Examining Bajan Identity: Stories Behind the Lens © 2025

Barbados, located at the eastern edge of the Caribbean, is celebrated for its dynamic culture, rich history, and varied landscapes. The identity of its inhabitants, known as Bajans, has been shaped by centuries of historical, cultural, and environmental influences. There is a plausibility that in 2025, young photojournalist based in Bridgetown, Barbados may embark on a personal mission to capture the essence of Barbadian life through their lens. Their endeavour clearly becomes a tribute to their roots while exploring the stories that shape Bajan identity, with inspiration from individuals such as Dr. William Anderson Gittens, a renowned mediates specialist cultural practitioner theoretician, photojournalist, and Doctor of Divinity. By framing their experiences as a journey, they would gained insights into their circumstances and choices, allowing them to recognize patterns and make informed decisions. This approach fostered deep reflection on their path, leading to personal growth and a more fulfilling life. This anthology explores Photojurnalists journey as a lens to document and reinterpret the complexities of Barbadian culture, history, and environmental realities, building on the extensive scholarship and photographic essays of Dr. Gittens. I am well aware that these aspiring photojournalists are aware that photography is the art of taking pictures for different uses, but photojournalism is primarily concerned with using pictures to tell news stories while upholding high ethical standards.has historically been essential to recording and forming cultural memory. Dr. Gittens’s influential work, A Bajan Painting With Light (2023), highlights how photographic essays can capture the lived experiences, values, and transformations within Barbadian society. He posits that the camera is not merely a tool for recording images but a powerful instrument for storytelling and cultural expression.

Dr.William Anderson Gittens, D.D.