Natural and cultural environment of the Costa Rican Carib
The Caribbean coast of Costa Rica is framed in a large natural and cultural diversity: the presence of people of African descent and significant influence of indigenous culture, European and Chinese languages, each group has brought his own style. In this area converge more cultures than anywhere else in the Costa Rican territory, as well as converge species of flora and fauna from both hemispheres.
This region is located 209 km from the capital. The climate is warm but not stifling; is wet, typical of the costs, with an average annual temperature of 25.5 ° C. To the south of the province of Limón, in the “Cordillera de Talamanca” (mountain chain), are the highest peaks in the country, among which stands out the Chirripó Hill, the final step in the Costa Rican geography at 3,819 meters above sea level.
It is a little industrialized area and is dedicated largely to agriculture. It has the largest banana production in the country, making Costa Rica the second world exporter of the fruit. The history of labor struggles of the banana workers are epic and go back to the thirties of the twentieth century. In 1991 this beautiful province suffered a devastating earthquake. Its port is the most important of Costa Rica and one of the largest container transit centers in Latin America.
The history of Limon closely linked to the construction of the rail link between the Atlantic coast with San Jose, the capital, and for whose construction, starting in 1872, arrived Afro-Caribbean immigrants, especially from Jamaica. Today Limon retains its Antillean heritage and the spirit of West Africa, the land of their ancestors, while maintaining their own artistic traits, their food, their music and their particular architecture.
Limon has 336 kilometers of white sand beaches and palm trees and lush national parks that protect tropical rain forests and coral reefs, as well as hundreds of species of flora and fauna, many of them in danger of extinction from the advancing monocultures of transnationals.
The Tortuguero National Park, located in the north Caribbean, contains the largest tropical rain forest sample, protected across the Central Caribbean. Wandering through its canals and rivers, to observe the flora and fauna, appreciate the spawning of sea turtles and have the opportunity to observe more than 300 bird species (like green parrot, and toucans) are invaluable experience. In this area are carried out major scientific research and has become a special place for the scientific and ecological tourism.
Also the Carib of Costa Rica is famous for the wide variety of marine ecosystems, such as coral Cahuita National Park, the Puerto Viejo, with its cogerdor cultural environment, wetlands in Manzanillo, Uvita Island, Punta Uva, Cocles and Gandoca Manzanillo.
A stroll through the heart of Limon lets you know that identity that unlike the rest of the country and that makes it so special. You can visit places as emblematic Uvita Island (visited by Christopher Columbus on his fourth voyage to the Americas in the 1,502), the Park Vargas, the central market and the historic center. October Carnival is the Limon’s biggest party, where music, dance and colorful take to the streets in a cordial atmosphere and joy that characterizes his people.
Another point of interest is the landing of Moin, 7 km from Limon, gateway to the Caribbean Nort. From here, boats through rivers and canals will take you to destinations such as Tortuguero. A boat tour through these channels is a good opportunity to get closer to nature and wildlife.
Limon is culture, music and traditions. Limon is Carib at its best. And as the saying goes: "The best of Limon is its people…"
The Costa Rican Carib is coexistence of native peoples and migrants, with diverse backgrounds but with a common history and common destiny. Between the beach and the mountains has forged a regional culture characterized by particular expressions of art, music, singing and crafts. They are people who, ironically, fighting for survival in the land expropriated by outsiders who just appreciate the added value of the land before the boom of tourism development. It is a very big effort to do by the humble people, who are the vast majority, to survive and maintain their current values and their way of seeing the environment that surrounds them. Expressions like Caribbean singing are now a means of livelihood of some small groups that roam the city of Limon or the Capital.
Some people looking to capitalize on tourism by offering small businesses accommodation, boating or guided tours through the mountains or the reefs. Descendants of African Americans, indigenous peoples, Chinese, and more, working in simple local handicrafts produced with their own hands, as well as the excellent meals, typical of an area with an extraordinary diversity of plant and animal species. That is why we must join our hands for the Caribbean people and collaborate with them, when you travel in this beautiful paradise, buying their products and services, all of which are way cheaper and flavorful.
In the XVIII century a part of the Costa Rican Carib area acquired relevance to become the terrain of a process of accumulation based on cocoa activity in the region of Matina and its environs. These plantations made use of slaves: local indigenous and black Africans.
It is in the Atlantic Coast where cultural formations of Costa Ricans Afro Caribbean have achieved greater collective manifestation.
The link with the British economic interests was decisive, no doubt, for most of the immigrants come from the island of Jamaica, and, in the year 1872, the establishment of a "bridge" of continuing immigration from Jamaica to Coast Rica. Workers then saw their "temporary" homes become his only shelter, flanking the railroad. Their dream of returning to Jamaica was cut short in the grueling days of the banana enclave.
In Costa Rica there are two waves of different historical magnitude represented by black immigration: the first wave occurred in colonial times and was associated with the traffic of slaves.
