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Aisha Lewis 416001200
Tiffany Carrington 416001292
Dennilene Pierre 416002027
Theo Franklyn 416000581
Ashley Mayers 416001270
Philip Holder 416000075

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Effects of Cultural Imperialism on Caribbean Culture

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Effects of Cultural Imperialism on Caribbean Culture

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Cultural imperialism is defined as the extension of the influence or dominance of one nation's culture over others. Caribbean societies are heavily influenced by the culture of the western world largely through mass media. We see this influence in the fashion choices of our people today who prefer to wear clothing designed by brands. There is also the tendency for our people to wanting to wear the latest American fashion trends, with little to no support to local designers.
Another instance where we see the effects of cultural penetration can be found in musical tastes. Many Caribbean People have a preference for music of American Origin, such as Hip-Hop and Rap, to the extent where even our local radio stations play mostly international music. Our traditional music such as calypso and soca is therefore being put as second best.
Cultural imperialism or penetration also affects the culinary tastes of Caribbean people today, were we opt for foods from the various fast food chains such as Burger King, McDonalds and Subway, over some of our very own restaurants. We also have situations where the younger persons do not know how to prepare some of the well-known traditional dishes as the appreciation for such foods diminish as evidenced by the many American or British Cookbooks on some of our bookshelves.
Our language is also affected as persons are now incorporating several American slang words into their speech, our beautiful Caribbean dialects and patois. In light of the several negative effects of cultural imperialism it is important that Caribbean people make a conscious effort to retain our culture and everything that makes us Caribbean people. If cultural penetration continues, our culture is in danger of being eroded.
Is American culture apart of your Caribbean identity? Save it before it is too late.

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Is Shadeism Important to Caribbean Identity?

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Is Shadeism Important to Caribbean Identity?

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Shadeism is a form of discrimination based on skin color. Shadeism is typically an intraracial issue rather than an interracial on, which refers to the degree of skin tone rather than 'black' and 'white'. In the Caribbean, we have all different types of skin tones, varying from light skinned to dark skinned people. In today's society still, light skinned people are still treated as better than every one else. As a culture that came from years of oppression and hatred inflicted by slave owners, the enslaved Africans were forced to think that because of their color, they were inferior. This same mindset is being inflicted on the many males and females living in the Caribbean today. This can be seen where dark skinned females , prefer to procreate with light skinned males , so that they're children will not be dark and go through the same hardships as them, such as bullying. Dark skinned people may be bullied about their skin complexion, where others say that they resemble dirt and cannot amount to being anything in life for example "yah little black boy you can't be no doctor"

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The Caribbean diaspora is  important part of the Caribbean. The term diaspora refers to the movement, migration or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland. simply put, it is a group of people who live outside the area in which they had lived for a long time or which their ancestors lived. The Caribbean diaspora contributes to the economic growth of the countries. Caribbean diasporic communities or persons, tend to establish and develop within global cities. This offers them advantageous conditions to prosper and aquire economic and social stability. They are therefore able to contribute substantially and systematically to homeland economies with one such way being through remittances.
The Caribbean diaspora is also impactful as migration can ease pressure on labour markets and reduce unemployment, poverty and social inequality if the surplus labour is exported. In addition, many persons migrate in pursuit of a higher education and may return to their Caribbean countries, contributing to the labour force by applying the skills acquired overseas.

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Before undertaking this course, I thought it would have been a replica of a history course being offered but from participating in this course my expectation were changed as this course placed important Caribbean issues into focus for me.

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The aspect of education in the Caribbean was well captured in song by calypsonian Mighty Sparrow in his song Education. He sings of the significance of gaining an education in this modern Caribbean society since it determines ones social strata.

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"Mighty Sparrow" sez, : Without an Education in your head - Your whole life would be pure misery - You Better off Dead!!!!!! - To Escape poverty one must have a 'sound' Education! - Here "Sparrow" urges all the 'young urchins, "Go to school and learn well" - NUFF SAID!!!!!

