Rule Britannia! Legacies of colonial rule

Barbados will have emancipation celebrations on March 25, to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the British parliament's abolition of slavery. How ironic that the anniversary of this event falls during the same period when we see one of the effects of colonialism and slavery being played out literally by the cricket World Cup. While enjoying the games West Indian players and their fans should reflect on how colonialism has a circle squared by the make up of the teams in this year's competition.

The spread of cricket is largely a reflection of the reach of colonialism. England, Ireland and Scotland provided so many of the original colonial masters in the Caribbean: just look at the family names that are now common in the English-speaking West Indies. The British went also as colonial masters but not as slave owners, and developed societies that were more in the European mould such as Australia, Canada, and New Zealand. We have the different colonial picture of Britain's time in Africa, with the teams from Kenya, and Zimbabwe. We see the outcome of British and Dutch colonialism in the form of South Africa. The Netherlands, themselves now feature prominently as a cricket nation, and we should not lose sight of their former colonies that are now part of the Caribbean region (for instance, Aruba and Suriname).

The British legacy in south east Asia was very different and the history of the region and the origins of Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka are very different from those of the other places colonized by the British. And that region has provided the West Indies with some of the richer parts of its culture, mainly from the continued presence of people sent to the Caribbean as indentured labour.

The Bermuda Islands stand peculiarly alone. They are the oldest remaining British overseas territory, and has a black population largely formed from slaves, migrants from the West Indies indentured labour in the 17th century, and subsequent migration.

The cricket World Cup will be enjoyed for what each and every one of the teams will bring to the matches and their atmosphere. When the final is played here in Barbados later in April most will agree that cricket is a happy outcome from the strange and sad historical origins of colonial rule.