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Caribbean culture encompasses a blend of colonial cornerstones and the historical influences of various ethnic groups in the Caribbean such as Amerindian, African, East Indian, Chinese and European traditions. Hence, the the term "Melting Pot" is used to describe the Caribbean region as a myriad of ethnic groups and races amalgamate to call it home in any related aspect. Each group brought with it its own unique culture, religion and belief system. As time progressed, there was an increased level of interaction among the various groups. Such amalgamation took place throughout the entire Caribbean region to different extents. Thus, some ethnic groups were able to avoid high degrees of amalgamation rather than others, while preserving a high level of their original group identity (Hall,1995).

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Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago is celebrated annually on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. The festival is popularly known for its brightly coloured costumes  and exuberant festivities. Events including "band launch fetes" and other festivities leading to the the famous street parades on Carnival Monday and Tuesday. The festival is traditionally linked to calypso music, with its emergence derived from the suffering experienced by enslaved Africans. However, calypso has been superseded with Soca as the most recognized music genre for Carnival. Mas (costumes), limbo competitions and stick fighting are play key roles in shaping the festival.

Carnival commenced in Trinidad in the late 18th century when the Spanish Cedula of Population Edict of 1783 allowed French planters, slaves and free people of colour from nearby islands to immigrate to Trinidad. Until the Lenten period ended, the white settlers and free people of colour hosted lavish masquerade balls and the slaves, who were not allowed to partake in the festivities, would experience them, frequently through windows, and chose to organize their own festivities. Their festivities were celebrated around the same time as the sugar cane burning and harvesting season and therefore, was called 'Canboulay.' They celebrated the occasion by singing, dancing, dressing in costumes and mocking the hosts of the masquerade balls and upper-class culture. Some costumes may even portray the devil.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyDgolRRrsE

As time passed, calinda (stick fighting) became a tradition in the celebration. Calypso was essential in Canboulay as it was used to mock slave masters and plantation owners. Calypso acted as confidential communication among slaves. The rhythm of calypso was derived from African Kaiso music and the lyrics were sung in patois. Throughout the years, the development of calypso has contributed to the advent of Soca music, which is now the dominant genre of modern Carnival.

In the nineteenth century, the introduction of indentured labourers had a major effect on Carnival as Indian culture was added to the festivities. Trinidadians of Indian descent created a genre of Soca called Chutney Soca in the 1900s and it heavily focused on Indian styles of music. Chinese, Syrian and Lebanese migrants have also played a significant role in defining Carnival festivities, Trinidad culture and by extension, Caribbean culture (Green and Scher, 2007).

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The Hussay or Hosay festival is the Caribbean version of Muharram and was brought into the Caribbean in the nineteenth century by Indian indentured labourers. Muharram is the Islamic month in which followers lament the memory of the grandsons of Prophet Mohammed, Hasan and Hosain. Multi-coloured replicas of the tomb of Husain called 'taziahs' or 'tadjahs' are built and they symbolize the remembrance of the tragic event. The tadjah is traditionally paraded through the streets and submerged into the sea on the final day of the celebration.

The celebration usually lasts ten days and is celebrated globally in accordance with the Islamic lunar calendar and in conjunction with the ten days of Ashura commemorated  by Shia Muslims. The four final days of the celebration are more recognized while the previous days are utilized for "tadjah" and "moon" building, prayer and fasting. Although Hosay has historically been commemorated for Husain, its recent celebrations has taken various characters from Sunni Islam and other faiths such as Hindus and Christians, making the event a mixture of cultures. Muslims as well as non-Muslims attend the event and this therefore illustrates an atmosphere where mutual tolerance and respect is present (Korom, 2003).

In the face of British colonization and a sense of identity vis-a-vis the Indian minority status in the Black Caribbean, the Muharram traditions rapidily became the principal expression of Indian nationalism. The Indians and others participated in the Hosay celebrations to protest multiple injustices, including wage reduction on the plantations and the subsequent rise in workload. Hosay has also given symbolic expression to a growing consciousness of the working class across the Caribbean. These events started to induce fear due to the supposedly growing inclination toward riotous behaviour. The British authorities and other colonists have voiced great concern about the danger of the public order of the Muharram traditions (together with Carnival festivities) culminating in the Hosay massacre in the late 1800s. The British referred to this as the 'Coolie Disturbances in Trinidad.'

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Jonkonnu is an annual celebration associated with masquerade and dance. It originated in the seventeenth century during the time of African slavery. It is affiliated with the Bahamas, Jamaica and several other Caribbean countries and  some places in the southern United States. Typically celebrated during Christmas time, Jonkonnu offered slaves the chance to give up their hard labour for one day in return for joyful day filled with festivities such as parading with music and dance derived from their African roots. The festival originated when the enslaved Africans in Jamaica would celebrate holidays allowed during Christmas time with music, dance and dressing in costumes.

