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There are many factors of the shared Caribbean identity that make us say 'All ah we is one' such as food , music, art , culture and history. However, I have chosen to focus on the aspect of Carnival as it encompasses almost all of the above mentioned aspects truly denotes that 'All ah we is one.'
Carnival is historically significant to the Caribbean and it is celebrated across the region. The festival has long been known to be a unifying agent amongst the islands and has been a major factor in establishing an international and cultural identity for the Caribbean and its people as well as fosters a sense of pride in Caribbean nationals. It can be said to be a means by which Caribbean people treasure and hold on dearly on their past.

The festival of Carnival will be examined by discussing how it originated from the colonial era the components that came from the days of slavery and pre-emancipation era and how it unifies the Caribbean islands into what we know as Carnival today.

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- The word "Carnival" translates from Latin to mean farewell to flesh

- "Carnival in the Caribbean has a complicated birth right, tied as it is to colonialism, religious conversation, and ultimately freedom and celebration."- Robert Curley (Caribbean Travel Expert)
-French Catholic planters (white and free colored) along with slaves and free blacks entered the Caribbean.
The planters would hold extravagant masquerade balls and festivities from Christmas to Ash Wednesday- the 1st day of Lent, as a prelude to the religious Lenten season observed by Catholics.

- Similar to the planters, the West African slaves and free coloreds also conducted their own festivities. Their version of events were historically known as cannes bruleés known in English as Camboulay or Canboulay.
-Mockery and mimiery of the planters and their wives were a major part of cannes bruleés.

- On August 1st, after the Emancipation Bill was passed and made effective in 1834, Canboulay became symbolic of freedom and defiance.
-Activities such as stick fighting , calinda, drumming, chanting and masquerading became combined with the elements of Canboulay and was referred to as 'jamette' or low class masquerade.
-This ‘jamette’ masquerade was first celebrated on August 1st of 1834 but the festival
subsequently took place on Dimanche Gras (Great Sunday – Sunday before Carnival) after
midnight.

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-The British Colonial government were not fond of these festivities, even placing a ban on the Canboulay activities for a period of time.
-The upper class also had many complaints of the ‘jamette ‘ Carnival being on the Great Sunday
as that was reserved as the Sabbath.The festivities were thought to be sacreligious and offended those observing the Sabbath.

-Resultantly, Monday and Tuesday was then designated for the Carnival festivities

The festivities became bigger and expanded over time as increasing numbers of members of the
free population began to participate.

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This plate shows Canboulay festivities in
celebration of Emancipation in the 1800s in
Trinidad.
Drawing by Richard Bridgens ,1838.

Image Reference : "Carnival Camboulay and Calypso” by John Crowley.

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As A Unifying Agent
"Carnival in essence began to bring together the powerful and powerless once each year. Playing mas (masquerading) was acceptable with anyone; prejudices and lusts were brought into the open, and a true Caribbean cultural identity was born". -  Gunda Harewood (Director of Island Experiences)
Carnival unifies the Caribbean through culture and music. Carnival stimulates regional integration as designers, entertainers and masqueraders partake in the various Caribbean carnivals. For instance, costume designer Natalie Fonrose from Trinidad and Tobago, owner of "FONROSE the Brand" skillfully creates pretty mas costumes for various carnivals in the Caribbean. In terms of entertainment, there is a great deal of unity seen through many carnival events and competitions. For example, The International Soca Monarch, which permits artists from other countries to participate and showcase their talents. Gamal Doyle, Vincentian singer and song-writer, popularly known as Skinny Fabulous said in an interview " There is unshakeable strength and power in unifying the sound, the artistes and the talent. . . The vibration of our sound exudes pure bliss and that's something anyone, no matter their cultural background, will feel and acknowledge."
In the spirit of togetherness, Caribbean carnivals has been a medium for the open and public display of the socioeconomic and politico-cultural tensions that exist between the factors of oppression such as the state, police, media, church, school and Caribbean population. This is especially seen through the calypso arts form where songs highlight pressing issues in Caribbean society.
The calypso song below "Crying" by Singing Sandra highlights problems Caribbean people face.

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Since the early beginnings, there has been a sense of unity derived from Carnival. The different aspirations and tensions of groups and societies are displayed during Carnival.
Therefore, Carnival can be viewed as the unification of the subjugated masses through revelry.
Even though Carnival is something that is shared, it is also unique to each Caribbean island.
"Carnival is inherently democratic and participatory"- Keith Nurse (Globalization And Trinidad Carnival: Diaspora, Hybridity AND Identity In Global Culture)
Nurse also mentioned that carnival removes any social, economic or political borders.
Carnival in the Caribbean promotes the cultural diversity of the region and cultural immersion allowing for co-operation among the countries and strengthen regional integration.

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In 2019, the song and video "Famalay" was produced by Machel Montano,Bunji Garlin and Skinny Fabulous which perfectly depicts the images of people coming together to celebrate the greatest show on earth.

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Skinny Fabulous, Machel Montano & Bunji Garlin - Famalay (Official Video)

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Steel-band Carnival Parade on Frederick Street , Port of Spain , Trinidad , 1956

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Different cultural elements of Carnival

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As the slaves used it as a mechanism to cope with oppression by copying their masters' elegant balls and coming together to throw their own festivals, throughout the years it was used as a tool to deal with whatever new oppressive forces faced the Caribbean society as previously mentioned.
Across the Caribbean
Stemming from Trinidad and Tobago, Carnival spread to many islands, where the unique local cultures of the countries mixed with the tradition. Some other Caribbean countries include:
In St.Vincent and the Grenadines, there is 'Vincy Mas' which is usually held during summer. It encapsulates the same Carnival traditions but held at a different time.
Additionally, in Barbados, carnival is called "Crop Over" , which also has the traditional elements but held in August.
In the Cayman Islands, 'Batabano' , is one of the youngest and popular Carnival celebrations as it celebrates African history in the Caribbean.
Moreover, in Haiti,  'Haitian Defile Kanaval" is celebrated. It is one of the larger carnivals in the Caribbean as it extends across many Haitian cities.

