Molten Memories: The Iron Pots of Sugar's Past |

Barbados Sugar’s Unseen History