The Bitter Cauldron
Boiling Down Sweetness: The Steel Heart of Barbados' Sugar The Rise of Sugar in Barbados. Sugarcane growing began in Barbados in the early 1640s, when the Dutch presented sugar production. By the mid-17th century, Barbados had turned into one of the most affluent nests in the British Empire, earning the label "Little England." But all was not sweetness in the land of Sugar as we discover next: The Hidden Dangers Behind Sugar In the glare of Barbados' sun-soaked coasts and vibrant greenery lies a darker tale of resilience and difficulty-- the unsafe labour behind its once-thriving sugar economy. Central to this story is the big cast iron boiling pots, vital tools in the sugar production process, but likewise painful symbols of the gruelling conditions faced by enslaved Africans. Boiling Sugar: A Lealthal Job Sugar production in the 17th and 18th centuries was an unforgiving procedure. After collecting and crushing the sugarcane, its juice was boil...