Caribbean Civilisation: FOUN 1101 by Johann John

Introduction

JohannJohn — 2017-07-07 19:50:41 UTC

This portfolio is a reflection of my knowledge and insight obtained through participating in this course, the importance of knowing the history of the geographical area in which I was born and spent my entire life thus far the (Caribbean) specifically the twin republic island of Trinidad and Tobago. It shall provide evidence that my thinking and understanding of certain economic and social issues, customs, culture and norms that have taken place in the past and currently in my region has been modified as my ignorance towards the history of my country and the Caribbean’s history has diminished. For the three objectives that are to be undertaken in my portfolio each would have a different theme or topic as it shows my appreciation for different aspects of knowledge gained.

Cricket

JohannJohn — 2017-07-07 19:54:20 UTC

Before I embarked on the historical journey of the Caribbean through this course, I never truly understood how important this sport was to the Caribbean region. Only now I got to understand that this sport had deep roots in the hearts of the Caribbean people originating back to colonial era and days of slavery.
"Beyond a Boundary" (1963) is a memoir on cricket written by the Trinidadian Marxist intellectual C. L. R. James. It mixes social commentary, particularly on the place of cricket in the West Indies and England, with commentary on the game, arguing that what happened inside the "Boundary Line" in cricket affected life beyond it, as well as the converse. He approached cricket as an art form, as well as discussing its political impact - particularly the role of race and class in early West Indian cricket. West Indians have come to understand that cricket is an instrument for a particular purpose.
"The Importance of Cricket to West Indian People", written by R.M Austin further analyzes the value of cricket, he states "It is cricket which has allowed the West Indian to measure him or herself in terms of ability, competence and skill against other nations of the world. Cricket has liberated many a West Indian from the shackles of poverty and social backwardness and has elevated many players to the status of heroes and icons" (R.M Austin, 2).

Works Cited

JohannJohn — 2017-07-07 20:46:07 UTC

Austin, R.M. "The Importance of Cricket to West Indian People ." n.d. The Integrationist Caribbean. 4 July 2017 .

James, C. L. R. Beyond a Boundary. Stanley Paul & Co. Ltd, 1963.

Norton, Noel. Noel Norton's 20 Years of Trinidad Carnival. Trinidad & Tobago Insurance Limited, 2009.

Trinidad Express Newspapers. Blacks Killing Blacks: Sandy, Jack react to charges of racism in State of Emergency arrests. 3 September 2011. 5 July 2017 .

Images/Media Used:

Arawak Carib Dancers History of Trinidad. 2015. Tobago Today . Web. 4 July 2017.
http://tobago.today/tobago-village/arawak-carib-dancers-history-of-trinidad/

C. L. R. James Biography. 2013. TheFamousPeople.com. Web. 4 July 2017. C. L. R. James was an Afro-Trinidadian journalist, writer and a historian. http://thirdworldsolidarity.com/2014/03/04/c-l-r-james/.

Pat Patrick. “My Culture Trinidad and Tobago.” YouTube. 23 Feb 2013. Web. 5 July 2017. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kgku01wi07g.

Police in Trinidad and Tobago. 2013. Insight Crime. Web. 6 July 2017. http://www.insightcrime.org/images/articlesk2/85fe60102d31d677a386909e1cdda4e1.jpg.