The festival typically involved a group of black young men who dressed in elaborate and sometimes strange costumes. Bands were individually led by a male dressed in formal clothing or dressed in detailed rags, animal horns, female costumes and white face masks. The bands would march through the streets, backed by music, from one plantation to the next, approaching whites during their march and often even entering their homes. During the festivities, men would usually perform grotesque African dances to the white spectators. They often requested money in exchange for their performances. The band leaders would usually carry a bowl or cup for this purpose. However, they also accepted whiskey .

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In the late 1960's, the popular genre of music, Reggae, was developed in Jamaica and rapidly progressed to be the country's prevailing music genre. In the 1970's, it evolved as a popular international genre in the United States, Britain and Africa. Reggae was regarded as a voice for the oppressed. Reggae is closely related to Rastafari, an Afro-centric religion that originated in the 1930's in Jamaica with the goal of spreading Pan Africanism. Shortly after the emergence of the Rastafarian movement, the worldwide success of reggae led to the exposure of the Rastafarian religion on a global scale. Reggae played an essential role in communicating messages about Rastafarianism. Reggae lyrics usually tackle issues such as love, poverty, politics and Rastafarianism. Reggae is comprised of several varieties such as Bob Marley, Lovers Rock, Dancehall and Dub (Chang, 1998).

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Calypso emerged in Trinidad and Tobago and it is a variation of Afro-Caribbean music. It began to spread to the rest of the Caribbean region in the mid-twentieth century. Calypso was developed in the seventeenth century and was introduced by the enslaved African population that was brought to work on the plantations. It is derived from West African Kaiso and Canboulay. The slaves were deprived of all relations with their native country and relatives and were not allowed to keep in contact with them. Calypso was essential as it was used to mock the slave masters and plantation owners and for communication among slaves. Calypso was mainly sung in French Creole by a griot. With the development of calypso, the griot's role was recognized as a chantuelle and eventually, calypsonian. Carnival was introduced by the French and particularly after the abolition of slavery in 1834.

Before Trinidad and Tobago gained independence, calypsonians used their songs to portray the day-to-day challenges of life in Trinidad, address racial and economic discrimination, express views on social order and raise general concerns. Specifically, the black lowers class adopted calypso music to speak out about the injustices imposed on them under the British colonial rule and fight for their rights. Calypso attacked British colonialism since the movements to independence from 1950 to 1962, when the country achieved independence. During movements to independence, calypso lyrics composed would express anti-colonialism, liberation and empowerment of African descendants. One of the renown calypsonians, Lord Kitchener, directed the lyrics of his music towards politics.

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In the sixteenth century, the early Spanish settlers first introduced the enslaved Africans to Cuba. Since sugar was an important export commodity in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, larger quantities of African labour were brought to Cuba to work on the sugar plantations. The constant contact between Africans and Europeans in Cuba has managed what is known today as Afro-Cuban culture. Rumba represented an outlet for expression for the oppressed and thereby creating a social and racial identity with rumba. The fusion of cultures can be reflected in rumba since it exhibits continuity with older traditions as well as with new ones emerging. Rumba incorporates a blend of song, dance and poetry. Rebellion was hard and risky and it often conveyed through the art, particularly in recreational music and dance. Even after the abolition of slavery in Cuba, social and racial discrimination persisted. Afro-Cubans addressed these injustices and vented their frustration through rumba's dancing and music. A large proportion of Afro-Cubans struggled financially as they were offered less economic opportunities. As a result, the dance and music style did not achieve national prominence and acknowledgement until the 1950's, particularly after the  Cuban Revolution in 1959 which made it official. With its impact on forms including Afro-Cuban jazz, ballroom rumba and salsa, the genre has spread Cuba and Latin America's culture including the United States (Pareles, 2000).

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Cricket is historically the West Indies' most popular sport, despite given their independence from Britain. In the post-colonization era, matches between England and the West Indies were influenced by political tension. Democratic societal integration was represented in the period when black members were introduced to the West Indies team. Skilled West Indian players helped change an established notion of racial superiority. The social influence of cricket in the West Indies is an indication of the impacts and complex reality of class and race association on the development of the game, including the contradictory use of cricket as an instrument of colonial unity and a tool for expressing independence for Caribbean nations. Until the abolition of slavery in 1839, slavery was regarded as a "constructive" activity for the blacks. The white elites also used the sport to display their loyalty to the Crown during that time.

