CARIBBEAN STUDIES 101

NAME: Leya Coutain

TOPIC: Culture

DATE: 29th October, 2022

LECTURER: A. Cadore-Calliste
         In the Caribbean, some may define culture as all the ways of life including arts,

beliefs, and rituals that are passed down from generation to generation. It is everything that

people create or develop for an entire society; as such, it includes codes of manners, dress,

language, religion, and architectural style. Historically, the Caribbean region had always

sought to unite itself into one main political, economic and social body. Countries in the

Caribbean all have shared norms of festivals and celebrations, the history of the early settlers,

and music.

                   Our festivals and celebrations are part of the legacy of the various civilizations

from which our ancestors came thereafter, allowing us to showcase our creative energies.

Carnival, for example, is one of the powerful symbols of our culture which is an annual

celebration by most Caribbean countries, whether they are nationwide celebrations full of

colors, music, and historical processes and events of Caribbean culture. From Crop Over

Festival, in Barbados to Grenada's Spicemas, let us not forget to make way for the

Caribbean's number one festival in Trinidad and Tobago; that is the trendsetter for most

carnivals today.

              The Caribbean is well known for its history of the early settlers/ indigenous people

from South or Central America who migrated into the Caribbean around 6,000 years ago. The

first people to inhabit the Caribbean arrived in Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic by

boat and later went down to the Lesser Antilles. We learned more about the stories of ancient

individuals to inhabit the Caribbean; from their stone tools, ancient DNA, and archaeological

remains. Some Countries keep the remains of the indigenous people in museums, and it is the

culture that the history of the Caribbean is taught in schools as an early education.

               Calypso, reggae, dancehall, and soca are the rhythms most identified with our

region; having been born of our varied Caribbean cultural experiences. Their lyrics are

1|Page
traditionally based on the Caribbean's oppression, colonialism, and bonded labor. Across our

Region, there are other indigenous musical forms. These include Spouge from Barbados,

Punta from Belize, Zouk from Haiti, Dancehall from Jamaica, and soca from Trinidad and

Tobago.

               Popular conceptions of culture are mediated by our understanding of social life. The

symbolic can easily accommodate the traditional understandings of culture as a 'way of life,

shared meanings, and learned behaviors. Those meanings, however, seem to be generated by

sets of beliefs and values that give significance to something, it is these beliefs and values

that encourage a society to adapt, change or stand tall. Beliefs and values, then, are at the

heart of culture.

References
 Jeniffer Mohammed (2007) Caribbean Studies for CAPE Examinations. St Augustine
Trinidad and Tobago; MacMillan Caribbean

 Our Culture. CARICOM Caribbean Community. Retrieved from

https://caricom.org/our-community/who-we-are/our-culture/

2|Page
3|Page