The second wave is coming to embed a culture more or less homogeneous, which is defined as "national", which accepts the arrival of the Jamaican in 1873 and subsequent years to allow current human concentration. The black residents of this latest wave brought many customs and socializations learned in Jamaica, in part, influenced by the English oppression: language, the general shape of their religious practices, identification, sometimes multiple, of the Christian church and their own ancestral rites.
That is why much of the Caribbean way of life operates influenced by the rise of Rasta culture during the 20 century, until today.
Marcus Garvey is considered the leader of the first black mass movement of the twentieth century, predecessor of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and African independence. He was one of the first people to bring in spreading the message of rastafarism in America. His vision had strong political and cultural impact on the social aspirations of the oppressed and confused black community.
With its ideals turned into words and actions, Garvey sparked the imagination of millions of African descendants and gave life to one of the most fascinating episodes of the Black Renaissance in the world.
In the year 1910, a boat just dock at the pier in Puerto Limon. Among many passengers descend Marcus Mozaiah Garvey, black journalist of Jamaican origin, who arrives for work in Costa Rica. In the banana plantation of the United Fruit, Garvey discovered that the exploitation and discrimination is no different from that which prevails in other countries: blacks who work endless days, attacked by malaria or snakes. But note that exploitation awakens in the young man the desire to liberate and unite the race for their return to Africa.
His main occupation was to check schedules in the south area of Limon (Cahuita, those places), which by the way, was the highest-ranking job that could aspire a person who was not white skinned. In addition, he makes some stories to Solomon Zachary, the editor and owner of “La Nación”, the only newspaper of the port at the time. His work as a journalist takes him to get involved in strikes and conflicts against the banana company.
Garvey harangue Afro Antilleans immigrants to defend their rights, but little time later was forced to leave Costa Rica to continue his prophetic journey.
The Caribbean coast of Costa Rica is framed in a large natural and cultural diversity: the presence of people of African descent and significant influence of indigenous culture, European and Chinese languages, each group has brought his own style. In this area converge more cultures than anywhere else in the Costa Rican territory, as well as converge species of flora and fauna from both hemispheres.
This region is located 209 km from the capital. The climate is warm but not stifling; is wet, typical of the costs, with an average annual temperature of 25.5 ° C. To the south of the province of Limón, in the “Cordillera de Talamanca” (mountain chain), are the highest peaks in the country, among which stands out the Chirripó Hill, the final step in the Costa Rican geography at 3,819 meters above sea level.
Limon has 336 kilometers of white sand beaches and palm trees and lush national parks that protect tropical rain forests and coral reefs, as well as hundreds of species of flora and fauna, many of them in danger of extinction from the advancing monocultures of transnationals.
The Tortuguero National Park, located in the north Caribbean, contains the largest tropical rain forest sample, protected across the Central Caribbean. Wandering through its canals and rivers, to observe the flora and fauna, appreciate the spawning of sea turtles and have the opportunity to observe more than 300 bird species (like green parrot, and toucans) are invaluable experience. In this area are carried out major scientific research and has become a special place for the scientific and ecological tourism.
A stroll through the heart of Limon lets you know that identity that unlike the rest of the country and that makes it so special. You can visit places as emblematic Uvita Island (visited by Christopher Columbus on his fourth voyage to the Americas in the 1,502), the Park Vargas, the central market and the historic center. October Carnival is the Limon’s biggest party, where music, dance and colorful take to the streets in a cordial atmosphere and joy that characterizes his people.
The Costa Rican Carib is coexistence of native peoples and migrants, with diverse backgrounds but with a common history and common destiny. Between the beach and the mountains has forged a regional culture characterized by particular expressions of art, music, singing and crafts. They are people who, ironically, fighting for survival in the land expropriated by outsiders who just appreciate the added value of the land before the boom of tourism development. It is a very big effort to do by the humble people, who are the vast majority, to survive and maintain their current values and their way of seeing the environment that surrounds them. Expressions like Caribbean singing are now a means of livelihood of some small groups that roam the city of Limon or the Capital. 
Some people looking to capitalize on tourism by offering small businesses accommodation, boating or guided tours through the mountains or the reefs. Descendants of African Americans, indigenous peoples, Chinese, and more, working in simple local handicrafts produced with their own hands, as well as the excellent meals, typical of an area with an extraordinary diversity of plant and animal species. That is why we must join our hands for the Caribbean people and collaborate with them, when you travel in this beautiful paradise, buying their products and services, all of which are way cheaper and flavorful.
The link with the British economic interests was decisive, no doubt, for most of the immigrants come from the island of Jamaica, and, in the year 1872, the establishment of a "bridge" of continuing immigration from Jamaica to Coast Rica. Workers then saw their "temporary" homes become his only shelter, flanking the railroad. Their dream of returning to Jamaica was cut short in the grueling days of the banana enclave.
Marcus Garvey is considered the leader of the first black mass movement of the twentieth century, predecessor of Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and African independence. He was one of the first people to bring in spreading the message of rastafarism in America. His vision had strong political and cultural impact on the social aspirations of the oppressed and confused black community.