It is a personal opinion that without art, music, and literature, the people are collectively dead. However, culture is more than art, music, and literature, it is the diverse contribution of the people to a subculture or main culture. While Black culture contributed to the culture of the United States of America, Caribbean popular culture is and has always been the channel used by the lesser group. When the dominant group tried to restrict the Carnival celebrations of the enslaved on the Caribbean islands in 1800 and early 1900 the lesser group fought back . For the purpose of this essay, Trinidad Carnival will be the focus of this discourse. The origin of Trinidad Carnival can be traced to the 18th century French extravagant masquerade balls
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European countries kept Africans, Arawaks, Caribs, and East Indian enslaved because of the belief that the Europeans culture, customs and ethics were superior.
In 1881, when the British authorities and the police tried to stop the emancipated slaves Carnival celebrations of sticks and lighted torches known as the Canboulay they were met with defiance. The freed slaves wanted to take part in the festivities, though they were free. Vulgar and humorous behavior offended the British since they viewed as disregard and disrespect. Stick fighting and drumming ultimately was banned, however, alternative for the drums and sticks were introduced. There were serious clashes between the police and the rioters as they try to control the slave over the next ten years.
Over the years Trinidad and Tobago’s Africans, Arawaks, Caribs, and Indian culture fused into new forms of popular music . The Griot or Lyric Poet known as the Chantwell singers (master singer) is now called calypsonians. Calypso is also known as Kaiso and is the equivalent to Jubilee songs. It is presently identified as the popular music throughout Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean, and on the international level. The steel band replaced the tamboo bamboo band , and in the 1960s calypso merged with Indian music, soul and funk to become today’s Soca …show more content…
The Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, British, and French colonized the West Indies and North America. The British, and French developed a merchant-based investment in the growing and manufacturing of sugar. They saw potential and great profit in growing export-oriented crops. They worked at making sugar the island’s central trade, and varied the island’s income streams by growing tobacco, cotton and indigo. A large labor force was required for the growing and manufacturing of sugar. White indentured servants were the first to come to the West Indies, and given a contract that granted them land or a return ticket at the end of the agreement. African slaves arrived later, but were not given any contract upon
European countries kept Africans, Arawaks, Caribs, and East Indian enslaved because of the belief that the Europeans culture, customs and ethics were superior.
In 1881, when the British authorities and the police tried to stop the emancipated slaves Carnival celebrations of sticks and lighted torches known as the Canboulay they were met with defiance. The freed slaves wanted to take part in the festivities, though they were free. Vulgar and humorous behavior offended the British since they viewed as disregard and disrespect. Stick fighting and drumming ultimately was banned, however, alternative for the drums and sticks were introduced. There were serious clashes between the police and the rioters as they try to control the slave over the next ten years.
Over the years Trinidad and Tobago’s Africans, Arawaks, Caribs, and Indian culture fused into new forms of popular music . The Griot or Lyric Poet known as the Chantwell singers (master singer) is now called calypsonians. Calypso is also known as Kaiso and is the equivalent to Jubilee songs. It is presently identified as the popular music throughout Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean, and on the international level. The steel band replaced the tamboo bamboo band , and in the 1960s calypso merged with Indian music, soul and funk to become today’s Soca …show more content…
The Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, British, and French colonized the West Indies and North America. The British, and French developed a merchant-based investment in the growing and manufacturing of sugar. They saw potential and great profit in growing export-oriented crops. They worked at making sugar the island’s central trade, and varied the island’s income streams by growing tobacco, cotton and indigo. A large labor force was required for the growing and manufacturing of sugar. White indentured servants were the first to come to the West Indies, and given a contract that granted them land or a return ticket at the end of the agreement. African slaves arrived later, but were not given any contract upon