Caribbean Civilisation by Anisa Ali https://padlet.com/anisawali18/8gu26tnhjxovrxw All Ah We Is One en-us 2020-04-24 17:54:28 UTC 2020-04-25 04:22:32 UTC hello@padlet.com The Caribbean anisawali18 https://padlet.com/anisawali18/8gu26tnhjxovrxw/wish/529544185 “All ah we is one” is a statement, which truly describes the Caribbean. The Caribbean can be defined as the region in the Americas which comprises the Caribbean Sea, its islands and the surrounding areas. The region is southeast of North America and the Gulf of Mexico, east of Central America and to the northwest of South America (Thompson, 71). The Caribbean comprises of the Lesser Antilles, the Greater Antilles, the Mainland Territories and other territies. The Lesser Antilles is divided into three smaller islands group: the Windward Islands, the Leeward Islands and the Leeward Antilles. The Lesser Antilles is a double arc of islands that stretch from the Virgin Islands to Trinidad. The Greater  Antilles refers to the four largest islands in the Caribbean which are Cuba, Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominica Republic), Jamaica and Puerto Rico. The Mainland Territories includes Belize, Suriname, Guyana and French Guiana. The other territories which are considered part of the Caribbean includes The Cayman Islands, The Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands (Thompson, 72). Although, the Caribbean is not one individual island but rather an archipelago of islands, they share many similarities ranging from its history, societies and identity. For this reason, we can say that “all ah we is one” regardless of our location or ethnicity. ]]> 2020-04-25 02:01:30 UTC https://padlet.com/anisawali18/8gu26tnhjxovrxw/wish/529544185 Our Caribbean History Before The Arrival of Columbus anisawali18 https://padlet.com/anisawali18/8gu26tnhjxovrxw/wish/529545248 As individuals it is important to know and understand our history. Our history begins with the first people who were called the Paleo‐Indians, Meso‐Indians and Neo‐Indians. The first to arrive were the Paleo-Indians who arrived into the region about 5,000 B.C. They came across the sea from South and Central America. The Paleo-Indians lived in seaside communities and had a diet consisting of wild berries, fishes and wild animals. They relied heavily on basic tools made from stones and shells. The second to arrive were the Meso-Indians who came around 500 B.C. They came from South America and settled firstly on the island of Trinidad and then headed northwards to the islands of the Greater Antilles. Finally, the third group of Amerindian people to settle in the Caribbean were the Neo-Indians. The Neo-Indians cultivated their own crops and were divided into two further sub-groups (University of the West Indies, 5 – 6). ]]> 2020-04-25 02:03:51 UTC https://padlet.com/anisawali18/8gu26tnhjxovrxw/wish/529545248 Our Caribbean Society anisawali18 https://padlet.com/anisawali18/8gu26tnhjxovrxw/wish/529546751 A society is a group of people that originates from a common place or a group that calls a particular location ‘home’. All society exhibits the characteristics of a shared common purpose, a defined territorial space, continuity over time and space and citizenship within a space. The shared common purpose of a society refers to the common experiences and interests shared by the group of people. The defined territorial space refers to the area where the society exist. Continuity over time and space refers to the existence of a group and its most permanent aspects of their culture within a space over a particular period of time. Lastly, citizenship within a space refers to being native to the state or country. 
From this we understand that the Caribbean is a society. We see this through the common history that we share of European colonisation through the British, Spanish, French and Dutch. Today, we still see the impact of their presence in our family structure, education system, food, language, architecture and the sports we play. Our common geographical location also makes us a society. Our commonality in race, ethnic heritage and migratory patterns of inhabitants also demonstrate that the Caribbean is a society. Lastly, our similarities in religious influences, our language and forms of communication also proves the Caribbean to be a society (Thompson 118- 121). The Caribbean is rich and diverse with blended cultures and heritages all of which was inherited from our past. Our divine culture and heritage is what makes the Caribbean a unique society which is different from the rest of the world. Therefore, let us embrace our common purpose, our defined territorial space and our citizenship and remember that ‘all ah we is one”. 
