Caribbean Studies

Topic: Cultural Diversity

Factors Cultural Diversity in the Caribbean

Elements of Cultural Diversity

 The cultural of the Caribbean is a rich amalgamation of European, African, Indian and indigenous cultural

elements

 It exhibits a form and nature rooted in the harsh realities and coping strategies of the plantation and colonial

society.

 When one thinks of cultural diversity we think of marked differences in Caribbean culture.

 Culture is diverse wherever it occurs. People interpret their culture and act from their social location even

where ethnicity seems homogeneous.

 Cultural diversity is marked by its historical legacy and geographical environment. Within the Greater

Antilles territories share experiences as the arrival of Columbus and later the French and the English; the

destruction of the aboriginal societies, slavery, indentureship and then the struggle for independence.

 Within this melee was the introduction of European agricultural capitalism based on sugar cane cultivation,

African labour and plantation system.

 Within the plantation system developed a secular social structure in which there was sharply differentiated

access to land, wealth and political power and the use of physical differences as status markers.

Geography

 This influences cultural diversity as it regards to place and space. For example the Lesser Antilles with

their mountainous backbone foster fishing as a way of life and cultural communities such as fishing

villages and which have strong ties with similar communities in nearby islands. On the other hand, while

the larger islands do have fishing villages their dominant economic livelihood stems from large scale

agricultural enterprise, situated mainly on fertile costal lowlands.

 Relief, soils and resources affect economic activity which influences settlement patterns. For example, the

coffee growers of Jamaica, the sugar plantations of Cuba, the oil industry in Trinidad, Tourism industry in

Tobago, the fishing villages of the Lesser Antilles, the vast cattle ranches of the Rupununi in Guyana and

the mountainous Pine Ridge of Belize.

Ethnic and Cultural Differences

 This helps to shape diversity but seems more prevalent in Guyana, Trinidad were there is a strong African

and East Indian population.

 Economic power is vested in the Indian community

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  Syncretism that has occurred between these European cultural attributes and indigenous, African and Asian

adaptations.

 Sometimes indigenous, African and to a greater extent, East Indian cultural expressions have survived

intact with minimal European influence, for example, African African herbal knowledge and cooking

practices as seen among the Maroons in Jamaica and the people of Haiti.

Foods and Culinary

 The British, French and Spanish bestowed names and dishes and influence taste patterns in the Caribbean.

Language- there are various languages within the Caribbean ranging from English, Dutch, French and Spanish

which have variations of Creole which is spoken in the respective territories.

Culture as an expression of popular culture for example, music, dance, drama, literature and art and craft, which

differ substantially from one Caribbean territory to another, for example zouk, salsa, calypso, reggae, punta and

cadence.

Cultural Diversity at the Micro- Level

 Socio-economic groups that experience different lifestyles

 Different values and characteristics that comprise rural and urban living

Positive Effects of Cultural diversity

 Members enjoy a variety of foods, festivals, music and cultural celebrations as well as fashion, handicraft

and other cultural expressions such as dance.

 Day- to- day living in such societies provides instances enabling one to reflect on the values and customs of

others: For example, the furore created when a Roman catholic school in Trinidad refuse to enroll a student

wearing a Hijab, and at a later date, a Rastafarian student because of the dreadlocks hair style. These

situations present opportunities for national dialogue which may or may not occur as civilized discourse-

there are opportunities nevertheless.

 One can learn to appreciate other cultures and an array of perspectives by just growing up in the society:

For example, by having close friends in other groups and by invited to religious celebrations and festivals,

or by just observing family life in another culture.

 Diverse and plural societies provide unique conditions which experiments in cultural hybridization may

take place to create wholly different forms of music, art, literature and poetry, which speaks to the

experience of one or more ethnic group.

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  Persons of mixed race, themselves a product of cultural diversity, who do not feel such strong affiliation to

any specific ethnic group, provide interesting alternatives in behavior that may act as mirrors for some

members of the wider society to reflect on and evaluate their own views and reactions.

 It creates strong patriotism

 It is a basis for growth of the tourism industry

 It adds to the richness of the region’s cultural heritage

Negative Effects of Cultural Diversity

 Ethnic prejudices are perpetuated through socialization within the family, which is reinforced in interaction

with friends and acquaintances; differences appears to be so profound that myths and misconceptions of

other race or ethnic groups are believed as fact.

 Ethnic hate may arise out of feelings of ethnic superiority compounded by perceptions that one group is

getting more of the national pie than one’s own group.

 Ethnic political polarization develops due to racial differences. The ethnic lines harden and jobs,

promotions, opportunities and gifts are limited to people of the same ethnicity as that of the ruling party.

 Continued feelings of discrimination, of being exploited, and that ones lifestyle and means of earning a

living may be in jeopardy, lead to social unrest- spontaneous demonstrations, labour riots and outbreaks of

ethnic violence.

Plural Society Thesis: M. G Smith

 Smith believed that people’s culture forms the matrix of their social structure.

 In his model, Smith explains that a common system of basic institutions is shared in homogeneous

societies. However, in plural societies, there are alternative and exclusive institutions that exist and, as a

result, the basic institutions are not shared.

 In Caribbean societies, he sees the major cultural elements, the whites, Africans, East Indians and Chinese,

each practicing different forms of common institutions such as marriage, family and religion.

 He does not see plural societies as being stratified by class, but there may be internal classification among

the various races.

Sources
`1 . Beckford, Evol. Caribbean Studies Course Outline and Notes.

2. Mohammad, Jeniffer. (2008). CAPE Caribbean Studies: An Interdisciplinary Approach. Macmillan Publishers Limited.
3. _____ ( 2011) Caribbean Examination Council CAPE Caribbean Studies: Self Study Guide. Nelson Thornes
Limited.
4. Safa, Helen. ( 2001). Popular Culture, National Identity and Race in Jamaica.” Ian Randle Publishers., identity, nation and
society. Ian Randle Publishers.