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The world is plagued by an unknown yet harmful disease, single stories. A single story is a one-sided story which can be bias and frequently creates stereotypes. These stereotypes tend to have a great impact on persons’ perspective of a person, thing or place.

Fortunately, we are in the era of technology and the knowledge basin is at our fingertips. Unfortunately, we do not utilise this technology to its full capacity in order to obtain knowledge and understand people, places and things around us.

For instance, a popular example is the common view that Caribbean people swing on vines and don’t have technology (cable or internet). This single story has been formed from western ideas spread through television shows, literature etc. However, this is quite untrue. Though we may be consider as the ‘developing world’ this doesn’t mean we live in jungles and have no idea of technology.

Additionally, subjugated knowledge has a role to play in creating single stories. A popular example in relation to the Caribbean is the view that Indigenous people had no history. But in truth and in fact they did. However, this knowledge was subjugated and eurocentricism prevailed during that period and even today. The revisionism of history has allowed for other parts of the story to surface and create a less bias, stereotypical view.

A single story is indeed very dangerous and if allowed to breathe, a society, a country or even a people will continue to be looked at from a one-eyed perspective; a bias perspective hence the need for “a balance of stories” to create less bias and stereotypical views

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“Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forward”

Our past has shaped us.

We have been colonised by people who didn’t understand us, imperialised by those who wanted to be like the ones who didn’t understand us

We have lived in fear of being in the midst of warfare, we even fought for our freedom, and some of us even won our independence

Independent from the man who colonised us, his son who imperialised us and the war that took some of us.

We have been freed.

1948 UWI

“A regional institution with a broad mandate to advance Caribbean development”

By taking charge of our education, removing the white man from the equation, We took the initiative to educate our own people through our own people, moving away from dependence on the metropole.

1973 CARICOM

“Home to approximately 60 million citizens”

This integrating movement has brought our region together to socially and economically develop on our own.

Colonialists developed us before, so did imperial America.

But from 1973, the Treaty of Chaguaramas signed by the fathers of our region.

We now take charge of our own development.

C-A-R-N-I-V-A-L

Our Caribbean festival.

A festival we have exported to international countries like USA and England.

In cities like Miami New York, LA and Nottingham

Our Caribbean diaspora abroad has exposed our culture to the world.

This is part of our development

Foreign investment and revenue from our foreign friends helps with our development

Our Caribbean identity is being forged, not just in the region but abroad.

Colonialism made us dependent and so did imperialism.

However, we have created a task force to integrate us, CARICOM.

And here I sit in the 1948 university ,our fathers have left us. A system to educate us.

We wanted to further education but make it available to more people so tha some could obtain a level of social status and mobility, so we built UWI.

We were colonialised and we wanted to be freed so we game together as one and formed CARICOM.

Through slavery, our masters have dressed big and fancy and so we mocked and them and now its a festival, CARNIVAL.

Our history, drove us and here we are today

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CARICOM is a regional integrating institution created to socially and economically develop the region as one. The Caribbean Community has drawn out goals to be achieved why lie on their four integrating pillars. A popular objective that CARICOM strives but is struggling to achieve is the free movement of people.

When CARICOM speaks about free movement of people it is commonly known that they are really referring to the free movement of people. The idea of free movement of people tends to sound good on paper but in reality it has been very difficult to achieve as the practicality of it is questioned.

A common example of a challenge CARICOM faces in terms of this free movement is the issue of pasports. Caribbean nationals still aren’t able to move freely across Caribbean borders without passports and other identification deocuments. Also,, there is a criteria that must be filled by the individual who chooses to try and move from territory to territory for work.

Additional challenged faced by CARICOM in establishing this, is the migration of skilled workers causing brain drain. This challenges brain drain as individuals flee the Caribbean in search for better opportunities thus leaving the market for unskilled labour in a surplus and the market for skilled labour in a surplus. On a smaller scale (country), migration within the Caribbean also occurs thus too causing brain drain on islands which persons may flee from. For instance, when nationals from smaller islands flee to bigger islands for more opportunities it drains the smaller island of intellectual capacity which could’ve helped that country develop. Therefore not only does this goal of CARICOM face many challenges but it also hinders CARICOM from achieveing its main objective of economic and social development as a unit since other territories may be suffering and developing at a way slower rate than others.

Jamaica Observer article on the usefulness of CARICOM

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C-A-R-I-B-B-E-A-N
Caribbean
Caribbean Cuvilisation
A civilisation that I belong to, not because I was born within the boundaries of this civilisation but because I want to be a part of it
Right, Benedict Andersom

But what exactly is this Caribbean civilisation?
Define it, tell me about it
Well here it is and here’s how it goes

Historical, political, geological, geographical and diaspora is how we define it
Bound together by historical ties: colonialism, slavery, indentureship, independence band us together
"United we stand, divided we fall” we have stood together under the belt of similar political experiences,
Yes all of us.
Washed by the Caribbean Sea, standing under the same sun
Sons of first, second and third diasporas,
Standing, toiling and playing under that same sun
We are one. We are Caribbean.

Like Ivan van Sertima would say “They came before Columbus”, they found the Olmec head, they found the middens.
We were here before.

Columbus didn’t discover nor did he rediscover
But his claim to fame was that he discovered
Discovered what?
Well I’d say he discovered how to massacre an entire civilisation, discovered how to displaces another population, discovered the beginning of an exploitative system.
Columbus and those who followed, discovered a lot,
But they did not discover us.

However, this alone does not define us.
Freedom lost, freedom regained
Battles lost, battles won.
Sister Ayti, Pearl of the Antilles, underrated but she created the path for our freedom today.
Not freed from political corruption and economic destitution,
She is till out Pearl.
First Black Republic. First Caribbean Republic.
We are Caribbean.

European, Asian and Indian Indentureship into the Caribbean is part of our diversity
They too toiled under the sun

Bucket ah drop and by the sweat ah we brow
Our Caribbean identity is forged.
Not fraud. FORGE.
Forge as in, “Forge from the love of liberty” Bind together by the love of being freed.
We are freed and we welcome our Caribbean identity.
Freed from Colonialism, captured by Imperialism,
It is a cycle we live in.
The identity is now stifled but it still breathes.

Dr. Eric Williams, Michael Manley, Grantley Adams, Maurice Bishop - Political figures
Let’s consider some others,
Dereck Walcott, V.S Naipaul, Olive Senior and more, David Rudder, Bunjii Garlin, Bob Marley - Caribbean scholars and artists, they help forge this Caribbean identity.

We identity with UWI, CSME, CARICOM among others branched from the same tree that tired to bloom that binding flower “Federation”
Here we are still trying to create and maintain that Caribbean identity.

I think we need to educate our people, our young ones,
I think we need our Caribbean people to know their story.
But a thought without a drink is just a wish.

So thank you Dr. John Campbell for taking the initiative
Your research and book has helped me achieve and understand my Caribbean identity
And your course will help many others, learn and appreciate their Caribbean story.
Our unique Caribbean story.

Bound by the same thread, we share similar cultures
Showcases of our raw sauce, talent, culture and the beauty of our Caribbean people.

As many or woman, rich or poor,
Borders do not define us, we are much more.
We are Caribbean.

In strength and unity we shall stand as one islands in the sun willed by the father’s hand.

FOUN 1101, What’s your Caribbbean Story?

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CARICOM. “CARICOM- who are we” Accessed Novemeber 29th 2017 : http://www.caricom.org
Adichie, N. Chimamanda “The Danger of a Single Story” Ted Talks. Accessed December 1st 2017. https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story/up-next