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The Danger of A Single Story
Chimamanda Adichie tells her story of the danger of a single story. It tells of her misconception as a child that characters in books where supposed to be blue eyed with white skin since she only read British and American Literature. This in itself tells of the danger of a single story. As a result she thought that literature books do not have characters who looked like herself. She also lived in a middle class home therefore she did not know what it was like to be poor and living in a rural area. Her mother also referred to the houseboy Fide as poor, this is another instance of the danger of a single story as Chimamanda Adichie later discovered that Fide’s family were actually very talented. This can be compared to how males are viewed in the Caribbean when compared to whites. They are seen as lazy, irresponsible, adulterous and self-centered individuals while the foreign white men are seen as the powering male desirable by the women.

It also notes how other view Africans, for example when she went to university in the United States. Her roommate assumed that she came from a tribe. It shows that many people have little knowledge of Africa and base their perceptions of Africans on slavery.  During slavery Africans were seen as inferior and treated in the most inhumane manner. A single story creates stereotypes

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Cricket

The first cricket match recorded in 1646 and took place in Kent, England. Cricket was popular and greatly documented in England. The first description of the game was documented by William Goldwyn in 1706.

According to C.L.R James cricket rose as an inherent part of the Caribbean post-colonial struggle through both race and politics. West Indian players still feeling the struggle aimed to be showcase their talent and overcome their depression. Their winning streak is recorded from March 1980 to March 31st, 1995. During this time they played 29 matches while winning 20 of them.

C.L.R James note that “West Indies cricket was traditionally seen as embodying the qualities of the traditional British character. Afo-West Indians were taught to esteem those standards but were denied the means of achieving and demonstrating them.” “When blacks and whites played together the was customary for the whites to bat and the blacks to bowl (St.Pierre 1973: 7-12)

Cricket was also very heavily influenced by the political factors. The talent however of the West Indian cricketers helped overturn the idea of racial supremacy. Theorists like Benedict Anderson (1999), have argued that identities have often been constructed, and continue to be constructed based on points of knowledge that various interest groups have deemed important  For West Indians cricket empowered their national identity to the world.

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Immigration situation between Haiti and the Dominican Republic

The Haitian revolution of 1791 saw Haiti become the first independent Caribbean island through a successful revolt. Before gaining freedom Haiti was formerly known as St. Domingue. However although it had gained it freedom it is argued today by some historians that Haiti’s society has not changed. As a result after the Dominican War of Independence several poor Haitians immigrated to Dominica. Poverty was sighted as the main reason for the migration. Although Haiti had gained it independence it was not capable of functioning on its own, and therefore that to give up some of the freedoms they had gained.

When Haiti succeeded in the revolution they had to pay to maintain certain freedoms as France implemented blockades on Haiti and thus preventing them from trading.

The Dominican War of Independence led by Juan Pablo Duarte and others saw the freedom of Dominica from Haitian rule. The new nation was now called Dominican Republic.  From then on the Dominican Republic’s economy has improved when compared to Haiti’s still struggling economy. Haiti’s economic downfall is seen as a result political issues, over population and environmental factors. Dominica however still struggles with issues of skin color, as dark skinned people are seen as the poor working class and are compared to the poor Haitians as their past still haunts them.

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Reflections
Caribbean Civilization has imparted on me great knowledge. I have learned about the struggle by the Caribbean people during colonization and even after. It is clean that although we have gained independence we still are still fight to find our identity. It has opened my eyes to the imperial powers that still control our islands. How can we create our own identity if we do not support our own? We still follow the white man’s way of living. By partaking in the popular brands that are not locally manufactured we are giving them permission to keep their control over out islands. I have learned now that I must support my local fellow men if we are to create and identity of our own. My experience this semester has also opened my eyes to stereotypical thinking that foreign men are better than Caribbean men. We must encourage our people to better themselves so that we can be released from the holds. We must make a change.

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Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. “The danger of a single story.” TED: Ideas worth spreading, www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story.

Caribbean Civilization,  Version 1

Caribbean Civilization, Unit 4 Caribbean Sexuality and Gender Relations: From the Victorians to Viagra

James, C. L. R. Beyond a boundary. Vintage Digital, 2014.