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1.      Campbell, Carl C. The young colonials: a social history of education in Trinidad and Tobago, 1834-1939. Barbados: Press U of the West Indies, 1996. Print.

2.      Kuss, Malena. Music in Latin America and the Caribbean: an encyclopedic history. Austin, TX: U of Texas Press, 2007. Print.

3.      Green, Garth L., and Philip W. Scher. Trinidad carnival: the cultural politics of a transnational festival. Bloomington: Indiana U Press, 2007. Print.

.   "Dancehall, hip hop, and criminality." Daily Express. N.p., 18 Apr. 2013. Web. 21 Apr. 2017.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/commentaries/Dancehall-hip-hop-and-criminality-203508161.html

·         "Mr Garcia going down wrong road." Daily Express. N.p., 14 Sept. 2015. Web. 21 Apr. 2017.

http://www.trinidadexpress.com/20150914/letters/mr-garcia-going-down-wrong-road

·         "All schools will teach about all religions." Daily Express. N.p., 03 Apr. 2011. Web. 21 Apr. 2017. http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/All_schools_will_teach_about_all_religions-119161184.html

·         YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2017.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=popcaan+stray+dog+lyrics

Artifacts Citation

·         http://sta.uwi.edu/

·         https://casas.bbcollab.com/site/external/launch/meeting.jnlp?sid=2010102&username=&password=M.14B248777677CE95C8B487F6B6F338

·         Catholic School Days

·         http://www.largeup.com/2013/06/25/just-one-new-friend-watch-popcaans-unruly-rave-video/

·         https://genius.com/Bob-marley-and-the-wailers-no-woman-no-cry-lyrics

·         http://www.discovertnt.com/articles/Trinidad/The-Birth-Evolution-of-Trinidad-Carnival/109/3/32#axzz4erkUDhmT

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Caribbean Carnival began when the French planters performed Mas but the slaves weren’t allowed to participate so they created Canboulay which later developed to Carnival. Trinidad traditional Carnival portrays characters such as Dame Lorraine, the Midnight Robber, and Minstrels. It has evolved into a festival celebrated (or avoided) by every class, creed, colour, and race, in what truly are a spectacle of creativity and an exposition of the entire nation’s strengths and weaknesses. Its culturally diverse nation and unique qualities has helped evolved Trinidad on the global tourist market, and the signature event on Trinidad’s cultural calendar.

3 Today Carnival is not what it was in the nineteenth century, now it is gender focus with such headlines as “Carnival Is Woman” or “Reign of Carnival Women” has become popular fare (Garth L. Green). Guardian newspaper reported that Carnival have been fixated on the female image. The festival quality and description is now being used globally to refer to the Carnival women as sharply, sensual, and flirtatious. The title “Carnival Is Woman” has proved that most citizens want to abandon our traditional Carnival culture, hence the topic “Carnival is Male” will never prevail because of the masculinity portrayed in the traditional characters.

In this course I have learned and believed Trinidad and Tobago Carnival brings together people of geographical and intercultural diversity. Carnival is ought to be a mix of cultural expressions, reflecting African, European, and Asian influences and not focused on gender stereotyping, words such as, “beautiful and shapely African and Indian women”. However, in my view women should not publicly celebrate their femaleness in coquettish, display their bodies, neither conduct sex act performance in skimpy costumes. These acts are disturbing to the audience in Port-of-Spain and at homes via local channel live broadcast.

In addition, this disgust stems from women’s social roles as mothers and wives respectively. 3 “Women are the cradle of civilization and bedrock of family life, thus their public behaviour should be in keeping with her socially prescribed symbolic roles (Garth L. Green)”.

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Music is the most popular and dynamic aspect of Caribbean expressive culture. Music in the Caribbean was influence by the various groups that entered the Caribbean. 2 It was mainly instigated by the Africans but it is agreed that other groups have all contributed to the musical heritage of the Caribbean. Caribbean music styles vary from mellow to energetic. Many have a historical background from period of Slavery and indentureship. It was used to lighten labour, express love, and to transmit values of elders to children but now it is usually known to speak about politics, current events, and social gossip, for example, kaseko, chutney, and calypso music among Trinidad and Tobago artistes.

One concern today is the relationship between Jamaica dancehall music and criminality. Jamaica dancehall music has been impacting negatively on the Caribbean. I blame this music popularity for the violence, sexuality, badmanism, vulgarity, and coarseness that characterizes so many aspects of youth’s lives. A noted dance hall “badman,” Popcaan, made the point when he sang “stray day” in January 2017, as it follows:

"Bwoy dead like stray dog

(Boyy) You a punk, a yuh troat mi ago slash

Mi rival strap on pon mi back

Cra-cra crack yuh skull like calabash

Have yuh eva buss a man throat wit a hatchet

Man show yuh riffle, yuh neva fire dem (ha ha)

Go suck yuh madda dog

Yuh nun bad like unruly

(Ayyyyy) so mi liff up every gun weh mi have

Fi go kill dem slowly (kill dem slowlyyyy)"

It is my belief that these songs influence youths to enter the underworld due to its endorsement and glorification by their musical heroes, in their search for identity, see the example of the badman as the only way to gain recognition. “have yuh eva buss a man throat with a hatchet”.

