Caribbean region, the "continent of islands", consists of several islands, each carrying its own history and traditions, therefore Caribbean culture is a mixture of various cultures influenced by their visiting nations.
The original Indian tribes that populated Caribbean region had their culture influenced by the cultures of European colonists and African slaves. Some good example is the island of Barbados, which is a former British colony. You will find a strong British influence in their customs and traditions.
The Dutch controlled some Caribbean islands, but their influence was very weak, a good example being the island of Aruba, which kept in its traditional customs, regardless of the Dutch domination. Same thing happened to the Virgin Islands that were bought by United States in 1917 and adopted the American culture.
Puerto Rico, the most modern of Caribbean islands, displays a strong American and Spanish influence, while Guadeloupe shows its French influence in language and customs. Last, but not least important influence is the African one. This is probably the strongest, and it reflects on music, dance and cuisine. Each Caribbean island adopted its own unique elements that show the huge impact the African heritage has on their customs.
Each of the Caribbean islands has its own history influenced by their visiting nations. The mix of languages used in Caribbean reflects the history of the islands. The basic language used is Creole, a mixture of European languages and African dialects. Each island has its own Creole dialect that reflects the particular European language of the incoming colonists. Most of the dialects are still in use today.
There are many Creole (patois) dialects in Caribbean that are still in use today, some of them very hard to understand. Jamaican patois, with its colorful words, is probably the best example.
The original Indian tribes that populated Caribbean region had their culture influenced by the cultures of European colonists and African slaves. Some good example is the island of Barbados, which is a former British colony. You will find a strong British influence in their customs and traditions.
The Dutch controlled some Caribbean islands, but their influence was very weak, a good example being the island of Aruba, which kept in its traditional customs, regardless of the Dutch domination. Same thing happened to the Virgin Islands that were bought by United States in 1917 and adopted the American culture.
Puerto Rico, the most modern of Caribbean islands, displays a strong American and Spanish influence, while Guadeloupe shows its French influence in language and customs. Last, but not least important influence is the African one. This is probably the strongest, and it reflects on music, dance and cuisine. Each Caribbean island adopted its own unique elements that show the huge impact the African heritage has on their customs.
Each of the Caribbean islands has its own history influenced by their visiting nations. The mix of languages used in Caribbean reflects the history of the islands. The basic language used is Creole, a mixture of European languages and African dialects. Each island has its own Creole dialect that reflects the particular European language of the incoming colonists. Most of the dialects are still in use today.
There are many Creole (patois) dialects in Caribbean that are still in use today, some of them very hard to understand. Jamaican patois, with its colorful words, is probably the best example.
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Want to visit exotic locations? Travel to Caribbean and discover the beautiful Caribbean Islands.
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