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CaribNation. “Skin Bleaching - A Cause for Concern in the Caribbean.” YouTube, YouTube, 31 Dec. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PNdFWx11KU.

“Cricket's Greatest team in history: Fire in Babylon 1. - Video Dailymotion.” Dailymotion, 21 Dec. 2015, www.dailymotion.com/video/x3iyqne.

jasrah_a. “St. Thomas (Chaguanas) Masjid.” Flickr, Yahoo!, 5 Oct. 2009, www.flickr.com/photos/ayra_j3/3982675264/in/album-72157622393519345/.

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“St. Thomas, Chaguanas.” The Anglican Church in the Diocese of Trinidad and Tobago, theanglicanchurchtt.com/home-page/resources/parish-churches/st-thomas-chaguanas/.

Trinidad-News.com. “A Hindu Temple in Chaguanas.” Flickr, Yahoo!, 2 Feb. 2008, www.flickr.com/photos/tobagoaccommodation/2237968226.

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The University of the West Indies’ “One UWI” Initiative

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The University of the West Indies’ “One UWI” Initiative

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The One UWI initiative is a project that can help solve the issue of a financial crisis in the Caribbean region. The Caribbean possess a diverse unique range of religions, cultures, music, genres, races, sporting talents, festivals, foods etc. These characteristics are what distinguishes the West Indies from the wider world (Us, Canada, China, England, Spain, Africa, India etc). Specifically, the Caribbean has made a significant impact in the sporting world of Cricket. According to Clive Lloyd west Indies captain from1974 to1985 in the documentary "Fire in Babylon" http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x3iyqne, he referred to West Indies team as One people, One nation, One Destiny. The west indies cricket team in the 1970's - 1980's played cricket to bring recognition, pride, identity to the Caribbean region and more openly as One Unit. This documentary highlighted the use of the sport of cricket as a battlefield by the West Indies Cricket team as "One nation" to send a powerful message to the wider world that Caribbean region is alive and have lots more to offer from our unity. Today in the Caribbean many countries face financial hardships due to limiting factors such as resources, infrastructure, and capital. Can the One UWI initiative use Sports to rescue the Caribbean region from this financial crisis? Yes, to support this statement according to https://www.uwi.edu/featured-story/new-sport-faculty.asp , Vice-Chancellor Beckles said that “a  new Faculty of Sport set to capitalize on $145 billion global industry”. Therefore with the collaboration with CARICOM and the entire Caribbean in the near future maybe the Caribbean can establish a West indies Football team and Olympic team where we can go against the world with a “callaloo” favor of rich talent to conquer the minds foreigners to come embrace our One Identity, One Nation, One People, One UWI Initiative.

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My Reflection on the Caribbean Civilisation Course

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My Reflection on the Caribbean Civilisation Course

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“Diverse” is one word that can be used to describe this course. FOUN 1101, in my opinion, is an essential course for West Indian students throughout the Caribbean since it focuses on educating many of us on the reasons why our role as the future generation is one that is pivotal to culturally retain our Caribbean Identity. Initially, I thought this course was going to be a déjà vu of CAPE Caribbean Studies but I was proven wrong. Honestly, I expected the course to be learning about the dull and boring history in the Caribbean. Likewise, this wasn’t the case. I often felt comfortable and at home every time I entered the online lecture session and face to face tutorial class. For instance, listening to the familiar sweet sound of Calypso, Soca or reggae music at either the beginning or end of the online lecture truly set the mood for me to learn something new. Also, I truly enjoyed reading Thought It All and Participating in chat box discussions. Caribbean Civilization created a new passion inside of me to appreciate what is meant to be a West Indian Gentleman and to embrace the truth behind our Caribbean people exist today. No one will truly experience the emotional hurt I felt inside when Dr. Hillary Beckles recited the horrors on the plantations endured by the slaves. Similarly, the emotional joy I felt when hearing my name being called in the online lecture and everyone embracing one another opinions in the chat box and answering all were part of the experience of learning. In addition, I recall ever candidly, making a statement in the chat box saying, “All Jamaica bleach their skin”, following this the comments by students from the Mona campus caused me to reevaluate my statement and apologized for the careless comment. These encounters all contributed to my learning experience. The course taught me to have an open-minded approach to everything and never be stifled by the single story, use facts, artifacts to educated one’s understanding of the Caribbean. Whereas before I just believed everything from what I heard from somebody. One suggestion to make this course more engaging is to have a West Indian Day for all the UWI campus across the Caribbean where students can have a firsthand experience on the diversity of cultures, foods and religions etc. existent in the region today. #OneCaribbeanCivilisation #mystory