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Tessanne Chin Performed by Machel Montano & Tessanne Chin Intro

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Barnwell & Precision Productions Machel Montano

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Bring the Beat (Official Lyric Video) - Machel Montano ft. Tessanne Chin

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Buy - https://smarturl.it/BringTheBeat Official lyric video for "Bring the Beat" by Machel Montano ft. Tessanne Chin LIKE, SHARE, and comment to blow SOCA MUSIC up! Digicel's Bring the Beat campaign represents the culture of the Caribbean and the irrepressible spirit and passion which unite and ignite its people.

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There is much diversity in Caribbean families. They are, in some ways, a distinct group because of their multiethnic composition. Although the majority of the families have an African background, which sometimes causes people from the Caribbean to be identified as such, there are families from Indian, Chinese, Middle Eastern, and European backgrounds who identify themselves as Caribbean.
The following is a newspaper article from the Trinidad Express which speaks of the diversity of their population.

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Should Barbados Be Recognized As A Part of the Caribbean?

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Should Barbados Be Recognized As A Part of the Caribbean?

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Some of the other members of the Caribbean do not agree that Barbados should constitute as a member of the Caribbean as a community. This is being said because Barbados is the most easterly island, not being within the Caribbean island chain with most of the islands. Also Barbados is in fact completely surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and not touched at all by the Caribbean Sea, like many of the other islands. However, here is some evidence that should help to convince those who do not believe that Barbados is a part of the Caribbean; that is actually is.
Barbados should constitute as a part of the Caribbean because of the geology of the Caribbean, which is the science that deals with the earth’s physical structure. The Caribbean is seen as that area of the region , resting on the Caribbean Plate, which experiences the same tectonic, seismic and volcanic features and processes. The islands of the Caribbean were formed by Plate Tectonics. With this being said Barbados lies on the Caribbean Plate and was formed by the collision of the Atlantic crustal and Caribbean Plates, along with a volcanic eruption. Barbados is also a limestone island built up from the skeletal remain of coral polyps in the warm Caribbean Sea. Hence, Barbados was created the same way as many of the other islands and rests on the Caribbean Plate just like St. Vincent, St.Lucia, Guadeloupe and Grenada. Even though Barbados does not have volcanoes or high mountain ranges, it should be constituted as a part of the Caribbean.
Barbados, also played a major role in the production of sugar, just like Jamaica and the Leeward Islands. Barbados was named one of the world’s largest sugar industries and because of this Barbados should be included in the Caribbean without any hesitation.
Barbados is also signed onto CARICOM which is the Caribbean Community that was established was established in 1973 including 15 nations in all. The main purpose of CARICOM is to promote economic integration and cooperation among its members. CARICOM has signed onto the Treaty of Chaguaramas that transformed the idea of a common market CARICOM into a Caribbean Single Market and Economy. Also Barbados was one of the first countries to sign onto CARICOM on the 1st August 1973. Also the CARICOM Regional Organization for Standards and Quality is located in Baobab Tower Warrens, Highway 2 Barbados.
Barbados, should be recognized as a part of the Caribbean, based on the fact that it is signed onto the Caribbean Court of Justice, among Belize, Dominica and Guyana. While the other Caribbean territories are stilled signed onto the Privy Council which is UK based. It is ironic, that the CCJ is located in Trinidad, and Trinidad is still signed onto the Privy Council and is widely accepted in the Caribbean. The purpose of the CCJ is to interpret and apply the Revised Treaty of the Chaguaramas which established the concept of Caribbean Community and Togetherness. Thus it would be unfair and illogical not to include Barbados into the Caribbean.

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Family life in the Caribbean is a reflection of what it was before slavery - in the days of the indigenous people The role of family members is different in Caribbean families. The father's principal role is economic provider and protector of the family. They are also involved in the discipline of the children, especially the males, and often have a distant relationship with their daughters. In general, they are not actively involved in day-to-day childcare, especially for young infants. This should not be construed as not caring for their children; they tend to feel that women are better with children at this stage.
The mother's principal role is to take care of the children and be the primary nurturer in the family. They are also the primary caretakers of the home. Children are required to be obedient, respectful, and submissive to their parents. Girls are expected to help with domestic chores around the house, whereas boys are expected to do activities outside the house, such as taking care of the yard and running errands.

