In the Caribbean the terms “Caribbean Identity” and “Caribbean self” are very familiar. As mentioned above identity can be defined as the individual characteristics, style or manner that is fundamental to a person and by which that person is ‘identified’ or recognized. This page however, focuses on the external influencrs of identity as it relates to society which includes social and cultural situations. 

We are Caribbean

We come from different places with different faces and different races. 
We nuh black, we nuh white, we nuh grey. 
We nuh fixed. 

We are Caribbean

De whole betta dan de sum  ah de parts
Some ah we come by force              from Africa.
Some ah we come fuh wok                from India.
Some ah we come fuh business
from China an Syria.
But some ah we mix with each other and mek new things.
                       We unique.

We are Caribbean

Altho we might nuh always get along, we still went tru plenty ah de same ting. 

We are Caribbean

De European dem did use we fuh we labour, but we geh we freedom. 
Now we live in de aftermaths of slavery. 

We set free. 

Now if yuh see!
All ah we have we own songs tuh sing.
(It have no trini, bajan or vincey who doh know bout Bob Marley.)
We cud pray tuh who we wah- and celebrate each oda ting.
Dance wen we wah.
Eat all ah de food each one ah we bring, plus de ones we mek togeda
Is free we free!
We speak we own languages now. 
Everybody did come wit dey own voice, and dey try tek it way from we.. but now we have we own.

We are Caribbean 

We is people like everybody else.
Buh we history rich like the soil we toil long ago. next time yuh fren dem from home ask yuh bout Caribbean, tell dem we nuh so simple. We is ah whole set ah islands an is plenty ah we who come from all ova an mek we own mark here. 

We are original. 
We are diamonds made from the rough. 
We are unique.
We are eccentric.
We are dynamic.
We are Caribbean.

We are Caribbean! 

“Umm, I would have to say they are very happy and very friendly. They are mixed and love their bellies.” 

The issue of religion: 

The Africans in the Caribbean were highly Christianized by the Europeans by the time the Indians came. Due to their Christianity, they saw the religious practices of the Indians (Hinduism and Islam) as wrong and “heathenistic” ; just as the Europeans had done to them previously. However, the Indians were allowed to express themselves religiously; different to the Africans who were subjected. This caused division between the groups. 

The issue of opportunities (education and politics): 

The Planter class, in general, did not attempt to improve the living conditions of the Indians. Whilst Africans in the twentieth century were accessing education and joining local assemblies, for example, the Indians were not. 
 When the planter class left the Caribbean, the educated Africans took their positions. Africans dominated the police force and most government jobs. 

In the Caribbean today, racism still exists and most of it is a result of slavery. Most ethnicities obtained the same level of opportunities, however, discrimination is still prevalent.

(below is a link to an article addressing the saturation of African people in the police force.)