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Reflections on the Caribbean Civilization Course

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Reflections on the Caribbean Civilization Course

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Before entering this course, I thought that I knew all there was to know about my history,Ii felt secure in the knowledge that I knew where I came from, I knew who my ancestors were and how they got to the Caribbean. From the first lecture with Dr. Campbell, my conceptualization of Caribbean history and how I viewed myself was obliterated. From the concept of a civilization to my NeoIndian ancestry and the idea of Caribbean History before the Europeans were topics that I had never given much thought. The Eurocentric idealisms that plague our societies and the culturing our people to depend on the European powers opened my eyes and urged me to dissect further the dynamics of the Caribbean. The dispelling of myths about the Native people and understanding the Caribbean Demographic and Cultural Diversity was particularly intriguing as it facilitated my understanding of what it means to be 'Caribbean'. This course encouraged critical thinking on the roles that were played in the period of trans-Atlantic slavery that fuelled chattel slavery within the Caribbean. My previous idea of the role of slaves on the sugar plantation was challenged as I learned that they were more than just rebels or slaves. They were a multi-dimensional people likened to extremophiles because of their resilience and aspiration for their rights. This course was thought - provoking and sometimes uncomfortable as I had to take a good look at things that I had deemed the norm and analyze how deeply entrenched even today that the Caribbean is influenced by the Eurocentrism. Eric Williams, Capitalism and Slavery, C.L. R James, The Black Jacobins and Hilary Beckles, A Nation Imagined were some of the works that I read because of this course that effectively enhanced and compelled my appreciation of the rich Caribbean intellectual tradition. My appreciation of the struggles that my ancestors endured in order for the Caribbean to be as it is today has grown ten fold along with my pride in my Caribbean identity. I now have a better understanding of what it truly means to be 'Caribbean'.

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In light of the differences in different aspects of the Caribbean civilization there is a unified theme where all Caribbean peoples unify. The vast cultural heritage and festivals, the history of oppression, the love of food and their music and the languages that make them unique, yet similar are some of the many instances of Unity in division. This region has survived an thrived against a plethora of issues culturally, socially, economically and religiously amoung others. The representation of a single Caribbean identity therefore does not exist as it may differ from person to person. The Caribbean identity is a fluid concept that molds and changes in varying locales, regions and backgrounds. Our ancestors the NeoIndians, Eurpoeans, Afircans, Indians, Chinese all blended together to form a multicultural, multilingual melting pot.

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A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.
-Marcus Garvey

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Barrett, David B. World Christian Encyclopedia. 1st ed. Nairobi: Oxford University Press, 1983. Print.

"Beenie Man -Who Am I (Sim Simma)". YouTube. N.p., 2016. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

"Black Stalin = Carribean Unity". YouTube. N.p., 2016. Web. 28 Nov. 2016.

"Bob Marley - Redemption Song (From The Legend Album, With Lyrics)". Youtube, 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrY9eHkXTa4.

Campbell, Horace. Rasta And Resistance. 1st ed. African World Press, 1987. Print.

Gaztambide-Giegel, Antonio. “La invencion del Caribe en el Siglo XX. Las definiciones del Caribe como  problema historico e metodologico.” Revista Mexicana del Caribe, 1996, Ano 1, Num 1. Print

"Go Hard (Official Audio) - Skinny Fabulous & Machel Montano | Soca 2016". YouTube. N.p., 2016. Web. 27 Nov. 2016.

Hector, Helen. "Understanding The History Of Slavery Through Bob Marley's 'Redemption Song'". ONE. N.p., 2016. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

Hogg, Michael and Dominic Abrams. Social Identifications: A Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations and Group Processes. London: Routledge, 1988. Print

Hopf, Ted. “The Promise of Constructivism in International Relations Theory.” International Security, 1998. Print

"I Am The Caribbean...And I Have A Story To Tell.". Youtube, 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eODVU-HK20k.

"Johnny Ventura - Bobine". YouTube. N.p., 2016. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

"Map Of The Caribbean | Mantra Lingua US". Usa.Mantralingua.Com, 2016, http://usa.mantralingua.com/product/map-caribbean.

Michel-Rolph Trouillot, “The Caribbean Region: An Open Frontier in Anthropological Theory,” Annual Review of Anthropology 21, 1992.

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Premdas, Ralph R. Ethnicity And Identity In The Caribbean. 1st ed. Notre Dame, Ind.: Helen Kellogg Institute for International Studies, 1996. Print.

profile, View. ""Redemption Song" Analysis". Ashcash921.blogspot.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 29 Nov. 2016.

