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Greetings – Grenadian people like their greetings. You will get a much better response if you preface an initial enquiry with a cheerful and polite “Good morning”, “Good day”, etc. When you pass someone on the street, it is considered polite to greet them, or at least nod your head in recognition. You may find some people saying “Okay”, “Alright” or simply “Yeah”, in way of acknowledgement. If you are about to enter someone’s home, you are expected to call out their name or simply “Hello” or “Good morning” etc., when you are within earshot. If someone has a gate, it would normally be considerate to wait outside the gate and call and then be asked inside. There are no doorbells in Grenada!Courtesy – “Please” and “Thank you” are always appreciated.
Diplomacy – People are quite open and frank about certain matters, and very diplomatic and discreet about others. There is a certain reticence about sharing personal matters with a stranger, and questions about someone’s profession or family life
are not generally used as ice breakers in a social setting. You are better off asking questions about more impersonal topics. If someone wants to look as if they are paying you proper attention they will have a serious face rather than a smile. On the other hand, Caribbean people use humor to rise above difficult and sad times. Photographs – Do not take photographs of people because you think they look interesting, with no regard for whether the person would like to end up in your photo album. You should always ask permission, and let people know if you intend to use their images on the internet.
Clothing – Revealing clothing, like very short ‘hot pants’ and swimwear is not tolerated in public areas like shops and banks. Local people appreciate neatness and cleanliness when it comes to dressing, and you will be respected more if your clothes are clean and ironed neatly. Before entering someone’s home, notice if shoes are taken off before entering or worn inside the
house. It is best to copy the example left for you, though if the person is being especially polite, they will tell you not to bother. Grenadian people have two wardrobes, ‘home clothes’ and ‘going out clothes’. Church goers wear suits and ties and glamorous dresses. Pre-teen and teenage girls are encouraged to dress modestly – hence the three quarter length school skirts. There are no nude beaches, and topless bathing is frowned upon. Cleanliness- As they say here ‘Cleanliness is next to Godliness.’ The passion for good hygiene extends to good bodily hygiene and the regular washing of hands. You would be looked at rather askew if you did not wash your hands before picking up a baby, or taking something to eat. In the same vein, do not be offended if a local person does not accept your gift of food or drink, especially if it is home-cooked. They would have to know you fairly well to feel comfortable doing this. If someone says they are ‘good’, or ‘alright’ that means they have had enough or they don’t want any. There is a high premium placed on perfectly washed dishes! When you have finished drinking from a glass, your host will take your glass from you, or you can offer it up to them to take away, rather than placing it down on a floor.
Touching – Shaking hands is acceptable. Unless you know someone very well, slapping or patting them on the back or shoulder is not taken for the friendly message that it might be intended to be. Parents will not appreciate you patting their children on the head or touching them in any way, unless you have got to know them fairly well. Men and women do not normally kiss when meeting, and public displays of affection are uncommon. Men and women often voluntarily segregate in social settings. Homosexuality is still illegal and not generally accepted, so obvious displays of affection between same-sex couples are not suggested.
Traditional beliefs Health -One enduring attitude to the prevention of ailments refers to the careful sequencing of touching hot and cold objects. If someone has been ironing or cooking for instance, they are loath to place their hands in a fridge or cold water immediately after. Tasks are deliberately sequenced or spaced to avoid this. There is a vast repository of knowledge pertaining to what is locally referred to as ‘bush’ or herbal medicine. Especially in rural areas and amongst the older generation, herbal medicine is the first choice of those with minor ailments.
Psychology – Although no longer a coherent system constituting a religion, strands of West African religious thought and practice have remained, and this means that the cause of a misfortune or illness is sometimes perceived to result from the malevolence of a victim’s enemy.
Preventing the embarrassment of others
Concepts of time and ‘saving face’ – “Anytime” is “Caribbean time”. People have a flexible attitude to time. Someone might tell you they are going to be there at 2 o’clock, and that could easily become 4 o’clock. To prevent impatience and a certain sense of bewilderment, you are advised not to worry if someone says they are coming, and they don’t show up at all. Sometimes the person has genuinely been held up or called away, and will spontaneously turn up at another time. At times, however, when the arrangement was made, the other party may have enthusiastically agreed, but had no intention of coming. They may have felt embarrassed or awkward to be seen to saying no to a request, and to save face, they may have agreed with no intention of following through. Keeping confidences and ‘people’s business’ – If you inspire a certain level of trust, people may share confidential information about their personal affairs with you. They may consider certain pieces of information fairly private, and would be upset to hear you sharing that information with others in their community. This could be something that you would expect them to have already shared with others, but this may not be the case. People are especially private about their financial affairs.
Clothes - Generally people do not like to be seen accepting second-hand objects, especially clothes. If you make a donation of second-hand clothes, the more discreet you are in the distribution, the better. It is not common practice for people to borrow clothes from one another.
Bags – Grenadian people do not carry objects, like groceries, in their hands. Be aware that most people are private about what they buy, and prefer to put purchases or gifts in opaque bags, away from inquisitive eyes. When giving someone a gift, it is appreciated if you give it to them in a clean, opaque bag.
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