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The end of slavery helped encourage some religious diversity in the islands. East Indian immigrants brought their own beliefs and practices to the region. Almost one quarter of the population of Trinidad and Tobago is Hindu - one of the highest concentrations of Hindu people in the world. Small populations of Jews and Muslims also live in the Caribbean.
Christmas is ultimately a christian tradition whereby they celebrate the birth of their lord Jesus Christ. However, the picture below shows the diversity of the Caribbean where people of other religions (muslims in this case also partake in the christmas celebration.

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Religion was used as a form of oppression in the times of slavery. The few slave masters had to devise a way to control the many slave. They therefore introduced religion as a an indirect rule for the slaves to conform to a set of laws and behaviours for which prevented revolt and rebellion. Their religious belief was that they would have been rewarded for their good behaviours in the afterlife.

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Cultural Expressions in Defining Caribbean Identity

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Cultural Expressions in Defining Caribbean Identity

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The varied cultures present in the Caribbean today were developed as a result of the rich history of the region where different groups of people migrated into the Caribbean through slavery and colonialism. These cultures reflect how we as Caribbean people live, interact and exist with each other creating our own unique Caribbean identity.

There are a number of diverse festivals celebrated in the Caribbean. These include Carnival, Crop Over in Barbados, Jamaica Reggae Sunfest and Guyana Phagwa, St. Lucia Jazz Festival and Trinidad and Tobago Divali.

The celebration of Carnival first originated from the European tradition pre-Lenten feasting in Trinidad and Tobago. It was associated with religious conversion, colonialism and the celebration of freedom. Today, the street event is celebrated in various Caribbean islands such as St. Lucia, Jamaica, Antigua, St. Kitts & Nevis, Haiti and Aruba though during months throughout the year. The celebration can consist of colorful, elaborate costumes, floats, elected King and Queens and most importantly the playing of music particularly calypso and soca.

Junkanoo is another festival originating in the Caribbean. Its roots go back to the 17th century when the slaves were given 3 days off at Christmas. They wore masks, played homemade drums, danced and engaged in mimicry in celebration of their temporary freedoms. It is celebrated in Belize, Jamaica, Bahamas, Guyana, Bermuda and St. Kitts & Nevis.

Caribbean music helps tell the story of the hardships the Islands have endured while providing a method of escape and a means of entertainment. The music in the region has developed from African, European and Asian mixing with African influences being the most dominant.

Steel pan music was one such style developed out of necessity to overcome oppression. The drums were an important part of African rituals but these were banned by those in authority. The Africans then found ways to improvise by using steel oil drums to play their traditional rhythms. Steel music has evolved since then and plays an important role in Caribbean throughout the region.

During the period of enslavement, calypsos were sung to jeer the enslavers. After freedom, calypsonians were seen as individuals who acted as advocates for the poor as they would ridicule and reprimand the authority for their inadequacies in social policies.

Sports also play an important role in shaping our Caribbean identity.  Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the region after being introduced by the British Colonizers. It is unique in the sense that it has one unified West Indian team to represent the region internationally rather than individual teams from the various Islands. Everyone in the region would like for the team to be successful; therefore, it is a means of self-affirmation which gives the Caribbean people a sense of purpose and shared identity.
However, issues arise when the team loses. We blame each other saying things like "if only there were more bajans on the team rather than the Guyanese". That surely does not represent a unified Caribbean people, we should stand by our team whether they are victorious or not.
All of the Islands do have a player from their country to represent them. Therefore can we really say that the West Indies Team brings together all of the Islands in the Caribbean region.

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When it comes to religion, the Caribbean is dominated by Christianity. However, many different sects and cultural adaptations can be found throughout the islands. From the religion of slaves and indentured servants to the styles developed on the island themselves, the Caribbean is full of a vibrant variety of faiths as shown below.