]]> 2020-04-25 02:07:20 UTC https://padlet.com/anisawali18/8gu26tnhjxovrxw/wish/529546751 Our Caribbean Identity anisawali18 https://padlet.com/anisawali18/8gu26tnhjxovrxw/wish/529548781 In understanding what it truly means to be Caribbean, one must understand his or her identity. The word identity may be defined as the recognisable face of something or someone and it comprises the conceptions, qualities, beliefs and expressions that make up a person or group (Thompson, 126). Abrahim Khan (1996), defines the term identity as elusive. Khan linked the term to the idea of consciousness or self-awareness.  In the article Identity, Ethnicity, and the Caribbean Homeland in an Era of Globalization, Ralph R. Premdas informs readers that identity emerges from collective group consciousness that imparts a sense of belonging derived from membership in a community (3). Premdas goes on to say that the categories of identity includes social attributes such as race, language, religion, culture and region (3). 
The Caribbean society can be defined in terms of its cultural identity. We are richly diversified with multiple races such as Europeans, Africans, Asian, Indians, Chinese and many mixes. We have many rich and beautiful skin tones ranging from white, black, brown and many shades in between. In the Caribbean, there are many various religious beliefs that we follow such as Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Rastafarianism. Not only are there multiple races and religions but there are also a multitude of languages that Caribbean people speak in. They include Spanish, English, Dutch, French, Hindustani, Bhojpuri, Urdu and a diverse number of Creoles such as Papiamentu, Sranan and Tongo (4). Living in such a diverse society, enables us to interact with people of different backgrounds and become aware of their culture and heritage. This exposure to their culture helps us to become accepting and broad-minded individuals. Also, by interacting with different cultures we experience different experiences which provides us with valuable knowledge. With that being said, although the Caribbean society is richly diversified, it is very easy to identify the different cultural influences based on our behaviours and habits and even by looking at us. Regardless of our race, religion, language, and culture we should always strive to co-exist peaceful since “all ah we is one”.
]]> 2020-04-25 02:11:38 UTC https://padlet.com/anisawali18/8gu26tnhjxovrxw/wish/529548781 Our Caribbean History After The Arrival of Columbus anisawali18 https://padlet.com/anisawali18/8gu26tnhjxovrxw/wish/529569387 At the time of the arrival of Christopher Columbus, there was not much written about the first people, their advances and discoveries/progress. This led to our Caribbean history being taught from the Europeans point of view. In Christopher Columbus’ diary entries he described his first encounter with the Indians, he wrote “the natives’ bodies was well-formed and handsome; as naked; and as the colour of the Canarians, neither black nor white” (Humes, 194).  It didn’t take long after the arrival of the Spaniards to change everything that was established by these various groups of people, for example, the name of the island Waitukubuli would be changed to Dominica by the Spanish folks (Humes, 189). The Europeans existence among the indigenous people led to a decline of them which was due to genocide, the encomienda system, declining birth rate, food shortages and diseases that the Europeans brought. Due to the rapid decrease of the indigenous people, the slavery system came into existence in the Caribbean. Chattel slavery was the form of slavery. Chattel slavery involved the ownership and use of mainly West African people as labourers on plantations, the suppression of their rights and the imposition of new norms that meant them adhering to and carrying out the instructions of their master. Following the abolition of slavery, the indentureship system was implemented to provide labourers. Indentureship refers to the state or period of being a servant bound to service for a specific time in return for passage to a colony (Thompson, 106 – 110). Today, it can be said that our past is central to our sense of identity. The people that we are today comes from an understanding of our origins and how we have developed over time. History provides us with some familiarity of the past. This is important because when objects/situations are familiar they become comfortable to us. Therefore, when we are comfortable with our Caribbean history, we become comfortable with all nationalities and most importantly we become comfortable with who we are. History also serves as a means of guidance. This implies that the lessons of the past are helpful in directing our current and future actions (University of the West Indies, 7). With that being said, we can see that through the Caribbean’s shared experiences of colonisation, slavery and indentureship we can boldly say “all ah we is one”.]]> 2020-04-25 02:57:33 UTC https://padlet.com/anisawali18/8gu26tnhjxovrxw/wish/529569387