Barbados Premieres Groundbreaking Documentary “Spirit and Struggle: African Faiths and the Soul of Barbados” at CARIFESTA XV

Bridgetown, Barbados – August 2025 – In a bold and timely exploration of identity,

resilience, and justice, Barbados will debut the powerful new documentary Spirit and

Struggle: African Faiths and the Soul of Barbados at CARIFESTA XV. Produced in

partnership with the National Cultural Foundation and the Office for Reparations and

Economic Enfranchisement in the Prime Minister’s Office, the near hour-long film

examines how two African-derived traditions, the Spiritual Baptists of the 1950s and

Rastafari of the mid-1970s, emerged as vital vessels of resistance and cultural identity

in the face of systemic oppression.

Set against the backdrop of colonial Barbados, where African spiritual practices were

demonised, criminalised, and driven underground, the film traces a story of survival and

persistence. Through rare archival footage, original research, and moving testimonials,

Spirit and Struggle documents how these faiths challenged the “Little England”

narrative, endured police brutality and social ostracism, and helped lay the foundation

for a more African-centred national consciousness.

The documentary underscores how the fight for religious freedom parallels broader

movements for decolonisation and reparative justice as Barbados transitioned from

colony to independent state to republic. It argues that true reparations must include the

restoration of cultural and spiritual dignity, positioning African faiths at the centre of the CARICOM Ten-Point Plan for Reparatory Justice.

“Spirit and Struggle ultimately presents these faith communities not as relics of the past, but as living traditions whose emphasis on connection to ancestors, reverence for nature, and pursuit of social justice offers vital wisdom for contemporary challenges,” asserts, NCF’s Research Officer, Michelle Springer, the film’s producer, director, and writer. “In documenting their journey from criminalization to cultural recognition, the film reveals how the struggle for religious freedom remains inseparable from the broader quest for dignity, belonging, and repair in a contemporary Barbados,” she said, underscoring that the film gives voice to communities long pushed to the margins of mainstream society but are actually living sources of wisdom and healing for our future.

The production brought together a team of experts in their respective fields, including

Sherwood McCaskie (consulting producer), Nicholas Brancker (music and sound

design), Rivelino Simmons (video production), Claire Ince (creative consultant), and

Tony Thompson (narrator). Together, they shaped a compelling and immersive

narrative that blends scholarship, artistry, and lived experience.

The film features contributions from leading historians, cultural researchers and

knowledge bearers from the Spiritual Baptist and Rastafarian communities, as well as

archival resources from the Barbados Government Information Service, the Caribbean

Broadcasting Corporation, the Nation Publishing and other repositories.

Spirit and Struggle will premiere during CARIFESTA XV, on August 29th. For more

details, see About | CARIFESTA XV