Blowing the conch shell was a means for escaped slaves to communicate across the mountains and dense forests they ran away to. They had complex coding through the varied conch shell sounds that slave owners could not understand the meanings behind the conch horn. A story via oral history of Saint Lucia states that slaves were told when they heard the sound of the conch - they knew that they were free. The conch shell was then sounded on Emancipation day across the valleys. #knowyourcaribbean #co

In the U.S. Virgin Islands the blowing of a conch shell is a symbol of freedom! We thank our cultural icons for preserving this tradition and teaching Virgin Islanders and visitors this skill which plays a significant role in our history. #WorldTourismDay2020 #USVICulture #ConchShellBlowing | United States Virgin Islands