Personally, I believe that Jamaica popularity on music today should be used to positively influence the music of church, state, and entertainment, as the nation gains confidence in its own culture. It should also be used to convey messages within the family, and establish or maintain communication with as manifested in all creation, and in reflection of our African ancestors.

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SELF-EVALUATION OF LEARNING FOR THE SEMESTER 

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SELF-EVALUATION OF LEARNING FOR THE SEMESTER 

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This course, Caribbean Civilization, I thought would have been boring and focused only on history. At the first and only class room interaction, the orientation changed my perspective on this course. Given that the course is 100% assignment base, blackboard collaborate which can be listened on your own desired time, and a visit to a local museum or historical place had given me motivation that an A+ can easily be obtained in this course. My experience in this course allowed me to know where I came from and recognition of my Caribbean culture.

In addition, the course changed my perception on the term civilization. I got to learned that what is civilized for me might be un-civilized for another group or cultural, different countries and groups have they own civilization. Furthermore, what stood out to me the most in the course is the mits of the Caribbean stories because these stories were taught to me in secondary school and I was examined on them. The mits coming out of Caribbean Civilization got me to realize that even through there were no tangible writing before Christopher Columbus came, they were pre-linguistic. Also there were civilization of culture long before Columbus and there were no Caribs and Arawaks, and Caribs were not men eaters.

Moreover, during the semester Dr. Campbell introduced various topics such as, Defining Caribbean people, life on the sugar plantation, Caribbean Identity, etc. These topics aroused my interest and kept my attention in the plenary. The topics were well explained and broken down for easy understanding.  Another benefit was the availability of face to face tutorials where the immediacy of response in the situation when the tutor could see quickly what was troubling students. Also if a response was not clear, one question could quickly be followed by another giving new knowledge. To conclude, this course did not force me to memorize and learn off notes. The assignments allowed for easier learning, expansion on my critical thinking, creativity, and imagination to portray my views and ideas about the course. Overall, I have a better appreciation for Caribbean history.

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Religion and education are tremendously critical aspects in the development of a Caribbean culture. This unit edifying how religions and education impacted on the social norms and attitudes, as it has broadened how I perceived cultural traditions and our culture today in Trinidad and Tobago. In our country Honorable Mr. Anthony Garcia, Minister of Education has distinguished himself in this field, the relationship that should exist in religion and education. Mr. Garcia is Roman Catholic and was first “elected to the House of Representatives in 2015 as the Member of Parliament for Arima Trinidad and hold a portfolio as the Minister of Education on 11 September, 2015 till Present (Trinidad express)”.

Mr. Garcia mentioned that “religious education should be taught in all schools, saying that is important, that is vital and condoms should not be distributed in schools and instead distribute the bible (Trinidad express)”. The material covered in this course has allowed me to critically analyse Mr. Garcia religious beliefs towards educational institutions. 1 I understand that such Roman Catholic practice came from the Spanish hegemony who purpose was to minister, convert, and educate the native people and with hope that this conversion lead to salvation of souls and a better colonial society.

1 In light of this, Mr. Garcia still has these beliefs and now appointed as Minister of Education he believes “that morality and character in children could best be founded on religious instruction, and that the preservation of social order and well-being was dependant on the diffusion of religious morality (Trinidad express)”. However, it is my belief that religious instruction should not be integrated into school’s curriculum because only one creed could be taught in each school by its sole teacher. Teachers of different religious affiliations will need to be hired and the children of non-believing parents and different religious affiliations will not have equal status with other students in respect to moral teachings.

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This portfolio reflects my opinion of social issues in the Caribbean, my personal views on them, and my journey of learning in this course through the semester. Studying Caribbean Civilization, I have gain knowledge on how past Caribbean events still play a key role in our society today. I gain knowledge as to where I came from, proudly strengthen my cultural identity, knowing the reasons for our region’s demographic diversity. I how to greater accept and work with persons from different geographical location, ethnic groups, and also accept their culture, religion, and beliefs. Each reflection in this portfolio represent an objective, therefore it will be structured accordingly.

First to mention, an issue of regional importance, this was determined by listening the local news and current affairs in Trinidad and Tobago. The issues of beginning back religion education in schools. I will also provide commentary on this issue. In addition, the topic of festival and music were selected to relate to a current and specific occurrence in the region. Thirdly, my experience, feelings, and opinions about the course throughout the semester will be shared in a reflective essay.

In light of these reflections, this portfolio seeks to identity the prominent social issues in the Caribbean with specific focus placed on our Caribbean cultural identity, and my own thoughts on the social issues in relation to topics of importance to Caribbean Civilization.