The Caribbean Islands: Cultures and Heritage, a Reality

How were these small islands in the Caribbean able and are still able to generate such an abundance of art? Everyone should ask themselves this central question.

Since its “discovery” by Christopher Columbus in the 15th century, the insular Caribbean has become a meeting place for almost all the nations of the world (Amerindian, European, African, Asian). According to rogues in paradise, simply because over the centuries, this mixture of races (although some people say that there is only one race: the human race…) and cultures gave rise to new societies.

If some consider this region as a chain of small islands that have no weight in total international decisions, almost insignificant lands, the insular Caribbean can be very proud of its contribution to the culture of humanity. In addition, let us remember that many current great powers have become rich thanks to our islands for several centuries.

Indeed, in these Caribbean lands numerous musical rhythms were created in general with their specific dances, such as mento, ska, reggae, dance hall, bèlè, biguine, rasin, twoubadou, konpa, la kadans, gombay, calypso, soca, gwoka, zouk, rake n’scrape, son, rumba, salsa, merengue, bachata, reggaeton… Most of which are famous in the whole world.

Today, almost all the islands have created one or more festivals, which is a way of valuing these different types of music, of earning foreign currency…

In the field of literature, the Caribbean islands are also very rich. Literary movements such as Negritude or Créolité allowed our authors to express our realities. There are many local and international literary prizes awarded to our writers; in addition, the region has three Nobel Prizes in Literature.

Exhibitions of painting, sculpture and photography multiply in our rooms, which is proof of intense creativity. Many of our painters and plastic artists are now listed on the international art market.

Theater and cinema are becoming more and more democratized, professionals are trained to stand out in our region and even export their talents. Our islands become movie locations for large foreign productions.

Traditions (particularly culinary, religious, carnival…) are also very diverse on the Caribbean islands. They also constitute the cement of our plural societies.

It is up to the Antilleans that we are to federate. Then, we will get to know each other better, we discover all these similarities that bring us together and we will be stronger for the rest of the world to value and respect all sectors of this Caribbean culture and heritage.

This exceptional wealth is part of the soul of the Caribbean people.

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