Caribbean – Global Interactions

1. Caribbean – Global Interactions

2. Objectives Students should be able to understand the factors which have shaped Caribbean society and culture Appreciate how cultural traits evident through out the region have resulted from Caribbean peoples’ experiences Understand the common features which exist within Caribbean diversity

3. Creative Expressions Objective: discuss the influence of creative expressions of extra-regional countries on the Caribbean Festivals: • Most of the Caribbean countries have shown strong influences of extra-regional countries, namely those of the European colonizers • This however has changed due to the creativity of the Caribbean people by adapting the cultural forms of the colonizer into distinctive hybrid products of their own

4. Festivals Western influences an be found in Christian observances such as : • Christmas • Easter These festivals are celebrated in a similar fashion due to foreign mass media (decorations, commodities and gifts) and commercialization

5. Festivals Festivals that show long established Caribbean traditions: • Corpus Christi • Good Friday • Ash Wednesday • All Saints’ Day The West also had little impact on Muslim, Hindu, Orisha and Amerindian

6. Festivals • Secular festivals such as Valentine’s day and Old Year’s Night, Mother’s and father’s Day and Halloween has been greatly influenced by the US again due to the penetration of foreign media • Most of the production for gifts and cards for these events also originate in the US

7. Carnival • How carnival was celebrated reflected the resistance of the oppressed people – they parodied and satirized European attitudes, dress and mannerisms under the guise of celebration, so that the traditions of critique, social commentary and resistance was strongly entrenched in the celebration. • Carnival in Dominica and T & T was first associated with the French Roman catholic influence • In Antigua, Barbuda and Barbados it is celebrated to commemorate emancipation

8. Carnival • Carnival celebrations in the islands where tourism is a great income earner has been greatly influenced by extra-regional countries: • What events are staged • Where they are located • How they are packaged to be of interest to the tourist • Admission for shows • Selling the rights to reproduce certain events to foreign media • Production of CDs and videos

9. Carnival • In T&T evidence can be seen in the areas of: • Technology – computers used to create images of costumes, sourcing of foreign materials to build costumes and the sound technology found in music recordings and live entertainment • Development of ideas – the mas bands are inspired by themes that range from sci-fi to abstract portrayals of globalization, oppression, capitalism, gender issues and ecological awareness • Built structures – large floats (some with air-conditioned rooms) – similar to what is found in Italy and new Orleans • Music that is exported – traditional calypso is no longer exported, it has been sidelined for the new wave, jump and wine soca

10. Music • Caribbean music is known for its resistant themes which spring from the region’s history of oppression – colonialism, bonded labour and social stratification • The most successful musical forms generated from the British Caribbean are : • Reggae • Calypso • Steelband These originated in Jamaica and among the shanty towns and urban poor in Trinidad

11. Music • Calypso had grassroots origins as calypsonians sought to expose the inequities such as racism, and political oppression and voiced alternative opinions to that of the establishment (colonial politics and Roman catholic Church) • Their compositions combined wit, satire and humour to poke fun at important persons therefore it was a means whereby the poor and powerless could resist and ridicule the highest authorities

12. Theatre Arts • Comprises of drama, dance and stage craft • In the Caribbean it also includes: • Traditional dances, • Limbo • Stick fights • Folk singing • Chanting • Drumming • Story-telling However the extra-regional influences was very evident in how Caribbean theatre developed

13. Theatre Arts • Language – debate between patois and standard english • Theme – decolonization: conflicts and tension over issues such as identity, discrimination based on race, colour and class • Therefore theatre arts are not only a form of entertainment but an attempt to bring awareness to Caribbean people through humour, tradegy, musical productions, dance and even arts in education programs for school

14. Theatre Arts • Caribbean theatre arts have into a creative adaptation of western styles and genres largely by incorporating: • Caribbean language • Local musical rhythms • The oral traditions • Call and response episodes • Folklore characters • Picong – repartee that is stinging in its wittiness (usually of a sexual nature)

15. The West however has played a role in the growth and development of: • Poets • Playwrights • Actors • Dramatists • Writers • Novelists Some Caribbean writers and playwrights that are internationally known are Derek Walcott, Vidia Naipaul, Earl Lovelace and Jamaica Kincaid

16. Culinary Practices • The culinary arts in the Caribbean also show s a high degree of creative adaption of the food traditions of Europe, Africa, India, China and the pre-Columbian people • A staple in the Caribbean is saltfish or salted cod • Jamaica – ackee and saltfish is the national dish • St Vincent – roast breadfruit and saltfish • Antigua – duckanoo and saltfish It originated in the importations of salted and smoked fish from British colonies

17. Culinary Practices • It should also be noted that animal parts were not considered to be fit for human consumption and therefore given to the enslaved • As a result salted smoked and pickled meats became very popular in the Caribbean • Smoked herring • Pigtail • Black pudding • Pig foot or chicken foot souse • Cow heel • Goat belly most of the Western countries do not use the various animal parts in their cooking

18. Culinary Practices • Note that while the food may be similar – the preparation and how it served differs greatly • E.g. rice and peas is a Caribbean staple but red beans and rice of Jamaica is very different from the national dish of haiti • The French influence is still in existence in Haiti, Martinique, Guadeloupe and Dominica – especially seen in the herbs, spices and sauces • Caribbean cuisine is hot and spicy based on the influences of the Caribs, Indians and Africans

19. Culinary Practices • The British has very little influence on Caribbean cuisine in terms of taste, spices and herbs • One of the main staples that did come from the British was the Irish potato (but cooked very differently in the Caribbean) • However the Caribbean people do drink tea and speak of it as anything from coffee to milo to ovaltine to cocoa. They may also have porridge for breakfast • Oats and wheat has been mostly replaced by cornmeal

20. Culinary Practices • Gravy is also British but cooked separately – in the Caribbean it is cooked as part of the dish • The West has made a big impact in the areas of time-saving gadgets, appliances and pre-cooked products such as ham, cakes, home baked bread etc • Another impact is in the area of fast-food chains It can therefore be said that to people in extra-regional countries, Caribbean cuisine represents the ethnic foods of a metropolitan center