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The Bahamas and ABC islands are sometimes not acknowledged when identifying Caribbean islands. This poses a challenge to defining who we are as Caribbean nationals and creating an identity.

Issues of Caribbean identity are not new concerns for the region. Some argue that one aspect of identifying who we are as a region through our history is nonexistent. One myth of Caribbean history is that because they were no writings we had no history.

Due to standpoint epistemology, persons from outside the region look at the region based on the context of their own culture, civilization or what defines who they are and this consequently affects the view that the Caribbean does not have an identity but aspects of other Countries being combined.
The formation of a Caribbean identity was influenced by the diverse nature of the region throughout the Caribbean’s history. As a result of Christopher Columbus making the region being known to Europe, many migrants from Europe came to the region and consequently destroyed the indigenous people and brought cultural norms with them which were imposed whether willing accepted or not. This consequently lead to various traditions being unique to each island and effecting the present day region and how it is viewed.

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Importance of Enslavement in Shaping the Caribbean 

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Importance of Enslavement in Shaping the Caribbean 

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Slavery was one of the times in our history which we reflect on often. This fuels emotions such as anger, sadness and disgust as we reflect on the conditions under which the slaves were forced to work. Even though slavery was in humane, we have to understand that it was associated with all human civilizations and to a further extent played a volatile role in shaping the Caribbean and it's identity. The point which unifies all systems of slavery, was the captive labor which entails working without wages under compulsion. Europeans brought people from Africa o the Caribbean as a system of labor exploitation. For instance, the sugar planters of Barbados, Jamaica and the Leeward Islands were the first white people to practice slavery on a large scale in the Caribbean. The term chattel slavery was used to describe the type of enslavement which was practiced in the Caribbean. The enslaved Africans were often described as chattel which simply put means property that could be bough or sold. Being defined as property they had no rights in the law which was made by the sugar planters. They were subjected to any sort of treatment, some of the worst being rape, murder and assault without any for of redress or compensation for the families. The reality of the enslavement process of Africans on the Caribbean sugar estates was the destruction of persons both mentally and physically. On arrival in the Caribbean the enslaved people were sold and bought , taken to the sugar plantation and in several cases were rarely seen to leave alive. The enslaved people endured daily floggings which ave them lacerations to the body which most of the time resulted in death. However, with all the negative which has been said, the large scale importation of millions of Africans, added to the demographic diversity of the region. The production of sugar also shaped the islands of the Caribbean in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. The main source of labor, the African slaves and the plantations which they worked on contributed to a maximum of 90 percent of the sugar consumed in Western Europe. This helped the Caribbean to create a name for itself as it was known as one of the prime sugar producers, as sugar was suggested to be the 'gold' of the Caribbean. Thus slavery helped to shape our Caribbean Identity.

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The Importance of Independence in Defining Who We are

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The Importance of Independence in Defining Who We are

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Many of us live in independent islands and we celebrate our independence every year, being prideful of all we have achieved and the long way we have come. However, the road to independence was not an easy one, nor did it simply happen over night.
After years of being under colonial rule, the people of the Caribbean began to develop a desire for freedom, after having attained a greater understanding of what it means to be free. By the 20th Century they began to challenge the basis of colonialism, creating the movement towards independence, through economic and political enfranchisement.

Political enfranchisement is defined as "the right of a people to determine their own affairs".  Caribbean nations were shaken by the resistance of its people who grew frustrated and longed for political freedom as the colonial powers of European rule had the ultimate control over the respective colonies.
Most Caribbean  islands were governed by The Old Representative System which consisted of a governor appointed from Britain, along with an elected assembly and council. This appointed government acted under the direction of the British Colonizers but during the 19th Century, Britain eliminated said  government, replacing it with a Governor from Britain, and an overall system of government which gave the British Crown full control over the administration and legislation of the Colony. This system was referred to as Crown Colony Government. This system was found to oppress the populations which consisted of the former enslaved as well as the indentured who had economic frustrations and sought improved conditions. Consequently, the 1930' s saw widespread unrest with strikes, protests and  labour riots. Given the obvious displeasure and resistance of the people, the colonial powers had no choice but to reinstate the elected representation.
By the end of World War II in 1945, universal adult suffrage ( the right of citizens to vote) was granted to  many Caribbean territories.  The next step was internal self government which refers to a system where the citizens of the country rule them selves and are in control of all domestic matters. Internal self government usually entails political independence.

