The Formation of the Caribbean Society- Cultural and Ethnic Diversity

A representation of racial diversity in the Caribbean

The Formation of a Diverse Caribbean Society

 Caribbean culture can be viewed as a body of learned behaviors common to the Caribbean region, and which is passed on from generation to generation (Murray 2). Cultural expressions include the Arts, Sports, and Festivals. 

Music, Dance, Literature and other art forms are all passed down from the generations before and contribute to forming a Caribbean culture.

The Caribbean culture is shaped by the various diasporic groups who peopled the region. The Caribbean people today involve descendants of the indigenous peoples, the Africans, the Europeans, and the Asians (Indians and Chinese). This is the cause of the racially and culturally diverse Caribbean population today. The Africans were introduced to the Caribbean through the Caribbean Chattel Slavery system that took place from 1662 to 1834. The Europeans involve the  Spanish, English, Dutch, and French, who were colonizers of the Caribbean countries, some of which were plantation owners during the periods of slavery and indentured labour. After the emancipation of slavery in 1834, Chinese indentureship schemes were introduced, from the 1850s to the 1880s. Over 500,000 East Indians entered the Caribbean region between 1838- 1917 because of the East Indian Indentureship scheme. 

The Caribbean society today is made up of the descendants of all of these diasporic groups. The food, dress, music, religion, festivals and political life of the different diasporic groups came together to form a Caribbean culture (Hall 42,43).