The Caribbean is a region known not only for its sun, sand and sea, but its festivals. Also known as ‘Caribbean Carnival’, these festivals have spread to the diaspora. Oxford Dictionaries define carnival as, “a period of public revelry at a regular time each year, typically during the week before Lent in Roman Catholic countries, involving processions, music, dancing, and the use of masquerade.” The term and concept of ‘carnival’ originated in Italy, however, with the influence of African culture, carnivals in the Caribbean took on its own form. It can be understood that the modern carnival was born out of colonialism and eventually freedom. According to Julia Hewitt: "In the Caribbean, carnival as a mode of performing resistance, carries the memory of repression and sacrifice, but also of hope, in a sense of becoming other." It is believed that the first Caribbean festival started on the island of Trinidad and Tobago during the 18th century. From Trinidad and Tobago, the festival spread to other islands. Then infused with local cultures of that country to form its own unique ‘carnival’. In this essay, the evolution of three festivals in the Caribbean and its diaspora will be examined. These three festivals are Trinidad and Tobago’s Carnival, New York’s Labor Day Carnival and London’s Notting Hill Carnival. Thus showing the growth and visibility of not only ‘carnival’ but Caribbean culture.
Many festivals in the Caribbean reflect the region’s strong history. As such, it holds ties to plantation life or religious beliefs. It started as a means to celebrate and enjoy life; to preserve cultural traditions, and reflect on cultural diversity. In the diaspora, it is a way to keep the connection between the Caribbean and the people abr...
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...trimental to their interests and provoked young blacks to pelt paraders with stones, cans and bottles. Such disruptions contributed to the cancellation of the Harlem festival.” Thus, showing that even abroad the Carnival wasn’t without its political adversaries. In the 1960s, Carlos Lezema who headed the association was granted permission to hold the festival in Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn. His daughter, Yolanda Lezama-Clark, now overlooks the festival as president.
Works Cited
"carnival: definition of carnival in Oxford dictionary ..." Insert Name of Site in Italics. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2014 .
Richard Scehner
Trinidad Carnival: The Cultural Politics of a Transnational Festival
http://www.nalis.gov.tt/Research/SubjectGuide/Carnival/tabid/105/Default.aspx?PageContentMode=1#80
Julia Hewitt
Fluorescent turquoise waters, a vibrant city culture, as well as an unending supply of mimosas and sunburns within a resort, benefits the common wealthy couple looking for a swell time. When people imagine the Caribbean, they probably visualize the soft sands of the Spice Island Beach Resort. Many people see the Caribbean as relaxing paradise. What people don’t understand, are the years of history hidden behind the mask of many resorts. In the book entitled “Empire’s Crossroads: A History of the Caribbean from Columbus to the Present Day”, Author Carrie Gibson differentiates how people view the Caribbean nowadays, by altering their visualization with four-hundred pages of rich history and culture, that argues the ideology about the Caribbean
Displaying a constructed view of predominately historical European culture, the Arizona Renaissance Festival loosely follows the format of nineteenth-century World’s fair’s midways. The festival is a fair that spreads over thirty acres with booths that sell goods, food and hold games of skill. The festival has eight stages which are the central focus for entertainment. The Arizona Renaissance Festival’s re-production of Europe’s culture and society of the past imparts nominal educational benefits. The festival’s central goal is entertainment and revenue. The participant is removed from the everyday and is placed in an alternate culture where knights, pirates, fairies and belly dancers exist together, generating a fantasy world. The Arizona Renaissance Festival does not have a specific area dedicated to Middle Eastern culture. The entire festival is a journe...
The Caribbean is comprised of a group of island. Jamaica is one of the greatest Antilles. It has a tropical climate. Each country has its own culture, Jamaicans is not an exemption, and they have an assorted and distinctive one. “Their culture is a complex mixture of African, Arabic, European, East Indian, and Chinese roots combining together to create a rich, dynamic heritage” (Gall, 2009).
Puerto Rico is a small island in the Caribbean that holds a vast, and rich culture. Due to its accessible geographical location, it is often called the key to the Caribbean. Puerto Rico enriched its people with one of the most innate and unique culture different from the rest of the world. The colonization of Spaniards left us not only with myriad architectural heritage, but also with language and cultural traditions that beholds Hispanic imagery and representations. Our music, our love of dancing and festivities, as well as our practice of Catholic beliefs represents
Manuel, Peter Lamarche. Caribbean Currents: Caribbean music from rumba to reggae. Philadelphia: Temple University Class, 1995.
societies to reexamine their view of the Caribbean. In this paper the following topics in The
“Nuh ebery thing dat ave sugar sweet” is a jamaican proverb which means not everything which has sugar is sweet or, don’t be tricked by an appearance. Jamaica definitely won’t fool you. Jamaica to tourists, is like a paradise. In the end, every place is unique in its own way and Jamaica is no exception. In this essay you will read about the following topics: Jamaica’s Geography, Jamaica’s History, The Lifestyle of Jamaicans, The Different Jamaican Cuisines , Music of Jamaica, and finally The Festivals of Jamaica.
