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Cultural Diversity

The term refers to dierent ethnictraditions based on race, language, religion,customs and family practices found in one

society or region (Mohammed 2007!

The vast dierences in the characteristicsand attributes of social groups in the

Caribbean stem from the traditions andactivities of the dierent "uropean po#ersthat coloni$ed the region!


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Cultural diversity results mainly from historicalfactors.

The plantation system caused the inux of

Europeans,Africans, East Indians and Chinese. Each group

brought

its cultural traits and values to the region.

%eriods of &rrival' "uropeans )*2 + 00

(-paniards, .rench, /ritish, Dutch, ermans

&fricans 17 + 07, the -lave Trade

3ndentured labourers 4) + *7' "uropeans,

%ortuguese (Madeirans and Maltese, .ree

&fricans, Chinese, "ast 3ndians


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Main factors that inuence cultural diversity eography 5istory 6anguage

.estivals ace and ethnicity eligions .ood and culinary traditions %olitical systems


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Crop Over In Barbados Antigua Carnival

Divali Hindu Festival of Lights


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Music forms'

Calypso + all islands

eggae + 8amaica

%unta roc9 + /eli$e

:ou9 + Martini;ue, Dominica

-alsa + Cuba

Merin;ue + 5aiti

The steelpan + the only musicalinstrument

created in the Caribbean


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The political systems of the Caribbean vary fromindependent countries to colonies! &ll Caribbeancountries are stable democracies that observe the

rule of la# and governments are changed throughthe electoral process!

5o#ever, colonial relationships persist ' manyindependent countries retain


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!ositive E"ects of Cultural #iversity

3t encourages cultural retention

3t facilitates adapting to and accommodating culturaldierences! 6iving in such societies enables one to reAecton the values and customs of others! Bne can learn toappreciate other cultures!

Members enoy a variety of foods, festivals andcelebrations, etc!

3t enables the development of craft, agricultural

industries as #ell as, the creation of dierentforms of music, art, literature, etc, #hich spea9 tothe e?periences of more than one ethnic group!

Cultural variations attract tourists


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=egative "ects of Cultural diversity' 3t may foment discontent in society! This may arise from

feelings of ethnic superiority aided by perceptions thatone group is getting more out of the national pieE thanoneEs o#n group!

Certain groups (minorities may e?perience discriminationand e?ploitation #hich may lead to social unrest! The ospring of mi?ed unions can e?perience an identity

crisis! "thnic politics develops, #ith political partiesE support

divided along racial lines!

"thnic preudices are preserved through sociali$ation andthis is further reinforced in interaction #ith friends andrelatives!


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5ybridi$ation refers to processes of cultural and ethnic mi?ingto produce a ne# entity #ith elements of each of the parentinAuences (Mohammed, 2007!

Fey terms'

Trans$culturation is the process #hereby t#o cultures meetand mi? and something #ith ne# elements and formsemerge!

Acculturation is the process #hereby one culture isabsorbed into another!

Creoli%ation is the meeting and mi?ing of cultures toproduce something ne# out of the fusion! This term tends tobe speciGcally used to refer to Caribbean processes of mi?ing!

Inter$culturation refers to the cultural mi?ing that occurs ina plural society #here elements of the ethnic groupsEcultures may be incorporated into each otherEs #ay of lifethough there may be limited interaction bet#een the groups!


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During the period of con;uest and slavery ne# groups of people #ere

created from the se?ual unions bet#een "uropeans, &merindians and

&fricans! Miscegenation #as the term used describe such unions!%ersons #ere assigned to social positions of po#er and status

according to the colour of their s9in! %ersons of mi?ed race formed

another ethnic group #ithin the society'

Mesti$os + ospring of &merindians and "uropeans

Mulattoes H ospring of &fricans and "uropeans

-ambo + ospring of mulattoes and &fricans


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& pigmentocracy evolved and it became the norm todescribe someone using their colour as a maor descriptor!%ersons of fairer comple?ion had more po#er and prestige

in society than others!