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In the Caribbean Region, there is the issue of Skin Bleaching.
The Ted talk video featuring Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie can be related to the issue of the bleaching of the skin in some Caribbean countries. The danger of the single-story talks about many societies being influence or thought one “story” either from childhood or adulthood. One’s view on this partial information based everything around them as the only thing acceptable. For example, Trinidad and Tobago and many Caribbean countries broadcast a lot of American programming which glorifies the western culture. This is one example of mediums that influence the single story, others are the Eurocentric educational system, media and popular culture which is streamlined across the Caribbean today. An article from http://jamaica-gleaner.com/power/27931 highlights how skin bleaching in Jamaica, is being promoted via through the music industry by artist Vybz Kartel singing songs entitled "Mr. Bleach Chin" and "Cake Soap". For instance, the idea of bleaching in the Caribbean stems back to the colonial days where coloured people believed whites or lighter skins were superior. Historically, mulattoes or persons mixed with black and white heritage were likely to be provided with more opportunities to progress than full blacks . According to the youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PNdFWx11KU, many people culturally retain this ideology from their forefather’s labels that black’s skins are ugly, less beautiful, can hinder them from getting a job, etc. To add, the power of people with light skin in the modern society today continues to empower this single transgenerational tale. Furthermore, the belief persists today in that lighter skin tone is seen as a means of achieving upward social mobility.  Therefore, for this issue to be solved especially in the Caribbean, one must be aware of the “plural” story which can assist in rejecting the single story and regaining a kind of paradise.

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Skin Bleaching - A Cause for Concern in the Caribbean

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Skin bleaching is a growing trend in the Caribbean and may be defined as the removal of skin melanin to achieve lighter skin tone. It is done through the use of homemade products, cosmetic products and dermatological products. One reason for skin bleaching is to create an identity that is perceived as more socially acceptable.

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The Caribbean Civilization course has educated me about how diverse religions are throughout the Caribbean. Information is taken from the Caribbean civilization (Unit 7 notes), historical the Spanish initially brought the Catholic faith to replace the neo-Indian religious practice, following the end of Spanish hegemony in the seventeenth century Anglicans (Church of England), Moravians, Methodists the Dutch Reformed and Lutheran churches and the Presbyterians (Church of Scotland) entered into the region. The arrival of the Indian indentured laborers and minority groups further introduced religions such as Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, etc. Learning about other religions reduces discrimination and fosters greater understanding and appreciation towards various religious beliefs. From a geographical environment, in my hometown of Chaguanas, various religious institutions are in close proximity to one another, churches, temples, and mosques. Below picture #1 https://www.flickr.com/photos/ayra_j3/3982675264/in/album-72157622393519345/ shows an image of the Chaguanas Masjid, this is where people come to pray and celebrate the festival Eid ul Fitr etc. Picture #2 https://www.flickr.com/photos/tobagoaccommodation/2237968226 shows an image of the Chaguanas Hindu temple, here Hindus gather to pray, present an offering to their gods and celebrate Divali etc. Picture #3 http://theanglicanchurchtt.com/home-page/resources/parish-churches/st-thomas-chaguanas/ shows an image of the St Thomas Anglian Church, Christians come to pray, be baptize into the Christian faith and celebrate Easter etc. Moreover, in my community of Orchard Gardens Chaguanas, there are residents who practice various religious, image #4 knowyourmeme.com/memes/cultures/religion. is an example of these religions. The festivals of Diwali, Easter, Eid ul Fitr are celebrated by residents sharing Parsad to one another (Divali), have easter kite flying, Easter Bonnet competition and residents sharing the sawine dessert etc. In short, the Caribbean civilization course opened up my mind to appreciate religion in the geographical and social environment in my community is part of our West Indian identity.