Society as a whole finding a common thread
across the Caribbean this has translated into a festival of revelry , reminding us all of a shared history that has functioned as foundation for the CARIBBEAN IDENTITY. We are much more alike than we are different.

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Crime
Over the years, crime has increased during Carnival in the Caribbean. As a result, persons are advised to exercise an increased level of vigilance while participating in the celebration. Hence, dividing the citizens rather than unifying.
According to an article by Business Insider, Trinidad and Jamaica have been listed as two of the most dangerous countries having a high crime rate. - https://www.businessinsider.com/what-life-is-like-in-some-of-the-worlds-most-dangerous-countries-2018-10?r=UK
One of the most heartbreaking incidents took place 4 years ago when the body of a Japanese national was found around the Queens Park Savannah in Port of Spain Trinidad on Ash Wednesday.
Article below by 'the japan times"

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A Japanese woman who regularly visited Trinidad for Carnival and played in a steel band has been found strangled, the coroner's office said Thursday.

Local police said the woman was identified as Asami Nagakiya, a 30-year-old professional musician from Sapporo, Hokkaido, who entered the Caribbean country on Jan. 7. The police are investigating the case as a murder.

The body of Asami Nagakiya, still clad in a two-piece masquerade outfit, was found in Queen's Park Savannah, a park in the capital where the major carnival parades and events are held.

Nagakiya was a regular visitor to the Trinidad and Tobago carnival. Her body was discovered by workers cleaning the park following this week's celebrations.

A local music group she had belonged to since 2012 issued a statement Thursday expressing condolences to her family and friends in Japan.

According to local media, following the news of Nagakiya's death, Port-of-Spain Mayor Raymond Tim Kee made controversial remarks regarding women's responsibility during Carnival to dress and behave responsibly "so they ensure that they are not abused."

Members of a Trinidad-based organization, Womantra, have initiated a petition calling for his resignation and a rally is expected to take place Friday.

According to a report by the Trinidad Express, opposition leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar issued a statement in which she upbraids the mayor: "Such retrograde thinking contributes to gender inequity and the proliferation of misogyny in Trinidad and Tobago and is especially disturbing when it is exhibited in persons in public life and is irresponsible, reckless and completely unacceptable."

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Japanese musician who frequented Caribbean Carnival found strangled in Trinidad | The Japan Times

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A Japanese woman who regularly visited Trinidad for Carnival and played in a steel band has been found strangled, the coroner's office said Thursday. Local police said the woman was identified as Asami Nagakiya, a 30-year-old professional musician from Sapporo, Hokkaido, who entered the Caribbean country on Jan. 7.

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"The festival has suffered from racial and sexual stigmas and stereotypes in the media which are based on the constructions of 'otherness' and 'blackness'" - Keith Nurse (Globalization And Trinidad Carnival: Diaspora, Hybridity AND Identity In Global Culture)
Even though the celebration acts an unifying agent, it also brings about negative occurrences which lead persons to question the sense of unity brought about. From crime to racial discrimination to religious beliefs. Therefore, this would have an effect on the participation of Caribbean people.
Racial Discrimination
With respect to racial discrimination, continuing to be a post-colonial matter, by having the festival portrayed negatively in media, many Caribbean immigrants especially, may begin to push away their West Indian culture, shunning the culture of Carnival. - https://eportfolios.macaulay.cuny.edu/luttonprojects15/music-and-art/the-brooklyn-carnival/carnival-reinforcing-immigrant-identity/
This festivity associated Africans with carnivalesque practices and were racially stigmatized as savage, vulgar, and dangerous by white elite, eventually leading to white withdrawal of participation as well as hostile journalistic representations of Carnival.
Socio-economic Issues
Persons may also discriminate Carnival bands, classifying them with the color of one's skin or their social status. However, this is an issue which is an ongoing .
Additionally, with the cost attached with participating, a socio-economic divide has been said to be created.

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Religion
Parts of Carnival can be awe-inspiring. Some have felt moments of spiritual ecstasy either playing a mas, listening to the sublime crescendos of a steel orchestra, or watching a heartfelt, high-quality mas-art performance unfold itself.
Traditional Carnival activities were derived and brought to the Trinidad from West African religious cultures and societies.
Carnival has come a long way from it's religious roots as the increasing vulgarity and heavy drug and alcohol consumption has made it frowned upon by religious groups and participation in the festivities becomes a question of one's religious values which has created almost a moral divide among our Caribbean people.

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Overally, I chose to agree with the statement "All as we is one" to an extent as I was able to link many of the Units of the course to the development of Carnival in the region. I thought it would be exceedingly interesting to examine how much of our colonial past of slavery has contributed to our Caribbean identity in terms of this grand Carnival festival. Unit 3- The Diversified Caribbean and Unit 6- Caribbean Identity played a major role in the analysis of this assignment.
Even though we are united by various factors, I found Carnival to be one of the most popular and loved celebrations among all islands. From the costumes to the entertainment and masqueraders, a great deal of unity is felt. However, after doing research, there are many issues such as race, socio-economic problems, religion and crime which tends to cause a diversion among the people rather than unify and it also discourage persons from participating in the festival.

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Artwork by Glendon Mcfarlene entitled "Caribbean Carnival 1"

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Carnival Jamaica 2019 . Photo – bacchanalja, instagram

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Carnival Jamaica 2019 . Photo – bacchanalja, instagram

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Courtesy Rap Kreyol