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"La Diablesse", the devil woman of Trinidad and Tobago folklore, is sometimes personified as an old crone, who steps forth with her cloven hoof from behind a tree on a lonely road, the sound of chains mingling with the rustle of her petticoat. Sometimes she takes the form of a beautiful woman, to lure some unsuspecting passerby to his death or perhaps to madness. Sometimes she appears as a tall, handsome creole woman who with swinging gait and erect stature, passes through a cane or cocoa field at noon and catches the eye of a man who then proceeds to follow her, and, never being able to catch up with her - her feet hardly touch the ground - finds himself lost, bewildered, far from home and he is never himself again.
She may have a bag of bones, grave yard dirt and shells, she may cast a spell and be perceived as young and desirable, her rich perfume blending with the smell of damp and decaying things. Although she may appear young, she will be dressed in the ancient costume of these islands: a brilliant madras turban, chemise with half sleeves and much embroidery and lace, "zepingue tremblant" (trembling pins of gold), and all the finery of the by-gone days.
If you feel you may encounter a La Diablesse on your way home, take off all your clothes, turn them inside out and put them on again, and this will surely protect you from a La Diablesse.

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OL' HIGUE

by Wordsworth McAndrew

Ol' woman wid de wrinkled skin,

Leh de ol' higue wuk begin.

Put on you fiery disguise,

Ol' woman wid de weary eyes

Shed you swizzly skin.

Ball o' fire, raise up high

Raise up till you touch de sky.

Land 'pon top somebody roof

Tr'ipse in through de keyhole - poof!

Open you ol' higue eye.

Find de baby where 'e lie

Change back faster than de eye.

Find de baby, lif de sheet,

Mek de puncture wid you teet',

Suck de baby dry.

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​Most of the 59 languages are not spoken in the insular Caribbean, but in the continental Caribbean. The 59 languages include:

22 indigenous Amerindian languages (10 Carib, including Carib, 7 Arawak, 2 Tupi, 3 Mayan), all spoken in the continental Caribbean

5 European languages

21 creole languages (15 English-lexicon, 4 French-lexicon, 1 Iberian-lexicon, and 1 Dutch-lexicon, on the verge of extinction), mostly in the insular Caribbean

4 immigrant languages that came with their speakers during the mid-19th century, post-emancipation

4 sign languages, and 3 unclassified languages.

Creole languages include Haitian Kreyol, St. Lucian Kwéyòl, Papiamentu, Antiguan Creole, Belize Kriol, Jamaican Creole/Patois, Guyanese Creolese, Vincentian Creole, and Berbice Dutch (on the verge of extinction).("Society For Caribbean Linguistics")

English is the official language of all the Caribbean territories which were colonized by Britain. However, the everyday usage of most Caribbean speakers differs from Standard English (SE) to a greater or lesser degree. There is in fact a wide range of usage stretching between Standard English and what is often referred to as Patwa (Patois) or Broad Creole.  This range is sometimes described as a 'Creole continuum'.

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Cuba

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History - Redemption song speaks of the common Caribbean heritage of chattel slavery and the oppression endured. It is a constant reminder of the past and how far the Caribbean as a mulicultural region has developed to present day.

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History - Redemption song speaks of the common Caribbean heritage of chattel slavery and the oppression endured. It is a constant reminder of the past and how far the Caribbean as a mulicultural region has developed to present day.

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Old pirates, yes, they rob I I, and 9-12 million Africans were robbed of our freedom and sent to the Americas as slaves
Sold I to the merchant ships from the European Empires, who’d grown rich supplying colonies with human labor
Minutes after they took I 15% died en route, the others suffered greatly
From the bottomless pit The survivors were put straight to work in appalling conditions, with no way out

But my hand was made strong by the same people who made it weak: the European Empires, specifically Britain
By the ’and of the Almighty well, Brits, initially aimed to abolish the slave trade then slavery throughout the Empire
We forward in this generation the first step: a landmark 1722 legal decision ruled slavery wasn’t supported by English law
Triumphantly The Abolition of slavery: 1st mass protest campaign in modern history, paved the way for the rest

Won’t you help to sing William Wilberforce MP, did
This songs of freedom? he relentlessly campaigned for change from within parliament for 26 years
’Cause all I ever have 1807 Slave Trade Act banning the slave trade, and ensuring the Navy would enforce it
The fight to end slavery continued until 1833, when the Anti-Slavery Act was passed
Redemption songs It was the tireless activism of parliamentary and public campaigners that did it
Redemption songs and the same techniques are just as capable of ending injustices today (Hector)

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Racial Differences

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Haiti

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Trinidad and Tobago

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Dominica - Present day

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St. Vincent and the Grenadines - 1950

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“Redemption Song,” a magnificently composed song by Bob Marley relates to oppression and deliverance of African slaves, who were brought from Africa to Jamaica. The general theme of this song is the beauty of the redemption of people after oppression. Support of this theme is found in Bob Marley’s connotation and tone.
Connotation, the diction of words, is the most significant aspect of this song that supports the theme. Bob Marley’s terminology is responsible for creating a truly entrancing song. Bob initiates the song on a delicate level by describing the obliteration of the African people by slavery and sustains thought that it is not the responsibility of the oppressors to free the oppressed; this assignment can only be completed by the oppressed themselves.
Through the complete song, Bob Marley maintains an optimistic tone. He appears to believe that through all the pain and agony of slaves his generation will be able to formulate a difference.
Overall, “Redemption Song” is an incredibly stunning song that relates to not only African slaves but all others that have been oppressed. Bob Marley’s main purpose of this song is that, in the end, it is up to the oppressed to determine their freedom and destiny and one of the most popular and ubiquitous examples of Caribbean music. From salsa and merengue to the conscious 'vibes' and slow beat of reggae to hard-hitting dancehall to the commentaries and movements of calypso and soca. The music of the Caribbean is as diverse as the people that live there!

