THE PEOPLE of Jost Van Dyke are a close-knit communitie, there is a home-like feel to The British Virgin Islands. The people here are one of The BVI's best kept secrets; they are a church-going, community-spirited group who believe in helping one another and welcoming visitors to their islands.

   They are proud and resourceful and have made the transition from a largely rural economy of farming and fishing just a few short decades ago to one of tourism and international finance easily. The families of many BVIslanders have been here for generations. But The BVI has also been infused with people from many other islands and countries, and whose presence has turned the islands into a Caribbean and global melting pot.

   The British Virgin Islands culture is reflected in its many art forms including such indigenous music as fungi, a form of scratch band music. But music here also encompasses Caribbean imports such as steel band music, Reggae from Jamaica, and salsa from Latin America to add to the cultural mix. Local artists, whose works are sold in galleries around The BVI also celebrate the islands' culture. The Wall, a long and colourful mural along Tortola's Ridge Road, depicts many aspects of BVI heritage and has become a popular island attraction.

   The greatest cultural celebration of the year is the August Emancipation Festival. Held during the end of July and the first few days of August, the carnival is a celebration of the day the Emancipation Declaration was read out at the Sunday Morning Well on the first Monday of August in 1834. Our modern-day celebration of the event includes parades, pageants and local musical competitions. Local foods and drinks are featured at the Festival Village, a collection of brightly painted wooden booths in the heart of Road Town. But then again, you can't have culture without people. Gracious and warm, BVIslanders take their heritage seriously, as they do their role in making sure that every visitor's stay is a special one.