Caribbean – Global Interactions

Objectives

1. Students should be able to understand the factors which have shaped Caribbean society and culture

2. Appreciate how cultural traits evident through out the region have resulted from Caribbean peoples’ experiences

3. Understand the common features which exist within Caribbean diversity

Creative Expressions

Objective:discuss the influence of creative expressions of extra-regional countries on the Caribbean

Festivals:~ Most of the Caribbean countries have shown strong

influences of extra-regional countries, namely those of the European colonizers

~ This however has changed due to the creativity of the Caribbean people by adapting the cultural forms of the colonizer into distinctive hybrid products of their own

Festivals

Western influences an be found in Christian observances such as :

ChristmasEasterThese festivals are celebrated in a similar

fashion due to foreign mass media (decorations, commodities and gifts) and commercialization

Festivals

Festivals that show long established Caribbean traditions:

Corpus ChristiGood FridayAsh WednesdayAll Saints’ DayThe West also had little impact on Muslim,

Hindu, Orisha and Amerindian

Festivals

Secular festivals such as Valentine’s day and Old Year’s Night, Mother’s and father’s Day and Halloween has been greatly influenced by the US again due to the penetration of foreign media

Most of the production for gifts and cards for these events also originate in the US

Carnival

How carnival was celebrated reflected the resistance of the oppressed people – they parodied and satirized European attitudes, dress and mannerisms under the guise of celebration, so that the traditions of critique, social commentary and resistance was strongly entrenched in the celebration.

Carnival in Dominica and T & T was first associated with the French Roman catholic influence

In Antigua, Barbuda and Barbados it is celebrated to commemorate emancipation

Carnival

Carnival celebrations in the islands where tourism is a great income earner has been greatly influenced by extra-regional countries:

What events are staged Where they are located How they are packaged to be of interest to the tourist Admission for shows Selling the rights to reproduce certain events to

foreign media Production of CDs and videos

Carnival

In T&T evidence can be seen in the areas of: Technology – computers used to create images of

costumes, sourcing of foreign materials to build costumes and the sound technology found in music recordings and live entertainment

Development of ideas – the mas bands are inspired by themes that range from sci-fi to abstract portrayals of globalization, oppression, capitalism, gender issues and ecological awareness

Built structures – large floats (some with air-conditioned rooms) – similar to what is found in Italy and new Orleans

Music that is exported – traditional calypso is no longer exported, it has been sidelined for the new wave, jump and wine soca

Music

Caribbean music is known for its resistant themes which spring from the region’s history of oppression – colonialism, bonded labour and social stratification

The most successful musical forms generated from the British Caribbean are :

Reggae Calypso SteelbandThese originated in Jamaica and among the shanty towns

and urban poor in Trinidad

Music

Calypso had grassroots origins as calypsonians sought to expose the inequities such as racism, and political oppression and voiced alternative opinions to that of the establishment (colonial politics and Roman catholic Church)

Their compositions combined wit, satire and humour to poke fun at important persons therefore it was a means whereby the poor and powerless could resist and ridicule the highest authorities

Theatre Arts

Comprises of drama, dance and stage craft In the Caribbean it also includes:

Traditional dances, Limbo Stick fights Folk singing Chanting Drumming Story-tellingHowever the extra-regional influences was very evident

in how Caribbean theatre developed

Theatre Arts

Language – debate between patois and standard english

Theme – decolonization: conflicts and tension over issues such as identity, discrimination based on race, colour and class

Therefore theatre arts are not only a form of entertainment but an attempt to bring awareness to Caribbean people through humour, tradegy, musical productions, dance and even arts in education programs for school

Theatre Arts

Caribbean theatre arts have into a creative adaptation of western styles and genres largely by incorporating:

Caribbean language Local musical rhythms The oral traditions Call and response episodes Folklore characters Picong – repartee that is stinging in its wittiness

(usually of a sexual nature)

The West however has played a role in the growth and development of:

Poets Playwrights Actors Dramatists Writers Novelists

Some Caribbean writers and playwrights that are internationally known are Derek Walcott, Vidia Naipaul, Earl Lovelace and Jamaica Kincaid

Culinary Practices

The culinary arts in the Caribbean also show s a high degree of creative adaption of the food traditions of Europe, Africa, India, China and the pre-Columbian people

A staple in the Caribbean is saltfish or salted cod Jamaica – ackee and saltfish is the national dish St Vincent – roast breadfruit and saltfish Antigua – duckanoo and saltfishIt originated in the importations of salted and smoked

fish from British colonies

Culinary Practices

It should also be noted that animal parts were not considered to be fit for human consumption and therefore given to the enslaved

As a result salted smoked and pickled meats became very popular in the Caribbean

Smoked herring Pigtail Black pudding Pig foot or chicken foot souse Cow heel Goat bellymost of the Western countries do not use the various animal

parts in their cooking

Culinary Practices

Note that while the food may be similar – the preparation and how it served differs greatly

E.g. rice and peas is a Caribbean staple but red beans and rice of Jamaica is very different from the national dish of haiti

The French influence is still in existence in Haiti, Martinique, Guadeloupe and Dominica – especially seen in the herbs, spices and sauces

Caribbean cuisine is hot and spicy based on the influences of the Caribs, Indians and Africans

Culinary Practices

The British has very little influence on Caribbean cuisine in terms of taste, spices and herbs

One of the main staples that did come from the British was the Irish potato (but cooked very differently in the Caribbean)

However the Caribbean people do drink tea and speak of it as anything from coffee to milo to ovaltine to cocoa. They may also have porridge for breakfast

Oats and wheat has been mostly replaced by cornmeal

Culinary Practices

Gravy is also British but cooked separately – in the Caribbean it is cooked as part of the dish

The West has made a big impact in the areas of time-saving gadgets, appliances and pre-cooked products such as ham, cakes, home baked bread etc

Another impact is in the area of fast-food chains

It can therefore be said that to people in extra-regional countries, Caribbean cuisine represents the ethnic foods of a metropolitan center