Cricket has now become a unifying link among several Anglophone Caribbean countries. The connection goes beyond the existence of a regular team that unites fifteen different countries under a single uniform and is recognized as a symbol of a unified Caribbean (Wagg, 2005).

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Caribbean cuisine is comprised of multiple ethnic influence namely; African, European, Indian, and Chinese. Fresh fruits, vegetables, provision, seafood and various meats are components that make up a significant portion of the Caribbean diet seasoned with savoury spices and  garnished with other colourful ingredients (Houston, 2005).

Amerindian Cuisine (Arawak, Taino, and Carib)
The Arawaks were the first group of people to introduce the method of preparing meat for consumption by constructing a grate of thin, green saplings upon which they allowed the particular meat to be slowly cooked (also known as barbacoa)  for it obtain the smokey flavour from the burning wood. This cooking method is popularly know as barbeque today.
The Tainos invented the cooking method of preparing fish and meat in large clay pots.
The Caribs introduced the addition of spices and hot sauces to their dishes and lemon to their meats. The first pepper pot stew was prepared by the Caribs.

African Cuisine
During slavery,the diet of enslaved Africans comprised of the slave masters' discarded foods that the masters believed were not fit for their consumption. For instance, this included chicken feet and ribs. The slaves used these discarded foods to create new dishes but kept their traditional African flavour. Their dishes were a blend of traditional African cuisine and staple foods native to the Caribbean islands. They also largely incorporated provisions in their diet. Africans also introduced the "jerk" method of cooking. Jamaica is popularly known for its jerk chicken and pork. Other foods introduced by Africans were souse, okra, callaloo, pudding, ackee, saltfish, pelau and fish cakes.

Indian Cuisine
Indians introduced the use of spices such as curry in the preparation of meals. Curry has become a vital ingredient in West Indian recipes and its use especially common in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. Indians introduced foods such as pholourie, a variety of curried dishes, roti and doubles which is a popular local street food in Trinidad and Tobago.

Chinese Cuisine
The introduction of rice and culinary styles such as "wok cooking" were brought by Chinese immigrants to the Caribbean. Popular Chinese influenced foods will consist of spring rolls, wontons, noodles, fried rice and chow mein.

European Cuisine (Spanish, French, Dutch, British)
In 1492, Columbus rediscovered the New World and later introduced sugarcane to the Caribbean. Later on, it was discovered that rum could have made via the byproduct of sugarcane refinement process. Rum originated in Barbados and it is popular beverage in the West Indies as well as other countries around the world. The Spanish also introduced traditional dishes including pastelles which are popularly prepared during Christmas time.
The French, Dutch and British later ruled Caribbean territories and brought with them their unique culinary trademarks. For instance, the Dutch introduced a dish called "haggis" and the French brought wine.

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The Caribbean region is recognized today for its heritage and rich culture. The diverse culture of the archipelago reflects the common history experienced by Caribbean countries. Cultural unity is just one aspect of Caribbean identity which brings Caribbean together as a single unit, however, it is a powerful one.

Carnival, Hosay and Jonkonnu are a few festivals celebrated in the West Indies and all represent a sense of resistance against the colonial ruling in history. The festivities gave a symbolic expression to a growing consciousness of the working class across the Caribbean region. People of all races and ethnic groups collectively worked as a single unit to protest multiple injustices and create avenues for a higher quality of life and standard of living. This is just one example of how Caribbean people are strung together via common historical experiences. These festivals among other popular festivals are celebrated annually to highlight and appreciate the rich Caribbean cultural heritage whilst providing entertainment and revelry.

The Caribbean is popularly known for its unique music and renown local artistes. The lyrics composed in Caribbean music were originally used to voice the opinions and struggles of the oppressed throughout the entire Caribbean region as a single entity. The fight for civil rights were expressed via the lyrics of songs. Today, artistes such as Voice and Machel Montano, popular Trinidadian Soca artistes, incorporate messages of love, Caribbean strength and unity and may even raise social concerns in some of their songs. Caribbean artistes often express Caribbean love and culture in their music.

The Caribbean participates in several sports such as football. However, in the Caribbean, cricket in particular holds a greater level of significance due to its colonial origin. The sport currently serves as a unifying link in the Anglophone Caribbean. The West Indies cricket team is on such example as it comprises players native to different Caribbean islands. Cricket is still considered a major sport that brings Caribbean people together in matches as they all come together to support, spectate and enjoy the sport.

Caribbean cuisine is a mouth-watering, unique blend of the cooking styles of various cultures. The unique mixture of cultures in the Caribbean is reflected in the food West Indians consume and it represents cultural diversity in the Caribbean, making it easily distinguishable from the rest of the world.