Providencia: Fragile Treasure of the Caribbean

Providencia is one of three inhabited islands in the San Andres Archipelago, situated in the Southwestern Caribbean. Hundreds of years ago, the waters surrounding Providencia and its nearby sister islands were given the name “The Sea of Seven Colors.” This vital marine area was finally inscribed as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) protected site in 2000 and named the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve.

Providencia’s relative seclusion had also attracted the attention of buccaneers. A legend of their buried treasure persists to this day and is proudly depicted on the Providencia coat of arms as an arcane treasure chest. The island’s real treasure, however, is the 500-kilometer system of reefs and atolls which are considered amongst the most complex in the world due to their exposure to unusual levels of wave and ocean current action. The stretch of Providencia’s own coral reef is just 32 kilometers in length but home to almost one-third of all Caribbean species from the fish kingdom. The Ladridae parrotfish family feeds primarily on algae, so their existence is vital in containing algal growth along the reef. Sadly, fishing has resulted in a rapid and distinctly noticeable decline in their population, which ultimately threatens the delicate ecosystem of the entire reef.

Music is a big part of island culture. The unique blend of Caribbean rhythms originates from Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Guadalupe, the Cayman Islands, and others, to produce a distinct local sound. To avoid human impact on Providencia’s many pristine locations, the island can only cope with a few hundred tourists at a time.

In November 2020, the category five Hurricane Iota devastated 98% of the island’s infrastructure, leaving many residents without shelter or provisions. We pray that compassion and love lead humanity to adopting a vegan lifestyle now to address climate change as well as so many other environmental concerns resulting from humans killing innocent marine and land animal-people for food.