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Nothing divides a society like a one-sided narrative on its origins, hardships and growth; a people divided solely based on what distant, imperialistic beings inferred about them. This is the danger of a ‘single story’. The rich history of the Caribbean stemmed from the nomadic arrival of the indigenous people, crafting a simplistically complex way of life, only to be categorized by Europeans as "Caribs" (flesh-eaters. The Africans who were acquired for slave labour were merely seen as property, with no intended purpose other than plantation work. This European dominance was based on what their views of these other ethnic and racial groups were, ignoring their capabilities and their ever-so equal status as human beings. The ideologies of racism and pigmentocracy would have fueled this narrative as it was an excuse to dominate lands and material wealth in that time period. The contrasting stereotypes of “white with blue eyes playing in the snow” to “beasts who have no houses” allowed for this dehumanization without recognizing the natural talents and/or intellect that these groups possessed. It can be noted that the presence of a stable West African society prior to its invasion by the Europeans was a clear indication of their capabilities and a direct debunk to the Eurocentric ideals, which provided a threat to these Christianized nations who desired hegemony. Perspective is everything and has the power to change the way in which people behave, think and speak. As Chimamanda Adichie noted, “Stories can be used to dispossess and to malign but they can also be used to empower and to humanize.” There is never only one side of a story, but more so an amalgamation of different perspectives that come together to create a unique and complex representation of life.

- November 16th, 2017

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Forget Rockefeller and Gates - this 14th century Malian emperor is likely the richest man ever.

Imagine how much money the richest person in history would have. Now add a couple hundred billion, and you've probably gotten closer to how much wealth Mansa Musa had circa 1324 C.E.

Economists have determined that the West African emperor's vast wealth most likely positions him as the richest person in history. But just how much money did he have? And what did he do with it?

Mansa Musa's Start

Emperor Mansa Musa I came to reign over the Malian Empire through somewhat strange means.

Before embarking on a long and somewhat arduous pilgrimage to Mecca (called a Hajj in the Muslim religion), then-emperor Abubakari II deputized Musa to temporarily assume his role. An "on-call" emperor was a common feature throughout the history of the empire. It's somewhat comparable to the modern-day role of a vice president.

This arrangement worked out fine until Abubakari set out to explore the far side of the Atlantic Ocean and never returned. Musa, then, inherited the throne since he had been deputized. But Musa wasn't a nobody: His great-uncle was Sundiata Keita, who founded the Malian Empire.

As many a late night infomercial will tell you, there are lots of ways to attain wealth. Musa got his primarily through trading gold and salt, which were found in abundance in West Africa at the time. He also used the money to strengthen the country's cultural centers, particularly Timbuktu, which he annexed in 1324.

It was when Musa made his Hajj to Mecca - an important part of the Muslim religion, which was very widespread in the region at this point in history - that the rest of the world became aware of the extent of his wealth.

Because he had so much to spend, his caravan throughout Cairo, Medina, and finally to Mecca had a procession of more than 60,000, dozens of animals, and plenty of gold. In fact, as they traveled, Musa and his entourage gave gold away to people in the streets.

They also bought lots of stuff - so much stuff, in fact, that they actually messed up the global economy for a while: The gold he spent circulated, and there was so much of it, that the value actually went down.

The disruption eventually evened out, in part because Mansa Musa began borrowing from lenders in Cairo (despite the high interest rate) and essentially single-handedly controlled the price of gold in the Mediterranean.

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Meet Mansa Musa, The Richest Person In History

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Imagine how much money the richest person in history would have. Now add a couple hundred billion, and you've probably gotten closer to how much wealth Mansa Musa had circa 1324 C.E. Economists have determined that the West African emperor's vast wealth most likely positions him as the richest person in history.