In August 1962, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago became the first two British colonies in the English-speaking Caribbean to gain Independence followed by  13former British colonies in the anglophone Caribbean

Barbados celebrates its golden this year, an important occasion for us as it signifies 50 years of being independent from  British rule. Barbados gained independence on November 30th 1966 led by our father of independence, the right Honourable Errol Walton barrow, who became Barbados' first prime minister. He had a vision for the nation, a vision for the people, one which was  different from that of the crown. Thus he implemented various policies including free education for all and  an almost free school meals service, costing only 20c a day, a dollar each week. Subsequent elected governments have worked towards further improving health care, education and working conditions on the island.
Our very own flag has the broken trident which symbolises our detachment from Britain. The importance of independence is instilled at a young age as early as the nursery school level and continually at the primary and secondary levels. The entire month of November is dedicated to celebrating Barbadian culture, with the entire island being decorated in the flag's national colours. During this time the best of our culture and traditions are displayed and emphasised including our traditional dishes and expressions. Schools may even have quizzes,  testing students's knowledge of anything Barbadian including cultural facts and important dates. In essesnce, Barbados' independence month is a 'big deal' because it is the month dedicated to  truly celebrating who we are. There are arguments however that we should not only reserve such celebrations for the month of November but should do so through out the year. We should indeed exhibit that same pride and appreciation for our culture year round. However the much anticipated independence  celebrations hold particular significance as it emphasizes our break from colonial rule reminding us of the strides we as a people had to take to become what we are today despite the hindrances that came with being independent . furthermore, outside of the crop over season, these celebrations provide another occasion where tourist can see a full display of Barbadian culture.
The independence of Caribbean nations should therefore not be over looked as it is an important part of defining who we are.

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Slaves on the Sugar Plantation in Jamaica

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Slaves on the Sugar Plantation in Jamaica

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The Eurocentric Influence Hovering Over the Caribbean.
What is a civilization?

The Oxford School Dictionary defines it as a society or culture at a particular time in history. It also defines it as a developed or organized way of life. Therefore, from these definitions which are European scholastic definitions means there has always been Civilization in the Caribbean. As we know the islands of the Caribbean were inhabited by the Tainos and the Kalinagos well before the arrival of the Europeans during their renaissance era. They however brought their customs and processes with them as is expected of anyone; thus, they encountered the Neo-Indians who customarily traversed the islands in their way of life accordingly with the seasons. When all is said and done, the Europeans branded the those who did not follow their way of life as uncivilized. Which is in itself a contradiction to their definition of ‘Civilization’ because the Neo-Indians were a society among themselves and they did have a developed and organized way of life; therefore, labelling people who were different from them as ‘savages’ was hypocritical in my opinion and leads to the question, who were the ‘savages’? They then implemented their customs and colonized the region, marking different Caribbean countries as a part of their various territories and thus deriving the systems which hover over us today. The Caribbean is filled with diversity to its core, whether we; are of African descent resulting from enslavement once again at the hands of Europeans, or if we are descendant of Taino and Kalinago societies and even those descendants from the ‘poor whites’ social class who were mistreated and suffered at the hands of the empires. Conclusively, I tempestuously agree with Taurus Riley’s “system set” which I believe is a result of the influence history has on our progression as a civilization. Thus, until issues such as racism, colourism, social injustice and unresolved conflicts among ourselves are rectified our behaviour will continue to reflect the European influence of history on us and we will continue living in the system which it set.