-ome countries have more colouredsE than others(Trinidad, -t! 6ucia, the .rench Caribbean! -ome countrieshave t#o maor races, blac9 and #hite producing their

coloured populations (&ntigua, /arbados, 8amaicaI othershave many groups (&fricans, "uropeans, &merindians,Chinese, "ast 3ndians such that here are many varietiesand combinations!


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&yncretism refers to the mi?ing of cultural practices from dierentethnic groups to create a dierent entity that fused aspects of theoriginal practices e!g! religion, language, culinary arts, etc!

'eligion-hango, @oodoo, Fumina, Myal, astafarianism are some syncretic religions#ith Christian traditions and a heavy &frican input! Christian elements +recognition of the 5oly -pirit, use of the /ible, communion ceremony, feastdays of saints!

&frican elements H use of drums and other percussion instruments in#orship, dancing in #orship, spirit possession and falling into tranceHli9estates, #earing of headHties by female members!

(anguage Caribbean languages are based on the masterE languages of "urope! They

are

referred to as creole languages because aspects of the master languages#ere

incorporated into language forms that emerged from e?periences duringslavery and colonialism! There are in the "nglishH spea9ing Caribbean' "nglishHbased patios and .renchHbased patois! 5o#ever, there aresimilarities and variations in each type as spo9en bet#een countries!


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Caribbean culinary artsJfood roots reAects its hybridi$ed

culture!

Amerindian )eritage

8amaicaEs bammy and &ntiguaEs bamboola are based on the&merindians use of cassava The Caribs made pepperpotE

#hich is still coo9ed in uyana and some of the islands!

The CaribsEs custom of coo9ing over an open Gre has led tothe #ord barbe;ue! &nother &merindian method of coo9ing,i!e! ba9ing meat or Gsh in a charcoal pit , #as combined #ith

the barbe;ue to give rise to er9ingE in 8amaica!

Bther contributions + the use of dried coconut and corn(grated, boiled, roasted, our love of coconut #aterI spicessuch as hot pepper, s#eet basil, allspice (pimento in 8amaica!


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&panish )eritage

The -panish contributed hot chocolate, avocado,marinated or

escoveitched Gsh, gi$$ada (coconut tart and theircustom of

soa9ing fruits in #ine!

*ritish )eritage The use of diary products, Christmas pudding, fruit salads

and

-#eet bread (bun are part of the /ritish heritage!

The /ritish soldiers and sailors brought breadfruit, blood

%udding (blac9 or rice pudding or #hite pudding from#hich

blood is left out and souse!


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African )eritage

Though planters imported food from &frica to feed their slaves, the

slaves themselves brought many of their foods to include, o9ra,

callaloo (spinach, taro (eddo or coco, their oneHpot method of

preparing most dishes and traditional coo9ing utensils including the

threeHlegged iron pot, grater and mortar and pestle!

-easonings such as siveE, or chives, escallion, ginger, nutmeg,

pimento, and hot pepper, also came from &frica!

Dishes such as, a99ra (seasoned blac9 eye peas, pounded and fried,

fooHfoo (pounded starchy root or fruit, funchi (fungee and duc9unoo

(a, (blue dra#ers in 8amaica, paimee in -t! 6ucia, 9on9ie in /arbados,

-t! Fitts and the @irgin 3slands, ac9ee, parched dried corn beaten Gne

in a mortar and mi?ed #ith sugar, 9no#n as asham or /ro#n eorge

in 8amaica, ashum in &ntigua!

/ush teas and the use of bushE as remedy for ailments and diseases!


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Top' 8amaicaEs =ational Dish H &c9ee and-altGsh

6eft' &ntiguaEs =ational Dish + .ungee and-altGsh

ight' & popular &ntiguan Dish + Ducunaand -altGsh


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East Indian and Chinese )eritage

The East Indians contributed curry, rice, roti, dahl and pelau!