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Gender has always been an issue in Caribbean society as it was birthed from European cultural ideals through colonization. Women have always been the understudies to their “daring” and “lionhearted” male counterparts in whom were obligated to put their unwavering trust into, with the assurance that they will “handle it.” This patriarchal complex was so deeply rooted in the fabric of society that women were limited to the household and were not allowed to venture further, as anything else would be considered a ‘man’s job”. On the plantation, it was seen that regardless of how strong and agile a woman was, she would be confined to domestic and field work, while the males would be selected to carry out the skilled tasks such as artisans, curers and boiler men, which was the most desirable of all available posts an enslaved African could acquire. This ideology of phenotypical superiority translated on even after independence as females were afforded education, but were streamlined into subjects such as Home Economics and Clothing and Textiles that still cemented their position in the household and only made them “smart wives suited for smart husbands”. Religion also had a grasp on education as the Judeo-Christian values that were present in the Caribbean reinforced that women had to be subservient to their husbands. However, with the expansion of the economy needs, women branched to male dominated areas such as law, engineering and medicine. It can be noted from the recent 2017 Bachelor’s Degree graduation ceremonies that women dominated the ratio of graduates, indicating that they are just as capable as males in their various fields. The year of 2010 was a prime example as both Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago gained their first female Prime Ministers. Women can do it too (and some times even better)!

- November 19th, 2017

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Kamla Persad-Bissessar - Swearing in of T&T's first female prime minister

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The swearing-in of Trinidad & Tobago's first female prime minister, the Honourable Kamla Persad-Bissessar at Knowsley, Port of Spain on Wednesday May 26th, 2010 after winning the May 24th General Elections.

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The One UWI initiative was created in order to develop a unified tertiary educational institution on a regional level, within its three main campuses in Barbados, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. In the Caribbean, it can be noted that Education was only afforded to the whites and other oligarchs who could have afforded it, leaving the other groups at a disadvantage. However, after Independence, it was noted that Trinidad and Tobago had the best education by 1981. In order to boost Caribbean Education, the Grand Anse Declaration of 1989 noted that The UWI needed to indefinitely become accessible to the region. It can be corroborated that facets of University life have encouraged this declaration as there has been the integration of technology in which students from all campuses can tune in to the same lecture in their various times differences. There is also a standard set of rules and regulations and codes of ethics that all campuses of the UWI uphold, an example being the guidelines for examinations and the various rules that follow. Basic human rights are ensured as both males and females have an equal chance of gaining entry into the university and attaining an education. It must also be recognized that students are able to attain scholarships and bursaries from the University as well as apply for transfers to the different campuses in a fluid manner. This initiative is very beneficial to the Caribbean as students from various islands can attain the same level of education regardless of the campus they attend, allowing for an exodus of well-trained students entering the workplace and boosting the Caribbean economy. Way to go UWI!

- November 21st, 2017

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Upon entering University with a Grade 1 in CAPE Caribbean Studies, I was not thrilled upon learning that I had to endure yet another compulsory course that involved learning about the Caribbean (again). I had been a student of History from Form four and that of Sociology in Form 6, so I was no stranger to the content and the ideologies that circulated throughout the parts of Caribbean History that was included in the curriculum. However, I enjoyed the format in which the content was conveyed through the interactive lectures and tutorials. Despite already being aware of the content of the course, the perspectives that were introduced added a modern twist, retaining the feeling of learning something new. The integration of media was able to aid in my further understanding of the topics taught throughout the semester. It is my observation that this method was integrated to keep us students excited and intrigued for the upcoming lesson and plenaries to follow. Additionally, I believe that the discussions that took place within the tutorial sessions were tools that would allow us to properly conceptualize the concepts and occurrences that took place throughout the Caribbean’s Historical time frame. The lecturers and tutors of this course also made it extremely easy and enjoyable with their expansive knowledge and teaching skills. It would be remiss of me to omit that this course was most definitely not a waste as it reinstated the awareness of how the facets of Caribbean history and culture were carried out and how it can still be present in modern society. I'll miss you FOUN 1101!

- November 25th, 2017

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Chris Garcia - Chutney Bacchanal - Lyrics below.

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Trinidad - Chris Garcia - Chutney Bacchanal. Movement! Chutney bacchanal Oh lad, oh lad, oh lad, oh lad Hey Chutney time Come with it!

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·         https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_single_story

·         http://all-that-is-interesting.com/mansa-musa

·         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhnL1z9slbM

·         file:///C:/Users/owner/Downloads/AB%20P.61%20One%20University%20-%20Task%20Force%20Report.pdf

·         http://uwispace.sta.uwi.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2139/8864/Raymond%20Hackett11.pdf

·         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8PgCLnG0aM