Spotlight Sunday: Dominica & The Nature Island Connection

Welcome back to Spotlight Sunday, where we celebrate the people who make the Tee’s Caribbean community so vibrant. This series is all about exploring the stories, memories, and traditions that keep us connected to our roots, no matter where in the world we are.

This week, we are taking a trip to the "Nature Island." We sat down with one of our very first, and regular, customers to discuss her deep connection to Dominica. From the sounds of Bouyon music to the taste of saltfish and bakes, she shares what it was like growing up in the UK with strong island values and why representing her flag means so much today.

What is your family's connection to the Caribbean, and how has that heritage shaped the person you are today?

My family is from Dominica (NOT Dominican Republic!) and so we are very proud of our little island. Being the nature island of the Caribbean, I have grown up having a love for greenery (trees/open land/ lush spaces) as well as a love for the water (lakes/ rivers/ the sea), with my first love being my island.

My grandparents travelled from Dominica to the UK in the late 50s and built a life here. My Granny took me to Dominica at 2 years old and that started my love for all things nature (although my 2-year-old self would have had no clue ha-ha). Growing up I spoke Patois before English, ran around barefoot in the grass and loved to swim! Now as an adult, I’ve travelled to 49 countries, always chasing the sea, the peace of nature and the ability to be barefoot.

Tee's Caribbean designs often pay homage to various islands. How does wearing a piece that represents your island make you feel, and why is it important to see that representation?

I love being able to represent my country and do it proudly. As a teen growing up in London (20+ years ago), it was rare to get anything other than the Jamaican flag and if I found something with the Dominican flag on it, it cost an arm and a leg, which meant my mum would tell me no when I asked to buy it.

Nowadays, all the islands are represented in a variety of apparel which I think is great. Tee’s Caribbean also allows for customisation and the mixing of flags, which has been great as my family is very multicultural, so being able to blend flags has been a godsend for some people in my family to represent without neglecting their other half.

What is one tradition or custom from your heritage that you are most proud of or that you actively keep alive?

Does gossiping count hahaha cos Caribbean people loveeee to chat people’s business and I have definitely dabbled once or twice! If not, I think our food and our love of dance would be it for me.

My family absolutely love to shake a leg- it can be a birthday, wedding, christening or even a funeral- there will be dancing. This is the same for my family back home and in the UK, there is no such thing as a wall flower once the music starts.

And food is what makes a house a home in my opinion, so when the food is right you will always have a place to call home. I learnt to cook from a very young age and feel like whenever I have people in my space, the very least I can do is make sure they leave full. This is a value I grew up seeing both my mum and grandmother embody; they may not have had a lot but you will never go hungry.

If you had to recommend one dish, song, or place from your home country/heritage to someone unfamiliar with it, what would it be and why?

I’d have suggested Mountain Chicken (giant ditch frog legs) as it used to be our national dish but they are now critically endangered. I’ll go with a classic, bakes and saltfish. This can be found on the majority of the islands in some variation so it can bring comfort.

It reminds me of slow Sunday mornings, everyone around the dining table, eating so many bakes you can’t move but sneaking one last one to hide for later in the day. Knowing Sunday breakfast was going to be saltfish and bakes always lured me out of my room no matter how tired I was, even as a grown woman!

Beyond the beautiful scenery, what is the single most defining characteristic—a specific sound, scent, or feeling—that captures the essence of your island for you?

Our country was the pioneer of bouyon music, most notable band being WCK. And the Sisserou Parrot (the bird on our flag) is only found on the island of Dominica.

This captures the essence of Dominica for me, for such a small island we managed to be pioneers, a nature reserve and home to a beautiful species not found anywhere else in the world. We also have 365 rivers (many of which are drinking water)– one for every day of the year. What other place can say that?!

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