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In the Caribbean, religion has served a dual-headed role throughout its history,his fundamental split in the personality of the Christian churches in being oppressor and liberator. In the Caribbean, religious beliefs and practices, formal and informal, are pervasively present and immensely diverse. There are Hindus (including the Arya Samaj, Sanatan Dharma, Shivites, etc.), Muslims (including Sunni, Shia, and Black Muslims), Christians (including Roman Catholics, Anglicans, Methodists, Moravians, Presbyterians, Baptists, Adventists, Seventh Day Adventists, Lutherans, etc.), numerous spiritist, syncretist, and indigenous religious groups (such as Rastafaria throughout the English-speaking Caribbean, Santería in Cuba, Winti in Suriname, Vudun in Haiti, Shango mainly in Trinidad, Spiritual Baptists, etc.) and a proliferation of Pentecostal and evangelical churches. (Predmas) While Christianity is the dominant faith in the region, the many religious groupings and their denominations are, however, not randomly distributed in the Caribbean. Catholics predominate in Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, and St. Lucia; Protestants predominate in Antigua, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Monserrat, St. Kitts, Jamaica, St. Vincent, and Bermuda;(Barrett) Hindus and Muslims are found mainly in the triangle of Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad; Shango and the Spiritual Baptists are located mainly in Trinidad; Vudun is mainly Haiti; Rastafarians are predominantly found in Jamaica but small communities are found throughout the region;(Campbell) and the Pentecostal churches and evangelical Protestants, especially the Assemblies of God, which have grown more impressively than any other groups, proliferate and are scattered throughout the Caribbean.  Overall, the Caribbean region is replete with religious and ideological movements. In a small geographical region of the world, an immense and intense contest for the territory of the Caribbean mind and soul is being conducted daily.(Premdas)

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In this Caribbean place, it is usually visualized as an area populated by a diverse polyglot of peoples. There are whites, blacks, browns, yellows, reds, and an assortment of shades in between. There are Europeans, Africans, Asian Indians, Indonesian Javanese, Chinese, Aboriginal Indians, and many mixes. There are Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Jews, Rastafarians, Santería, Winti, Vudun, etc. They speak in a multitude of tongues—Spanish, English, Dutch, French, English, and a diverse number of Creoles such as papiamentu, sranan tongo, ndjuka, saramaccan, kromanti, kreyol, as well as Hindustani, Bhojpuri, Urdu, etc. In whatever combinations of race, religion, language, and culture they cohere and coexist, they dwell on small islands and large, some poorly endowed with natural resources, others abundantly. Perhaps, no other region of the world is so richly varied. Remarked Caribbean scholar, Michel-Rolph Trouillot: “Caribbean societies are inescapably heterogenous...the Caribbean has long been an area where some people live next to others who are remarkably distinct. The region—and indeed particular territories within it—has long been multi-racial, multi-lingual, stratified, and some would say, multi-cultural.”

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Factors influencing identity formation:

*Race and ethnicity -identities may emerge based on particular racial/ethnic characteristics of individuals.

*Religion -membership in particular religious structures also offers a strong basis for identification.

*History - the experience of the Caribbean which includes slavery, indentureship and colonialism provide a united set of shared experiences

*Geography ±this is one of the fundamental identity formation tools for Caribbean people. Many people often choose to define themselves in terms of the territory in which they were born. Even within various territories, one notes smaller divisions based on, for example, location.

*Linguistics - the early history of the region reflects inputs of people from different part of the world. A consequence of this is a linguistic tradition of different languages, pidgins and creoles. These cut across racial, political and geographical boundaries and unite many based on an appreciation for common linguistic heritage (anglophone, francophone and hispanic).

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The answer to this age old question is often a matter of perspective and of context. Anglophones in the Caribbean region usually speak and think of the Caribbean as meaning the English speaking islands. Sometimes the phrase wider Caribbean is employed to refer to what is the other locales. More recently a disticton has been made between the islands terriotires and the 'greater Caribbean' or the entire basin. Amoung Scholars the Caribbean is a soicio-histroical category, commonly reffering to the cultural zone characterized by the legacy of slavery snd the planation system. It embraces the islands and parts of the adjoining mainland - and may be extended to include the Caribbean diaspors overseas. As one can observe, there is many Caribbeans as much as there is one Caribbean. In short the definition of the Caribbean might be based on the identity; geography, history, language, history, culture and organization. (Gaztambide-Giegel, 84)

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Identity is “people’s concepts of who they are, of what sort of people they are, and how they relate to others” (Hogg and Abrams, 2).An identity therefore, may be defined as the individual characteristics, style or manner that is fundamental to a person and which that person is recognized. Identity is influenced by personal choice but also by society through existing social and cultural situations.
A simple answer to the question “what is identity?” would be this: It is how one answers the question “who are you?” Or, my identity is how I define who I am.  A person’s identity is how the person defines who he or she is.(Hopf, 175)