The Chinese also brought heavily spiced food distinguished bybeing

salty, s#eet, sour, gingered and hot! They introduced lettuce,cabbage,

cucumber and green beans! .oods #ere mainly ;uic9 fried, deepfried or steamed! oast suc9ling pig, braised chic9en feet and

vegetarian foods made mainly of bean products are all part of the

Chinese heritage!

Emphasis on vegetable cookery was strengthened by the EastIndians and

Chinese.


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+eish and Americans )eritage

The +es

%otato panca9es and cheese ca9e as #ell as the heavy use of

salt andgarlic are 8e#ish contributions!

The Americans

The =! &merican inAuences are reAected in various items of

pastry

and gourmet dishes! .ast foods (hamburger, hot dog etc!have

become staples in Caribbean cuisine!


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Bral traditions

-avings organi$ation' (bo?, susu, partnerhand, meeting turn

ame' #arri


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Bne of the clearest lin9 the Caribbean has to

&frica is in its oral tradition! The role of the

riotJ8ellis #ho passed do#n stories andaccounts of events of one generation to another

survived slavery and the plantation system! This

tradition is 9ept alive in'

Music' calypso, reggae and dancehall

-torytelling

.ol9tales -imiles and proverbs


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The bo?E is a form of a cooperative pooling of earnings so

that each member may beneGt by obtaining in turn and at

one time all the money paid in by the entire group on agiven time (day, #ee9, month!

3n &frica the bo? is most commonly called esusu! 3t is

called nanamei a9pee (mutual help in hanaI

mahodisana or sto9fel (pays bac9 to each other in -outh

&fricaI sandu9 (putting do#n in -udan! 3n China the bo?

is called hui!


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Karri #hich means houseE is of the mancala

game family and #as brought to &ntigua from

hana #ith the slaves! The game is played #ith a

board into #hich hollo#s are carved! The countersare seeds called nic9ars!

%laying #arri is said to develop planning, analytical

and mathematical s9ills as #ell as foster discipline!

&ntiguan proverb' L3f you play #arri #ith od you

go get no seed!

&ntiguan Movie' L-o &eed


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Cultural erasure this refers to practices that have died out orare dying out (Mohammed, 2007!

easons for cultural erasure include moderni$ation and progress!Moderni$ation refers to the adaptation in the present time toconditions and needs, #hile progress refers to the advance ofsomething better or higher in development! Cultural erasurestems from a tension bet#een the traditional #ays of doingthings and the seeming beneGts of doing things the modern #ay!Modern #ays are seen to be cost eective and eNcient!

Examples of lost cultural traditions storyHtelling, #a9e, singHround, singing meetings and courtship traditions (in &ntigua!

Manifestation of Moderni%ation and !rogress use ofrefrigeration for food preservation, use of over the countermedicines, change in speech patterns (&mericani$ation,

communication technologies! 3mplications of moderni$ation for society and culture' increase in

lifestyle diseases, increased cost of health care, loss of culturalidentity as result of the adoption of foreign cultural practices, e!g!5allo#een, F#an$aa, Than9sgiving, etc!

/uestion. Can a culture be erased0


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Cultural retention refers to practices that have survivedeven #hen most other forms and symbols of a culture areno longer evident (Mohammed, 2007!

!urposes of cultural retention to bond society, revitalisecultural norms and values, reinforce a sense of identity!

Manifestations of cultural retention Carib bas9etrydesigns and technologies, arifuna culture in /eli$e!

Traditions that have survived include bo? (susu, partner hand,meeting turn family land!

Cultural reneal refers to conscious eorts by a group to

return to some elements of its culture #hich it believeshave been ignored or suppressed (Mohammed, 2007 !Cultural rene#al is li9ely to result from historical forces ofchange! "?amples of such forces #ere arveyism *40s,and the /lac9 %o#er movement *70s!

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