Ethnic, Cultural and Religious Diversity of Trinidad

JohannJohn — 2017-07-08 00:30:17 UTC

When it comes to cultural and ethnic diversity in the Caribbean no other Island can beat Trinidad for its rich mixture of culture, mixed ethnic groups, mixed cuisine, religious festivals and holidays and different religious groups. Traces of indigenous groups and culture still live on in Trinidad for example; the Carib or more accurately (Kalinago) community in Arima, whom on the 1^st of August and last Sunday of August every year carry out various actives and festivities in celebration and remembrance of their ancestors.
Every colonial power that settled on Trinidad also left a piece of their culture embedded in the island’s DNA , the Spanish the French and the British. The most significant however would be the Enslaved Africans and indentured East Indians who remained and inhabited the island as a vast majority post-colonial era. There were even Chinese settlers some who came in under indentureship. Today Trinidad has many holidays and religious festivals which are celebrated; Divali, Eid, Phagwa, Emancipation Day and Shouter Baptist liberation just to name a few. The most popular however would be the Trinidad’s Carnival. Many writers agree that Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival bring together people of diverse backgrounds. It is a mix of cultural expressions, reflecting African, European, and Asian influences. Although there are some disagreements about the roots of the festival, most writers pinpoint the start of the festival in Trinidad and Tobago in the late eighteenth century. They further contend that both European (French) and West African traditions were critical in its early formation (Norton, 2009, p. 22-26).
Mixed religion is also an important aspect of Trinidad’s identity. The largest religious groups are the Protestant Christians (including Anglicans, Presbyterians, Methodist, Evangelicals, Pentecostals and Baptist), Roman Catholic Christians, Hindus; and Muslims. Two Afro-Caribbean syncretic faiths, the Shouter or Spiritual Baptists and the Orisha faith are among the fastest growing religious groups.

Reflection

JohannJohn — 2017-07-08 04:07:53 UTC

As a student I must admit that at no point throughout my years of seemingly never ending studies, history was at no point ever really included in my curriculum hence I lacked knowledge in this aspect of my education until now. I never imagined I would have been so enlightened and enjoyed the knowledge I gained throughout this course. As a Trinidadian and member of the Caribbean I feel as I have gained a sense of my identity I was not in touch with. My eyes have certainly been open to social and economic issues I am faced with in my environment every day. What impacted me the most in this course was my enhanced knowledge on African slavery and the critical dire impact on the mind of the African individual that is most evident in today’s society. Also why the social and economic structure of Trinidad today is almost entirely influenced by the deep rooted colonial history of the island and the disparity and distribution of wealth among ethnic groups. Another aspect of the course which was new to me was the online learning, as a working student it definitely was convenient economical and time saving, in the end I must conclude that FOUN 1101 was an integral part of my all round knowledge as a student and my ability to be a critical thinker in society.

Crime

JohannJohn — 2017-07-08 04:17:25 UTC

Social inequality and poverty in the Caribbean date back to colonialism, as the slave trade created a lasting impact on the social order and economic system of many islands. Africans in particular have been broken down the most, mentally, as they were the victims of and endured the absolute worse form of slavery known to this day, “Chattel Slavery”. Within this system the enslaved West Africans were ‘chattel’, i.e. property that could be bought and sold with impunity. As property, they had no rights before the law and could be murdered or raped without any form of redress. As a result, the reality of enslavement on a Caribbean sugar estate was, in fact, the destruction of the person both mentally and physically.
Even after their emancipation, the British-imposed system of apprenticeship was callously designed to cement the African in a permanent state or status of powerlessness. But more viciously, the African was denied any sense of his true history, identity and culture. The violent past has indeed scarred the Caribbean region, creating a deeply divided society brewing with bitter resentment.
In 2011 during a Parliament debate on the State of Emergency at the Red House, Port of Spain, former National Security Minister BrigadIer John Sandy stated “when one looked at the prison population, of the 2,678 prisoners in 2006, 1,532 were Afro-Trinidadians (57 per cent); in 2007, of 2,726 prisoners, 1,464 were Afro-Trinidadians (54 per cent); in 2008, of 3,012 prisoners, 1,610 or 54 per cent were Afro-Trinidadians; in 2009, of a total of 1,886, 1,776 or 57 per cent were Afro-Trinidadians; in 2010, of 2,412 prisoners, 1,300 were Afro-Trinidadians; in 2011, of 1,734 prisoners, 890 or 51 per cent are Afro-Trinidadians.” Such statistics show that Africans continue to be at war within themselves and society.