Culture in the Little Antilles is vigorous thanks to the colorful mixture of people living here, which the French call créolité

Almost all Caribbean people are, in some sense, foreigners, and not only tourists, European communities or rich Americans that have settled here, but also natives, whose ancestors were born in the Caribbean but with roots in other continents. The present Caribbean people come from African slaves, Chinese or Indian workers, European colonists, or Near East traders. Also the Caribbean Indian tribes came from South America.

Many Caribbeans come from Africans that arrived as slaves, after surviving a wicked trip lasting several weeks, forced to leave back their former lives and families, and transported into a new and strange world.

After the abolition of slavery, their descendants decided to stay here, and many prospered, though that time still casts a dark shadow over the region; in fact, very often the present economic and social problems are said to be a consequence of the past. However, today Caribbeans think very little about their tragic history, and more than that, they have a strong feeling of national and regional identity that has helped them to forget past injustices. Most of them rather look towards the future.

Creole Mixture
Caribbean society is by definition, a mixture of different people and cultures. The word “Creole”, that first was used to difference Europeans from their American born descendants, now has a new meaning, and currently is the name given to the culture formed by the mixture of many influences. The word is applied to language, cooking, clothes and architecture.

The European Factor
From the very first Spanish expeditions, the European influence marked these islands. In the East Caribbean, countries with major influence are the United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands, though the latter is of lesser extent. This can be confirmed watching cricket grounds in Barbados, the sophisticated French cuisine in Martinique, or the warehouse roofs in Curacao. However, excepting some few colonial bases in some islands, the European dominance days are far back, and now would be very hard to find, in the Caribbean lands, a small copy of the old metropolis.

The European influence has been substituted by that brought from Africa, by millions of slaves, their language customs and religions. The African culture survived the trauma imposed by slavery and colonial values, and its influence is now omnipresent, something evident in rural houses, agriculture techniques, food, music and dance. Though maybe it’s harder to find that African influence in modern cities, there’s no doubt that the African legacy is very much present in the little fishermen villages, or the farming communities of the mountains.

Asian Influences
To the European and African influences, you have to add that of the Asians. Hindu temples, the sound of the tassa drums, and the smell of the different curry dishes, elaborated according to the region’s uses, are proof of the influence of India’s culture. Likewise, the arrival in modern times, of immigrants from China, Madeira and Africa, with their own cultures, has added even more color to the Creole mixture, which is completed with the influence of people coming from Syria and Lebanon. Though the major influence in recent times has been American culture, especially among youngsters.  

In the French islands they have a word to name this mixture: créolité. This is the main reason why Caribbeans are so different, and this makes these islands unique. It is also a proof of their capacity to integrate different people, giving birth to their own culture. It is a dynamic process, in continuous evolution, demonstrating the vitality of the region.

The Creole Languages
Creole languages are spoken throughout the Caribbean, and all of them are a cocktail of different languages. In Martinique and Guadeloupe (and to lesser extent in St. Lucia, Dominica, Grenada and Trinidad), French is the base for local Creole. But even if tourists speak French fluidly, they won’t understand it. Besides French, the ancient language of these colonies, Creole has also influences of English, Spanish, and over all, many African words.

Slaves spoke Creole between them, and proceeding from different parts of the African continent, it was a mixture of many languages. In Guadeloupe they use words coming from English, like kònbif (corned beef), or djòb (job); but also have African words like koukou-djèdjè (hide and seek game), or zanba (devil).

Papiamento is, doubtless, the most eclectic Creole language. It’s used all around the Dutch Antilles, most specially in Curacao. Oil refinery workers spread it to other islands. It’s a language with an astonishing capacity to incorporate other language’s words, among them Dutch, English, Spanish, Portuguese and some African dialects. Papiamento seems a rigmarole, but Spanish-speaking people reading some book, will find familiar words like pan (bread), awa (water), kaya (street) or aki (here). Those speaking English will immediately notice motosaikel (motorcycle).