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"History of Soca Music, a Child of Calypso." Drums, Percussion and Drum Lessons. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.

Kitt, Jessica. "A History of Soca Music in the Caribbean | Caribbean Luxury News." Luxury Caribbean News. N.p., 28 Oct. 2015. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.

"The Evolution of Calypso and Birth of Soca Music." Words in the Bucket. N.p., 19 Jan. 2017. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.

"Trinidad: The America Of The Caribbean." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 20 Apr. 2009. Web. 07 Apr. 2017.

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Monday 17th April, 2017: Self-evaluation of learning for the semester

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Monday 17th April, 2017: Self-evaluation of learning for the semester

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I have always loved Caribbean history and FOUN 1101 has only served to reinforce that love which I am grateful for since I chose not to pursue a degree in History.  This course provided more insight into the complex society that is the Caribbean. The highlight for me during this course was the plenary sessions because my class had people from different Caribbean territories as well as one German student. Our debates widened my perspective as I got to see the mindset of some of the other Caribbean territories as well as a European perspective on several different topics covered in the course that still apply to today's society. I thoroughly enjoyed these sessions and the firsthand experience into finding out why it's so hard to define the Caribbean was an eye opener because although we have a lot of similarities, just by interacting with the people from different Caribbean regions, it is clear to see that we do have cultural differences. As seen in the map below, while we are separated by water, we are still united and just like the shape of our respective islands, we are all unique.

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Thursday 13th April, 2017: Application of learning in Caribbean Civilisation, to students’ understanding of theirsocial or geographical environment.

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Thursday 13th April, 2017: Application of learning in Caribbean Civilisation, to students’ understanding of theirsocial or geographical environment.

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Globalization has not entirely crushed the culture of the Caribbean. Even in an institution such as the University of the West Indies, there is still a distinct Caribbean culture that permeates the different campuses even though a university is a product of Western influence. The curriculum for instance has subjects that cater to educating students about the Caribbean such as FOUN 1101 and many other courses across faculties that are related in some way to Caribbean society. Also, many of the Caribbean students are very vocal about their love and patriotism for their respective countries as evidenced by their presence during orientation week where they showcase their specific country. It has come to my understanding that this specific university environment is unique as there is a distinct Caribbean culture associated with this University. This culture reinforces the fact that we as a Caribbean people are proud of our identity and can work together in the same environment, respecting each other's culture at the same time. The University clearly shows that while the Caribbean does not have one specific identification and it's definition is rather complex in nature, the different cultures of the different islands blend together in perfect harmony in this environment.

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Tuesday 11th April, 2017:  Critical thinking on an issue of importance to Caribbean Civilisation.

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Tuesday 11th April, 2017:  Critical thinking on an issue of importance to Caribbean Civilisation.

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Globalization has often been seen as a positive sign of the modern world. It is seen as a catalyst for a more unified world. However, what does Globalization mean for the Caribbean region? An article in Forbes' magazine (2009) named Trinidad as "the America of the Caribbean." One cannot deny that some Caribbean countries such as Trinidad and Jamaica for example have become capitalist societies thanks to the influence of global superpowers such as America. This capitalist mindset has even filtered into the musical genre of soca. Soca of today is not the same as it was in the seventies. Today, soca has more EDM (electronic dance music) beats than the traditional calypso and Indian rhythms. In order to sell soca to the global market, artists have felt that adding more western styled influences would help boost sales for soca music which is a very capitalist notion. While creating soca with edm has been successful worldwide, one cannot help but see that the traditional sound and feel of soca is slowly becoming lost to the influences of the Western world. This sadly reflects the realities of Caribbean Society today where everything is fast paced and more "Western". One cannot help but question if the consequence of globalization is the loss of culture which is an issue currently being discussed in a Caribbean context.

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Voice & Bad Royale - Get Away 2017 Release [HD]

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Friday 7th April, 2017: Application of learning in the course to understanding a problem of regional importance as reflected in news and current affairs literature/programs in the region 

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Friday 7th April, 2017: Application of learning in the course to understanding a problem of regional importance as reflected in news and current affairs literature/programs in the region 

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The video below showcases one of the first known soca songs called Indrani by Lord Shorty A.K.A Ras Shorty-I (Garfield Blackman).  He is thought to have developed the genre known as soca by mixing the traditional calypso beat with East Indian rhythms, namely the tabla, dhantal and dolak. This genre is one of the true testaments of the cosmopolitan nature of the Caribbean as it is a melting pot of two different cultures. During the Indentureship period, there was a lot of tension between the previously enslaved Africans and the newly arrived East Indians. Hence, by having this unique genre of music that incorporates the different cultures, it shows that as a Caribbean nation, differences have not been put aside but instead have been mixed to create a unique style of music. This Caribbean genre of music mirrors Caribbean society today especially in places like Trinidad where Africans and East Indian descendants live amongst each other in harmony and have even intermingled making children called "Douglas". As such, one can truly see that even the music of the Caribbean reflects what is happening in Caribbean society and that the music itself acts as glue that holds the society together.

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The University of the West Indies

FOUN 1101

Caribbean Civilisation

Portfolio

Student name: Larissa Hosein

Student ID number: 816001302

Degree Program: International Relations

Faculty: Social Sciences

Campus: St. Augustine

Date: Friday 21st April, 2017

Title of Portfolio: Caribbean Music Mirrors Caribbean Society

Link/web address (where applicable):

I certify that this is my own work and by attaching this cover sheet certify further that there are no instances of plagiarism contained herein. I submit to any penalty imposed by the Faculty for any instance of plagiarism found in my work howsoever caused.

Signed: Larissa Hosein