The evidence gathered from research demonstrates the similarities in the framework of these institutions and their divergence after the impact of British colonization. The organization The structure of the Land-ship organization mirrors the structure of the British navy, with each unit known as a "ship", which is based at its own "dock" (a wooden house similar to a chattel house), and leaders known as Lord High Admiral, Admiral, Captain, Boatswain, Quarter Master, Commander, Doctor, Matron, Engineer and other navy ranks. Each unit is named after an actual British ship. Land-ship performances symbolize and reflect the experience of the Middle Passage, where Africans were brought from the West Coast of Africa by ships to be slaves in the Caribbean and Americas. Land-ship performances are made up of maneuvers done to commands. These maneuvers are unique to the Land-ship and every movement is of historical significance as if coded in a manner not to be forgotten for generations. The Barbados Land-ship is defined as a Friendly Society and operates as a Friendly Society. A "Society" was the earliest form of organizations that could be registered in Barbados, which were usually for charitable purposes. Today, it also falls within the general definition of a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) and more specifically as a Community Based Organization (CBO). The Barbados Land-ship is made up of several ships and even though there is only one surviving ship, provision is made for "floating" ships so long as they conform to the rules. The two main components of a Land-ship are the performers and the Engine. Eight persons and an engine is the requirement for starting a Ship. Eight because it takes eight persons to plait the Maypole. The engine or Tuk Band can have a minimum of three members. It provides the musical accompaniment for the members of the Ship to perform their maneuvers as well as for the plaiting of the Maypole. Each ship was traditionally named after British warships but bearing the initials of the "Barbados Land Ship" BLS before it. Some of the ships that existed were the: BLS Queen Victoria (HMS Victoria (1887)), BLS Queen Mary (HMS Queen Mary), BLS Rosetta, BLS Iron Duke (HMS Iron Duke), BLS Cornwall (HMS Cornwall), BLS Rodney (HMS Rodney), BLS Indefatigable (HMS Indefatigable), BLS York (HMS York) and the sole surviving ship today is the BLS Director (HMS Director (1784)). The maypole The dancing and plaiting