Caribbean Studies Syllabus

Burton (2015) in her Journal, ‘Globalisation and Cultural Identity in Caribbean Society: The Jamaican Case,’ however points out that Jamaica has a unique culture and this has shaped how that countries adapts to the effects of colonialism and even globalisation.

the taste of their traditional cuisine, and so on. And that is why we find that almost all that is distinctive about indigenous Caribbean culture owes its inspiration, its image and likeness, to Africa. It is also probably why there is no enduring large-scale mass Back to India or Back to China movements coming out of

Each society was a small kingdom and the leader was called cacique. At the time of Columbus, there were five different kingdoms on the island of Hispaniola. The Indians practiced polygamy. Most men had two or three wives, but the caciques had has many as thirty. It was a great honor for a woman to be married to a cacique. She not only enjoyed a materially superior lifestyle, but also her children were held in high esteem.

Throughout history, race, social development, politics and colonization have played a major role in the indoctrination of modern day Caribbean peoples mind subconsciously. Haiti and the Dominican Republic are two countries that were once one nation, however, the long-lasting effects of colonialism have separated the island which the nations sit into two independent Caribbean countries. Numerous events have led to the modern day conflicts and issues between these great nations, which include violations of civil rights, deportation and violence. To illustrate, relations that developed after the Parsley Massacre and the independence of these nations played a major role in their current social and racial battles. While the nations hatred for each other is clear today, it is important to note that the feud between Haiti and the Dominica Republic has been going on for more than 400 years.

The Caribbean is a vastly diverse area representing the effects of colonialism, slavery, and the combination of many cultures.

The caribbean is where a small island, contains two countries within its borders and a long history of conflict. Haiti and the Dominican Republic are two different country, with completely different cultures, from religion, to the food they eat, Two countries, with two different, yet correlating stories. A story of conflict is what unites these two countries. This paper will attempt to analyse that story, and answer how this small island came to be divided into two countries, and inhabited by two peoples of such different cultures. This paper will also take a small look at the results of this history, and it’s effects on both countries.

Morales talks about Puerto Rican cultures by explaining what Caribbean people like to do: eat, sing, how they have different ways to dance and enjoy different types of music. “I am Caribeña, island grown. Spanish is in my flesh, ripples from my tongue, lodge in my lodge in my hips; the language of garlic and mangoes, […] (Morales 1174). She associates with those specific tastes and her home culture. Food is an important element of cultural identity.

While more and more visitors crowd into the Notting Hill Carnival (see Table 1), it’s not only useful to develop its societal impact through education and the improvement policy of better racial harmony (ibid), but also promote its economic

(a) Name two groups of Amerindians who lived in the Caribbean before the arrival of the Europeans in 1492.

Cultural Retention, I would not describe as a process but more of a conscious action or attempt to not only preserve, but improve upon certain practices and customs. This will occur when a tradition not only links to a major segment of a society’s history, but when it functions as a source of identity and pride. It also works to the tradition’s advantage when it is enjoyable and/or entertaining. A very prominent example of cultural retention in the Caribbean is Independence Day celebration. All across the region, no matter the island, the anniversary of its independence is seen as a special occasion. It is an event where the entire island takes a moment to remember its history and where society recalls its roots. It is important to note that this is a period where several cultures, both new and old are observed and analysed to see how they link to the island’s history. In the island of Barbados, Independence Day is recognised yearly as a time where the all

The evolution of Caribbean Literature started centuries before the Europeans graced these shores and continues to develop today. Quite noticeably, it developed in a manner which transcended all language barriers and cultures. Today the languages of the Caribbean are rooted in that of the colonial powers - France, Britain, Spain and Holland - whose historical encounters are quite evident throughout the region. The cosmopolitan nature of the region's language and cultural diversity develop from the mixture of European languages with Native American languages (mainly the Caribs and Arawaks) in the formation of creoles and local patois (hybrid languages) and those of Africans brought to the Caribbean as

To begin Latin America and the Caribbean as many countries that make up it group of countries. These countries each have an individual national identity which can be built in bountiful of ways. Firstly, a national identity is something that can presented by a single country using the greater of a wealth of topics, for example politics, culture, historical, climate and tourist attraction, this is just a small amount that can make up a country national identity. The country that this writing assignment is specifically about the one country of The Bahamas. The Bahamas as a country has many elements to its national identity and many of those elements will be discussed in detail throughout this paper. The first component of that national

Before globalization, Latin America and the Caribbean was isolated from the world and from itself. The indigenous people of Latin America lived in the most remote regions

This demographic revolution had important social consequences. Rather than being a relatively homogeneous ethnic group divided into categories based on economic criteria, Caribbean society

It has influenced the rise in crime as more persons become squeezed into smaller living areas, which are densely populated. The crime rate escalates as the persons in the densely populated areas desire to climb out of these areas and obtain the lifestyles of the tourists who look prosperous and the “other” Bahamians who are enjoying the “good life”. In order to obtain the “American Dream” as seen by the tourists who come to the Bahamas, some factions of the Bahamian youth turn to selling drugs, prostitution, gangs (which give them the perception of power) and ultimately taking drugs. The desire to become wealthy quickly then causes a proliferation of the drug culture. The drug culture negatively affects other factions of the Bahamian populace as it causes an increase in burglaries, rapes, home invasions, murder etc.