Caribbean Studies

Unit 3: Caribbean Cultural Expressions/ Identity.

Culture
The concept of culture involves the learning of ideas, customs, teachings and
habits that are passed on from one generation to the next. These ideas, customs,
beliefs, techniques and habits were put in place by the people of a particular
society as solutions to the problems they faced. It is a form of social heritage.
Haralambos and Holborn (2008 stated) that ‘the culture of a society is the way of
life of its members, the collection of ideas, and habits which they learn, share
and transmit from generation to generation’.
It is the design for living by members of a society. People therefore do not born
with culture, instead it is learnt/acquired through the socialization ( enculturation)
process.
Culture may be material or non-material. Material culture refers to concrete
aspects of culture. It entails all the physical and material things that a society
creates and uses for survival like hammocks, canoes, clothing, food etc
Non material culture are those intangible aspects like beliefs, norms, language,
religion etc
Identification and association of cultural expressions to a group give that group its
identity. That means a group is identified and characterized by these practices.
Characteristics of Culture
- Culture is learnt: It is passed on from generation to generation by the socialization
process (enculturation)
- Culture is shared : It is not unique to any one individual but is common to all members of
a society
- Culture is symbolic: Symbols in society hold special meanings to its members. The same
symbol might not have the same meaning in another society.
- Culture is adaptive: It develops across time and space because as humans adopt to their
physical and social environment, they come up with cultural solutions to overcome the
challenges they face.
Functions of Culture
- Culture enables us to communicate with others through language . Language allows
humans to create meanings and make sense of the world.
 - Culture makes it possible to anticipate how others in our society are likely to respond to
our actions.
- Culture gives us standards for distinguishing between what is right and wrong.
- Culture provides the knowledge and skills necessary for meeting sustenance needs.
Elements of Culture
- Symbols: structures, gestures, food (ackee and saltfish, roti and flying fish), clothing
- Language: A set of symbols that express ideas and allows people to think and
communicate with each other. Language can be verbal or non verbal.
- Values: These provide us with a general understanding of what is desirable or
worthwhile. They set the standards of a given society. They refer to those ideas, customs
and beliefs that we hold dearly.
- Norms: These are prescriptions for behavior based on values. They are rules that govern
social action.

Concepts Relating to Culture

Cultural Imperialism
In the world today, images can be transmitted worldwide. Print, audio and visual images can be
easily accessed in the homes, schools and businesses. This continuous penetration of foreign
images, views of the world and lifestyles could inhibit the development of small countries.
Approaches to consumption, sexuality and leisure are all sold on screen. The preference for
basketball over cricket or fast food over local food has implications for local industries and jobs.
These reflect the culture of the North (USA, Canada…)

The fact is that the dominant images in the Caribbean continue to be those of the
metropolitan countries. We are no longer colonial outposts, yet we continue to be flooded with
patterns of lifestyles of foreign countries.
This cultural domination of the metropolitan countries is directly related to our historical
experience. Today it continues because of our size, limited resources and little power. In order to
accomplish most of our goals as a people and as individuals, we find that we must adopt and
adapt to cultural practices originating in the metropole. This practice of imposing ones culture,
mainly that of more technologically advanced / powerful nations on smaller, poorer nations
is called Cultural Imperialism

Acculturation
This involves the imposition of the cultural practice of more powerful nation/ group on a poorer
more vulnerable group in a bid to erase their culture and replace it with what is considered a
more civilized and superior culture. The whites tried to acculturate the African slaves by
imposing their culture on the Blacks- giving them European names, teaching them Christianity
and forbidding them from practicing their indigenous culture.
Interculturation

Interculturation refers to a more mutual exchange of cultural practices by different cultural

groups in a society. Chinese, Blacks, Indians for example cohabiting in a society all share the
same institutions – attend the same schools, eat the same food, practice religion, enjoy each
other’s festivals. etc. (Plural Societies) There are however some cultural practices of particular
cultural groups that they tend not to share with others in the same society. Hinduism for example
is only practiced by the Indians.

Ethnocentrism

This is the tendency to view one's own culture as the norm. It is the tendency to view one’s
culture as superior to others.
The opposite of Ethnocentrism is cultural relativism-this is an attempt to appreciate others'
way of life rather than saying ‘our way is right’. A culture is understood and accepted based on
its own standards and not measured based on the standard of others.

Cultural Erasure
With Globalization and the exposure to the foreign culture via ICT (information Communication
Technologies our local Caribbean culture faces the challenge of erasure. We tend to be enticed
by the way goods and services are advertised, packaged and sold to us. The ease of access to
foreign goods and the competitive prices are also added attractions. As developing nations, we
view the culture of the powerful North as being superior to ours. Through socialization we accept
that foreign items are superior to ours and should be embraced. The colonial dependence on
external countries for aid, trade and investment continues and so certain legacies of colonialism
prevail. This has caused the cultural practices that we associate with our ancestors to be erased.
We now, for example, gravitate towards fast food instead of traditional meals.
In short cultural erasure is the discontinuance of cultural practices.
Cultural Retention
Many Caribbean countries have been successful in retaining the cultural practices over time even
with the competition from the exposure to the dominant North American culture. The practice of
having church ceremonies for weddings, christenings and funerals have continued.

Cultural Renewal
Sometimes cultural practices have been discontinued, ignored or suppressed, and members of the
society make a conscious effort to rejuvenate some elements of the society’s culture. The
celebration of the first of August as a public holiday in Jamaica was discontinued in 1962 after
Independence but was reinstituted in 1997 with the opening of the Emancipation Park.. Crop
over Festival in Barbados had also undergone cultural renewal.
Other concepts
Dominant Culture
This is the lifestyle of the elite or the most influential in society. It is the cultural form that is
held in the highest regard, receiving the most support from all. The elites who are in control of
society reinforce their culture as the dominant form in society. These are transmitted to all
through the social institutions-family, education, religion etc.
Ideal Culture
The values and standards of behavior that people in a society profess to hold and that are worthy
of aspiring to.
Real Culture
The values and standards of behavior that people follow in society.
Subcultures
Cultural patterns that set apart some segments of society’s population. Ethnicity and religion set
people apart in a society. In essence a set of cultural patterns are associated with a small pocket
or group within the mainstream society. These are not shared with all other members in the
society.
Countercultures
The outright rejection of controversial ideas or behaviours. These are cultural patterns that
strongly reject /oppose the established norms of the dominant culture within society. Example
Rastafarianism in the 1930s.

Sources:

Chinapoo , Carlton et al (2014) CAPE Sociology England: Pearson Education Ltd

Mustapha, Nasser, 2009) Sociology for Caribbean Students.