...ora in the Spanish Caribbean, this is apparent, as demonstrated through the strong attachment to plants and associated practices. Maintaining pieces of this was integral to easing the process of assimilation in the new world: otherwise culturally diffuse, enslaved Africans achieved solidarity on the basis of conceptualizing their new physical space according to their traditional model – of understanding plants in any context; likewise, they fomented an identity surrounding a nature-based religion and medical practices. The relationship with plants arguably served as an agent of unity and resistance against loss of tradition, culture, and knowledge across the Atlantic. Rather than being a strictly geographical phenomenon, the human bond with plants can be seen under a lens of race. The uniquely Afro-Caribbean ethonobotanical legacy serves as tribute to this.
Harlem provided a source of entertainment for many people. With its Jazz Clubs and poetry readings it was the “hip” place to be. This was a shock to many African-American’s, who had never before had the opportunity to perform in such affluent surroundings. Oftentimes funding for these clubs or programs was provided by White Americans. This in itself was not a problem. However, the Harlem Renaissance became so dependant on the funding that when it stopped coming, there was no means by which to keep any of the clubs or literary cafes open. Some clubs in Harlem even discriminated against Black audience members. The popular Cotton Club, which featured solely Black performers, even went so far as to ban African-Americans’ from its audience entirely. Even in the Mecca of supposed racial equality, these sorts of discrimination were still prevalent. Advertisements for products produced by African-Americans were also skewed. Para...
While there are many other components to culture on the island of Trinidad, these can be named as the most defining aspects. Carnival is a celebration and display of all aspects and diversities of culture on the island. Trinidad's culture is defined by a merging of many. The fact that this sort of integration in able to strive and be celebrated in such brilliance, is an example of how diversity can be celebrated and accepted.
As I walk the streets of Bob Marley Avenue, also known as Church Avenue in Brooklyn, New York, I am greeted with the smell of jerk chicken. The community is laid out with stone brick buildings, previously occupied by the Jews in the early 1900s. Expats hear the reggae tunes through a huge speaker located on top of the stores that are owned by Jamaican expats. The auditory canal can hear the different dialects as the ear drum is plastered with the lyrics of Beres Hammond, a famous Jamaican singer. Everyone is excited about the upcoming concert that will be occurring at the Roy Wilkins Park in Queens. The excitement can be recognized through the facial expressions of Jamaican expats. The crowd that rushes out of the meat market with interest of telling their friends and family of a concert that only happens once a year. The Jamaica...
As the Hispanic Caribbean has evolved it has managed to grow and thrive beyond belief, whether one is discussing art, music or just the culture alone the Hispanic Caribbean is truly reaping the benefits of allowing themselves to be influenced by many other cultures. While the Hispanic Caribbean is thriving they are still facing the many new found struggles that come along with the territory of becoming more affluent as well as more accepting to other cultures and their beliefs. Often with the growth of large proportions comes many problems, problems also can come about when incorporating of different cultures as a whole as well as just bringing in their beliefs and mannerisms. None the less it can be argued that the struggles being faced in
Caribbean music is formed based on the tradition of Calypso, Soca, Zouk, and Reggae. They own a diversity style music since being bordered by the islands of Jamaica, Haiti and Trinidad. Morden community has fight for their independence and some islands won their or being a part of invading country only. Specially is the freedom of Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica with their self-sufficient and others now belong to the United States. These things had happening at the sametime that broke the Caribbean culture apart and created a diversity history.
The way in which Benítez-Rojo and Mintz tackle the question of Caribbean identity in their articles, is a removed, objective ideal, in contrast to Michelle Cliff’s portrayal of Jamaican identity. Cliff’s portrayal touches the heart and soul of Caribbean identity. While Mintz and Benítez-Rojo are investigating trends in the Caribbean as a whole, from an outside perspective, Cliff offers the personal, tactile imagery of what it is to live in the Caribbean, utilizing the objective account of history as a background. Furthermore, Cliff deals with Jamaica, one island in the Caribbean, while Mintz and Benítez-Rojo are dealing with the Caribbean on a grand scaled overview. The fact is neither article can be taken as complete truth. In fact, although Cliff uses history in her novel, I believe the account of history from someone who has completely accessed the interior of a place, is always going to be biased. Likewise, Mintz and Benítez-Rojo in making their hypotheses, are lacking an insider’s view. It is the difference between a Caribbean person and Caribbeanist, respectively. Therefore, while on a logical level, an analytical level, Benítez-Rojo and Mintz’s, conclusions as to Caribbean identity could rightly be accepted, these two authors do not possess the experience and intensity to make me as a reader, convinced of their conclusions.
Every country in the world has its own festival and celebration. People all around the world love joining together and sharing good time through the festivals and celebrations. Festivals are great way to experience local culture. Sometime they even offer a glimpse into past. There are hundreds of festivals across the world. So are you ready to experience of fun and colorful festivals? Below are some of festivals from Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America.