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Upon taking a drive in the country side you may observe many agricultural lands including seemingly endless sugar cane fields along with  very old and intimidating plantations. However, have you ever considered the history behind those canes, standing as tall as they are or the old estates, some depleted and abandoned with their untold stories that can only be told if  walls could talk
The story behind the many sugar cane fields in the Caribbean is indeed an interesting , if not haunting one, especially when we consider the turmoil, exploitation and sacrifice that those who trod this earth before us had to endure in order for our islands to become the sugar producers that we are today.

With the seventeenth century came what is known as the sugar revolution. Sugar cane was brought to the English and French Caribbean by the European  settlers. Cocoa and Tobacco were once the main cash crops in the Caribbean. However, following to the diminished viability of the these industries, came the emergence of sugar cane cultivation and estates between 1640 and 1660. The effects  of the sugar revolution were tremendous as it changed the lesser Antilles completely, giving rise to political, economical and social changes.Barbados' history as a prominent sugar producer clearly demonstrates this sugar revolution and its profitability.

Sugar production required a larger labour supply and so, enslaved Africans were imported into the region in order to satisfy this demand. A large proportion of slaves were provided between the years  1518 and 1870 through the transatlantic slave trade. As  sugar production spread through out the region, an increasing number of slaves were imported in order to replace those who would have died due to being over worked on the sugar plantations and factories.  Britian, despite being the a major transportor of slaves, abolished slavery in 1772 encouraged other nations to do the same. This brought about the demise of the slavery system which would have provided labour for the sugar plantations.
As a result, given that a large number of slaves  would have been transported to the island to satisfy the labour intensive demand of sugar production, these blacks out-numbered the white population ( who however, remained the ruling class). By the early years of the nineteenth century, places like Granada and St Vincent had a less than 5% white population. The sugar revolution and slavery, during the period of colonialization, are therefore largely responsible for the predominately black population in the Caribbean today. This fundamental demographic change had several social implications as Caribbean Societies became divided by caste, class and race:
Based on their wealth, the whites were divided into either "prinicipal whites", who were the families of rich plantation and slave owners, and the "poor whites" who were labourers or small farmers. Next on the hierarchy was of course the non whites and the blacks.
Nevertheless, it should be noted that the sugar revolution continues to have a long lasting effect on our Caribbean societies and economies today. For instance, In 2015, Jamaica exported US51.2 million in sugar exports, ranking 50th in the list of sugar exporting countries.
We also see the continued  cultivation of sugar and even the cultural practice of eating sugar cane during the season of harvest.

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Civilization may be defined as human social development . Civilization is applicable to all groups of people, all walks of life, however, we need to accept that civilizations differ in appearance. One may think that a civilization has to be advanced, however this is not true. From history whether written or unwritten we can see that civilizations existed since the beginning of man's presence on the earth. Based on previous civilizations, we can see that they have impacted our Caribbean Identity, for example migration, slavery, emancipation, imperialism. This conveys the story of the Caribbean through violence, racism, oppression, pain, love and triumph.  The history of the Caribbean brought about different types of civilizations.  For example the civilizations of the Taino and Kalinago people. The Kalinago were indigenous people of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean. It was said that they inhabited Dominica. These people had an early reputation as warriors, where they made their own weapons as they raided neighborhood islands. They were also skilled boat builders and sailors as they migrated from South America. Their artwork and craft were perfected and handed down for generations. With this being said they were displaced by the Europeans by death as a result of warfare and infectious diseases. Early Kalinago culture was patriarchal. Women carried out the domestic duties of rearing young children, processing and producing food and clothing, and cultivating the land for farming, including sowing and harvesting. Men carried out the tasks of hunting for food and protecting women and children from attack by other warring tribes .

