ANTIGUA & BARBUDA STATE ANTHEM

Fair Antigua and Barbuda

We thy sons and daughters, stand!

Stong and firm in peace or danger

To safeguard our Native Land:

We committ ourselves to building

A true nation, brave and free!

Ever striving, ever seeking

Dwell in love and unity.

Raise the standard, raise it boldly

Answer now to duty's call:

To the service of your country

Sparing nothing, giving all

Gird your loins and join the battle

'Gainst fear, hate and poverty

Each endeavouring, all achieving

Live in peace where man is free.

Antigua & Barbuda is the most northerly of the English speaking Eastern Caribbean chain of Islands. Antigua lies at 17.1 degrees North Latitude and 61.8 degrees West Longditude.

Antigua is blessed with 365 beaches which are among the world's finest, with smoothe white sand scalloping gently around the entire island. Theoretically Barbuda has one neverending beach that stretches around the entire island.

Verse 3


God of nations, let thy blessing

Fall upon this land of ours;

Rain and sunshine ever sending

Fill her fields with crops and flowere

We, her children, do implore Thee

Give us strength, faith, loyalty

    Never failing, all enduring

To defend her liberty.

The City of St Johns
This is an accurate detailed map of the city. Click on the image below
for a full size viewing  of the map.

St. John's, the capital and largest city of Antigua and Barbuda, is dominated by the   towers of St. John's Cathedral. It was originally  built in 1845,  but previous structures were  destroyed by earthquakes in 1683 and in 1745.  The present structure was badly damaged again by earthquake in 1974. The Cathedral is  the first sight  to be explored for about half of the island's visitors each year.   St. John's is a lively hub for shopping and dining.

Coat-of-Arms
Designed by Gordon  Christopher about 1966 and modified by the Financial Secretary at that time, Mr. Don Gibbs.

The Hibiscus symbolizes the various flowers blooming in Antigua.
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The Deer:
The National Animal
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The National Motto:
Each Endeavouring
All Achieving

The National Fruit
Antigua Black Pineapple
Originally introduced by Arawakan speaking people.  Today it is known as one of the sweetest pineapples in the world and is grown mainly in the South of the island

National Dress
Worn by market vendors and cake makers in Antigua & Barbuda circa 1834. (This version designed by native Antiguan Heather Doram)
This outfit is worn on special National Occasions

National Bird
The Frigate The Frigate is also known as the  Weather Bird. The Frigate is a Relative of the Pelicans.  The male is glossy black and blows up his scarlet throat to attract the  female. Frigates weigh about 3 pounds and has a wing span of 8 feet.

National Animal
The European Fallow Deer The European Fallow Deer is believed to have been brought to Antigua  by the Codringtons in the early 1700's. The deer live and breed happily on Barbuda and on Guiana Island. There are two varieties, the Black Deer and the Common Deer.

Fungee & Pepperpot.
Pepperpot was first used by the Amerindians as a means of preserving food.

National Dish
Today it's a stew typically containing squash, spinach, eggplant, peas, pumpkin, ochre's, salted meats and dumplings. Fungee is a pastelike ball of cornmeal and ochroes.
Recipe used is courtesy Evanson's Catering.
(268) 461-3693

National Sea Creature
The Hawksbill Turtle
can be recognized by its narrow pointed beak and open jagged edge on both sides of the shell. the hawksbill was originally perceived as a gift from the Caribs, Arawaks and archaic gods.  It was once hunted for its valuable shell.

Prehistoric seamen wore turtle motif jewelry believing a swimming prowess would be bestowed on them.

Historic Symbol
The Sugar Mill ToweThe Sugar Mill Tower
More than 114 Sugar Mills still stand today as silent witness to a bygone era when sugar was "king."
The Sugar Mill at Betty's Hope Estate has been restored as a tourist attraction.

National Tree
The Whitewood Tree.
This wide-spreading ornamental shady tree with nearly horizontal branches is related to the mangroves and almond trees. Its timber is heavy and hard and was once used for making gun carriages.

cooking, rapidly softens and becomes sticky.  The flavour is good and the protein content excellent.

National Weed
The Widdy, Widdy The Widdy, Widdy bush along with cockles was used by sugar workers to supplement their food supply during the strike of 1951 for better wages and working conditions. The strike lasted an entire reaping season.   Widdy, Widdy, with little

Moco Jumbies
The age old art and tradition of walking high above the crowd on stilts is carried on today in Antigua and Barbuda by the Moco Jumbies
(Pronounced Mo-ko Joom-bees).
Stilt Walking is a colourful crowd-pleasing sight seen

throughout the year but particularly at carnival time and during national festivals and as a tourist attraction

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