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CHRYSALIS

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At the National Museum and Art Gallery, the Royal Victoria Institute, one can experience the civilisations before us. The collection of these artifacts provides an individual with a better understanding of not only one’s culture, but the reason for what it is our present day civilisation. Artifacts such as the tools used by the Amerindians and their means of transport, the canoe allows for a vast comprehension of the past. These collections also allows for the revisionism of our history rather than succumbing to that of ethnocentrism. From the lifestyle of the native people to slavery, the collection allows one to define the Caribbean historically and geographically. By illustrating these findings, the public is able to appreciate the importance of their culture and how unique the Caribbean is as a whole. It is a means of further educating the public on how far we have reached today and understanding the many situations that are affected by our history. The collection outlines the hard work and sacrifices of the people of the past while sculptures and paintings are used to express through creativity, their experiences and emotions which everyone can learn from. It is also a great way to display to the public through several mediums as everyone understands differently. The assembly also portrays the development of the Caribbean, particularly that of Trinidad from the sugar to the oil industry which has affected the way in which we live and grow and a community today. In the end, these artifacts act as a prompt to the public and are a significant factor in defining the Caribbean through the past people and their experiences rather than through the European perspective. It is important that the Caribbean is able to define from their point of view rather than let others do so. This marks an essential step in Caribbean historical development.

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It is perhaps, the most popular view that defining the Caribbean has always been problematic. One such reason is the location of the islands. According to the geographical perspective, any island that is ‘washed’ by the Caribbean Sea is considered to be part of the Caribbean. However, this has proven to be incorrect due to other factors that identify a country as part of the Caribbean. A few of these countries that can be debated about include Tortola, Puerto Rico, Belize and Guyana. Each of these countries is located in or close to the Caribbean region but they do not all consider themselves part of the Caribbean. For instance, the largest British Virgin Island, Tortola which shares its history with the rest of the Caribbean through slavery and the sugar industry remains under British rule and is therefore, considered British overseas territory. This is also illustrated by Puerto Rico which is considered part of the United States territory through the Treaty of Paris since 1899. Even though this island is bound to the Caribbean Sea by south, it does not consider itself to be part of the Caribbean. However Belize ‘washed’ by the Caribbean Sea, and is an independent commonwealth country considers itself as part of Central America and the Caribbean. It is an active member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Caribbean Single Market Economy (CSME). This country also shares the history of slavery for mahogany trade and logwood. Belize is not observed as part of the Caribbean yet it presents itself to be part of the region and is involved as such. In contrary to the geographical definition is Guyana. This country is not ‘washed’ by the Caribbean Sea but is strongly considered to be part of the Caribbean. It shares the Caribbean’s cultural and historical aspects and is known as the Caribbean’s largest country. Guyana is also part of CARICOM although located outside of the Caribbean basin. In conclusion the Caribbean is indeed a difficult place to define because, there are many different aspects that outline what the region is therefore, the geographic definition alone is inadequate.

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It is often the view that the Caribbean is known for its demographic diversity due to the historical European presence. This is a result of colonisation by the Europeans during the 15th century which has left their significant existence in the Caribbean today through their language, architecture, religion and political systems, to name a few. The most prominent impact of the Europeans is evident when the Caribbean people speak. There languages include that of French, Spanish, English and Dutch. Over time, and due to the mixture of so many different people in the region, these languages have been transformed to represent each country of the Caribbean. For instance, English creole is spoken in Trinidad and French creole in spoke in St Lucia. In addition to this, the European’s architectures are still present among the countries today. Many people build their houses using vernacular architecture which includes influences of the British, French and Spanish. A very popular architectural characteristic is that of the balcony or veranda influenced by the Spanish that can be seen on many houses today. Some European architecture that is still present today includes the Rose Hall Plantation in Jamaica (British Georgian) and the Heyes Court in Trinidad. The presence of the Europeans has also been manifested through their religions. Roman Catholicism is one of the most widely practiced religions in the Caribbean brought by the Spanish as well as other protestant religions. This is illustrated by the many churches among the islands. Although there are many other religions, Christianity is by far the most practiced. The Caribbean has retained its European legacy even within their diverse political systems. Many have adopted European ways of government. One such example is Jamaica’s two party system which is a representation of the British government. Several variations can be seen across the Caribbean such as the country of Trinidad and Tobago whose political system consist of a president, prime minister as well as a house of assembly for Tobago. In conclusion the European legacy manifests itself throughout the Caribbean in many different ways.

HAYES COURT,  TRINIDAD.FRENCH AND ENGLISH ARCHITECTURAL STYLE

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There is a strong lobby against white bonded labour being equivalent to chattel slavery. Before Africans were transported to the Caribbean and enslaved, white bonded labour was used to develop the sugar industry. However due to their inability to stand the climatic conditions, the use of African slaves had begun. Even though the white bonded labourer’s period of work was undefined, it was very different to chattel slavery. Compared to the white bonded labourers, the Africans were severely mistreated by overwork and brutal punishments therefore; the slavery of the Africans cannot be equivalent to the white bonded labourers. Furthermore, the practice of Caribbean slavery differed greatly to the traditional West African slavery. In Africa, the slaves were considered as much of a person as their masters and were valued as economic factors. They were enslaved as a punishment for crimes they had committed or their inability to repay a debt while in Caribbean slavery; the Africans were solely enslaved for their labour and profitability. Even their children were enslaved in the Caribbean while in Africa, under Islamic law they were to be freed. West African slavery promoted proper use of labour rather than its abuse and since there was no dominant race factor, the slaves were treated as equals rather than property. Undoubtedly, due to the race factor, skin colour became a significant aspect within the Caribbean slave society. The light complexioned slaves were able to benefit in many different ways. Coloured slaves usually became domestic slaves which raised their chances of being manumitted. The majority of them were children of their owners and some were fortunate enough to be freed or receive schooling by their white fathers. It was seen as an opportunity for upward social mobility as well as the physical standard of beauty. Although a lighter skin colour did provide its benefits, it did include the experiences of terror being sexual abused by their masters since most were domestic slaves. Today, skin colour still plays a significant role in society when it comes to the standard of beauty and has affected many people negatively. Hopefully the dissatisfaction with one’s natural beauty will one day subside.

LENNOX HOLDER

Mother and Child,

mahogany carving.

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Guyana: the Unexpected Country

Dylan Kerrigan, Nicholas Laughlin and Annette Arjoon | Issue 62 (July/August 2003) - http://www.caribbean-beat.com/issue-62/unexpected-country#axzz58bzUR85H
web. 02 Mar 2018

Latimer Ltd - http://www.atlapedia.com/online/maps/political/Caribbean.htm
web. 02 Mar 2018.

Pressreader

https://www.pressreader.com/jamaica/jamaica-gleaner/20131112/282591670721786
web. 27 February 2018

Shades Of White: Gender, Race, and Slavery in the Caribbean

https://www.opendemocracy.net/beyondslavery/cecily-jones/women-and-slavery-in-caribbean-whiteness-and-gilded-cage
web. 26 February 2018