The Taíno people were also among the indigenous people of the Caribbean. They inhabited most of Cuba, Trinidad, Jamaica, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. The Taíno descendants entered the Caribbean from South America, with a culture that was closely linked to the meson Erica she. The largest populations of Taíno people may have even 3000 or more people for each country. The Taíno tribe was being driven to the northeast of the Caribbean because of raids carried out by the Kalinago. The Spaniards on their arrival did not bring women on their first expeditions, but instead raped Taíno women which produced mestizo children. This resulted in the mixing of culture and race of these two kinds of people, which still affects our Caribbean Identity today. The Taíno society was divided into nobles and commoners and were governed by male chiefs. The Taíno women were highly skilled in agriculture while the men were skilled in hunting and fishing. Some of their food practices are still existent to this very day, for example vegetables, fruit, meat and fish. There spirituality was focused on the worships of zemís, while today in countries such as Barbados, Christianity is the dominant religion.

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Dispelling The  Eurocentric Discourse Regarding The History Of Migration In The Caribbean.

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Dispelling The  Eurocentric Discourse Regarding The History Of Migration In The Caribbean.

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There is a misconception that the Caribbean's history is farliy new, which Is due to our history being told from a rather eurocentric point of view which places  emphasises on the voyage of Christopher Columbus in 1492. This Eurocentric belief is however challenged by the findings of the remains of the earliest inhabitants in places such as Cuba and Trinidad which suggests that there was migration into the region from South and Central America and Florida.
The more accurate representation of the earliest Caribbean migrants dates from approximately 10,000 BCE. The people  of Archaic and pre-Ceramic period included the Paliolithic Indians who arrived some 5000 years BCE. They were then followed by the Mesolithic-Indians also known as the Ciboneys, who arrived between 1000 BCE and 500 BCE, settling in Jamaica, Haiti, The Bahamas and Cuba.
Then came the Neolithic-Indians who consisted of the Tainos and the Kalinagos. They were Tainos were divided into different groups: the tainos of  the Greater Antilles, the Lucayans of the Bahamas, the Ignerians of Trinidad and Tobago and Barbados and the Borequinos of Puerto Rico.
Arriving after the Tainos were the Kalinagos who settled in the North Eastern of Trinidad as well as in  the Leeward and Windward Islands.  These Indians had distinct pottery styles, lifestyles and practices which they brought with them when they setteled across the various islands. The civilization and culture of these people are rarely accounted for when the history of the early Caribbean migrants is told. The focus has for some time been on the arrival of the Spaniards and unfortunately, some persons see Caribbean civilizations and the overall history of the Caribbean as begging only after the arrival of Columbus.
There is also the argument presented by Guyana- born Anthropologist Ivan Van Sertima in his book "They Came Before Columbus", that North Western Africans traveled to the Americas and some Caribbean Islands before Columbus. This Challenges the assumption that Africans came to the Americas and Caribbean only as a result of slavery.

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In seeking to determine who we are as a region, does the structure of our buildings assist in determining our identity? In Barbados, our housing landscape once comprised of "Chattel Houses" which is a termed unique to Barbados referring to small, wooden houses which are movable. This unique architecture to the Caribbean island is one whose origins can be traced back to the plantation society in the region. These house were constructed in this way so as to permit easy moving if a dispute arose between the plantation owners who owned the land as well and the plantation workers who worked the land. However, in present day Barbados, chattel houses are on the decline and one can see the number of buildings representing a foreign culture or tradition on the rise. These buildings are such as Chinese designed architecture such as the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Administration building as pictured below. Does this represent a change in what Barbadian represents could often be identified with?

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A Different Perspective: Views From The Younger Generation.

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A Different Perspective: Views From The Younger Generation.

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The children, teens and young adults of today will all be to responsible for building our societies  tomorrow. However, not everyone will appreciate the importance of their Caribbean culture or even give thought to all that has contributed to the establishment of our Caribbean societies. It is often the older generation  who continually stress the need for us to look inward and appreciate the beauty of our multicultural Caribbean societies. We therefore found a need to hear the views of young adults as it relates to the diverisity of the Caribbean and our Caribbean Identity. There is a particular concern that such topics are far from the minds of our young people which will result in them not having much of an opinion on the issue or they may also not have a full understanding of these concepts. Consequently, interviews were conducted with a few young adults in order to give them an opportunity to air their views and in some instances, to consider what Caribbean culture and identity means to them.