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My name is Dylan Brito and I am 18 years old. I am currently pursuing my degree in Information Technology. Caribbean Civilization has taught me many things, particularly about the Caribbean's identity. The identity of the Caribbean is split into many sub identities. One major category of identity in the Caribbean in both the past and the present is religion. I chose religion as the main theme for this portfolio because it can easily be linked to Caribbean Civilization. It also relates to the Caribbean's past and its present.

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1)  Do you feel accepted as a Muslim?

2) Do you feel free to worship?

3) Is there a wide variety of places to worship?

4) Do you feel like the country has come a long way since a couple decades ago in terms of accepting different religions?

5)Is it easier to be a Muslim today?

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A student of the Islamic faith was asked a few questions pertaining to her opinion on being a Muslim in today's society.

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https://www.dropbox.com/s/42a0eahns4cgj1m/20161125_142130.mp4?dl=0

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Currently, there are conflicts between different religions, specifically with the Muslims. This conflict arose with the introduction of a certain terrorist group who are causing chaos under the pretext of religion. Therefore, it is stereotyped that Muslims in general are terrorists which has caused certain countries to take drastic measures against Muslims in general. Most recently, it was proposed by the current president of the United States Of America that Muslims should be banned from entry into America. There are other such examples such as the fact that North Korea views Christian missionaries with extreme suspicion . Many Arab countries and some others such as Iran may refuse entry to those with Israeli passports, but the restriction is based on nationality rather than a blanket ban on people of the Jewish faith. It is clearly seen here that religion has a very huge impact on society even up to this day and even though in Trinidad and Tobago different religions can live together, this is not the case internationally. These stereotypes are finding its way into the country and are slowly beginning to affect people from certain religious groups.

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These open celebrations of religious holidays show the acceptance of these different religions in today's society, particularly in Trinidad and Tobago. The traditions used during these times are based on actions that originated from a certain significant moment in history. In this regard, aspects of history are still kept alive even up to this day. Trinidad's identity however is quickly being influenced by foreign culture. An example of this is the Christmas Tree which was originally an American cultural tradition used to symbolize hope during the harsh winter period. It can be observed then that traditions practiced by Trinidadians are quickly being altered. However, most of the most basic aspects of these traditions are still being used today.

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Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Christ. It is celebrated on the 25th of December every year. Trinidadians usually celebrate by singing parangs and eating customary foods such as pastels or Ham.

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Divali is the Festival of Lights that symbolizes the lifting of spiritual darkness. Divali means an array of lamps and, every year, it is celebrated by Hindus around the world with the lighting of diyas. A diya is a small clay pot that contains oil and a cotton wick that is lit. In Trinidad, coconut oil is used to keep the diyas burning.

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Eid is the first day of the Islamic month of Shawwal. It marks the end of Ramadan, which is a month of fasting and prayer. Many Muslims attend communal prayers, listen to a khutba (sermon) and give zakat al-fitr (charity in the form of food) during Eid.

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Firstly, identity refers to the fact of being who a person is. Therefore, a person can break down their identities into different categories. One of the major categories of distinction in today’s society is religion. In Trinidad and Tobago, there are three main religious groups, Christians, Muslims and Hindus. It is often observed that even though people of different religions still associate themselves with each other to an extent, there are still many levels on which religion separates people rather than bring them together. For example, many traditional parents would prohibit their child to marry across religions. I am a Christian which distinguishes me from other religions in terms of belief and how the Earth and everyone in it came to be. This makes my identity different from other people of different religious beliefs. Another significant category is education. At the most basic level, scoring high in a test distinguishes between a “smart” or “dull” child. In Trinidad and Tobago, it is often observed that the secondary school that one attends also holds some level of merit. I consider myself an average student in terms of education but still refuse to class myself as “smart” simply because I can pass a written exam.  A general form of identity can be one’s sexual orientation in which case I am a male and that clearly separates me from females in terms of my physical person. Therefore, by extension females often are grouped together and so are males which lead to personality differences. For instance, in this country there are many same sex schools. This often leads to competition between genders. Where a person is located in the country also leads to segregation as a person living in rural areas such as “Laventille” is often profiled as a dangerous person. I live in St. Augustine which is often referred to as the east.  This only affects my identity because I am familiar with the area of St. Augustine rather than another area.

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The images to the left show different established places of worship. People are free now to choose a religion and are free to worship in their respective places. This is different from around the 17th century where Christianity was forced. Through the struggles of many, people are now able to worship openly within any religion that they choose today, at least in Trinidad and Tobago.

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- Accomplished professor

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-Well established scholar.

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The term “education” refers to the general enlightenment or forwarding of one’s knowledge.  “Religion” refers to a particular system of faith and worship. Education and religion should go hand in hand as students should be educated about the many different religions and spiritual beliefs. However religion should never be forced as it is a choice that people should make on their own. As mentioned in a tutorial, this forcing of religion was the case prior to the 17th century in the western region where the Catholic Church was in control. Catholic schools were also established to teach the community more about the religion. Such schools exist in Trinidad up to this very day. Now there are a multitude of religious schools dedicated to educating students specifically about that religion and also generally in terms of knowledge.  Examples of these schools are ASJA (Islamic school), Hillview (Presbyterian school) and Lakshmi College (Hindu school). This is a very effective system in that people of different religions can attend these schools and educate themselves both mentally and spiritually. Hence, there should exist a collaborative relationship between religion and education.

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At first I expected Caribbean Civilization to be a version of History or Caribbean Studies, however this was not the case. The course itself was very easy to understand and follow as most of the resources were made available on myelearning. The new incorporation of online lectures was a different experience but it was nice to be able to listen to the lectures on my own time in the comfort of my home. In terms of Caribbean Civilization itself, I was made aware of many different perspectives of history that was often overlooked.  Many of the complexities of the Caribbean were brought to light. I learnt about the many relationships that existed on sugar plantations in the Caribbean and about what it was like from the manager's point of view. One of the things that stood out the most to me was the unraveling of the word "enslaved". John Campbell in his book "Beyond Massa" revolutionized the way slaves were looked at and this was an eye opener for me. Also, I learnt about the ever changing identity of the Caribbean and the influence of US imperialism. With the introduction of all these cultures into the Caribbean, I began to understand the concept of Caribbean identity itself and the separation of the Caribbean into sub-identities. These sub-identities include religion. At first I thought that I would not like the course, however I found it particularly enlightening and I would recommend that this subject area be taught at an earlier age group so that common misconceptions can be cleared up at an early stage.