The Spanish Caribbean Literature and Culture: Essay Sample

Introduction

Before the Caribbean came to be colonized by the Europeans, there was evidence of human settlement in Trinidad at the Ortoiroid sites that dated back to the mid-6th millennium BC. During the years that followed, many different communities settled in the Caribbean islands until the time of the European arrival. Not long after Christopher Columbus voyages from America entered the Caribbean, both the Spanish and Portuguese ships started to claim territories in South and Central America.

Contact was first made with the Taino in Cuba, Lucayans in the Bahamas, and the northern coast of Hispaniola during Christopher Columbus first voyage. During this time, a few of the natives from these areas were taken back to Spain and gold was found in only a few of their items such as belts and masks. The Spanish colonists enslaved the natives and nearly drove them to extinction due to their quest of searching for wealth. The Spanish went ahead and imported slaves from Africa to supplement the Amerindian labor. Even though the Spanish claimed the whole Caribbean island, they only settled in the more large islands. These islands include Jamaica, Hispaniola, Trinidad, Puerto Rico, and Cuba.

The settlement and colonization majorly influenced the Spanish Caribbean culture by the Spanish. The region has special cuisines adopted from Spin, the speak Spanish, and some of their traditions are borrowed from the colonialists. These individuals also influenced the Spanish Caribbean literature, and the Caribbean started getting a worldwide recognition after they began to publish in the United Kingdom.

The Caribbean literature is a term used for all the writing originating from the Caribbean islands. As per the West Indian literature, it contains all the regions from the Spanish Caribbean as well as many others. The term West Indies began getting worldly known during the 1950's writers such as Edgar Mittelholzer, George Lamming, Samuel Selvon, and John Hearne started to get their work published in the United Kingdom.

The BBC radio program also promoted the sense of single literature during the 1940'Ss via a segment known as the Caribbean Voices. Many of the West-Indian writers have found it benefiting from leaving their homes and basing themselves in foreign countries such as Canada, United Kingdom, and the United States. This method is done by the writers to be able to earn from their work, and it is done away from their birth region.

The literature from the West Indies has a range of subjects that are just as wide as any other national literature. Most of these writers share a special issue where they write on subjects of ethnicity, language from the historical Caribbean experience, and identity. The Caribbean literature has a unique feature where the writers use 'dialect' form known as Creole of their national language. These dialects have come from modifications of the variations in language adopted from the various colonists, and each has a blend that is exceptional to their countries.

Migration and indenture influenced the Caribbean literature. The foundation of many authors came from the migration of Caribbean workers towards the Panama Canal. Other influences on the literature are gender roles, independence, and literary movements. Various literary festivals are held in the Caribbean to help promote literature. Some of the festivals include; NGC Bocas Lit Fest by the Trinidad and Tobago, the St. Martin Book Fair by Saint Martin, and Calabash International Literary Festival. Other festivals include Antigua and Barbuda Literacy Festival, Bim Literary Festival and Book Fair, and the Nature Island Literary Festival and Book Fair in Dominica.

The Spanish Caribbean culture has been shaped mainly by the early settlers as well as its tropical setting. The Spanish colonists came with their culture to the Caribbean, and the people adapted and started following the ways of the colonists. This also happened with the African slaves who were imported by the Spanish to assist in labor. The Caribbean came to learn and assimilate the African culture which mainly happened due to intermarriages.

The climate and physical landscape have shaped the lifestyle of the Spanish Caribbean that includes; customs, architecture, music, and attitude. Taking Jamaica, for example, the country has been able to retain some of their colonial customs; it is self-sufficient and relies mainly on the pre-colonial heritage. The main language used in the Spanish Caribbean region is the Creole which is almost two hundred years old. The Creole is a combination of various European words and African syntax. The language came about because the slaves had to communicate with the European plantation owners.

In the olden times, parents would restrict their children from using the Creole language because it was associated with the poor labor class but in the modern days, the people are recognizing and appreciating the historical significance of the language, place in the local culture, and linguistic appeal.

The Spanish Caribbean culture was widely influenced by the African slaves who were shipped in by the Spanish to work as laborers. The old African customs and culture manipulated many of the singing, religious worship, rhythmic dancing, thinking ways, and artistic expressions of the Caribbean. Spiritual practices in the West Indies such as the Rastafari in Jamaica, Santeria in Cuba, Obeah in the Bahamas, and the Voodun in Haiti are all African influenced. African-inspired gifts to the world from the Caribbean also include jerk cooking and Reggae music.

Music is a part of the entertainment to the Caribbean people. It has been a form of the culture of the Caribbean since the slavery days because it was used as a method of mental sustenance and recreation. Many people in the region can be seen listening to music and dancing as the go about their daily activities. Music and dance have played a significant part in promoting peace and harmony among the residents. The popularity of the Spanish Caribbean music has become worldwide and can be downloaded from the internet or bought as CDs. The musicians from the regions are appreciated and loved all over the world.

Music is not the only export from the Spanish Caribbean but film and crafts as well. Crafts such as woven materials locally made are exported as well as art where the artists use bright colors to bring out the unique culture of the land. The film industry in the Caribbean is growing very fast. Plays from the U.S and Europe are produced in the islands, and it gives the viewers a taste of how the Caribbean looks. Many actors and films have originated from the islands which make the region a more attractive place.

The Caribbean food and cuisine has been influenced by the Indian, British, French, Dutch, Spanish, and Amerindian food and some special dishes have been developed by the residents. An African influenced dish in the Spanish Caribbean is callaloo that is a combination of okra and leafy greens. The Spanish influenced regions mainly eat a lot of flavored and spicy foods. Some of the spices used include nutmeg, garlic, cinnamon, and lime.

Seafood is also a delicacy that is favored throughout the Caribbean, and different regions have their favorite kinds of seafood that they prefer. Rice is the staple food all over the Caribbean with each island having a unique dish made from rice. Beans are also a favorite dish in the region. In Cuba, they include beans in a lot of their meals. Some of the favorite foods in the Spanish Caribbean region include boniato; a sweet potato is grown all over the region, ackee; a leafy tree brought in from the West African Island and it popular in dishes with hot peppers, salt fish, and onions. The escabeche is Jamaican seafood that is cooked in a pan first then later marinated in citrus and herbs juices. Jerk is also delicacy found in the Spanish Region; it is tender meat that has been preserved by being saturated with spices and hot pepper.

The Taino were the natives found in the Caribbean when the Spanish settlers arrived. Even though these people were taken into slavery, they left a few of their traits to the Spanish and today some of their heritage can be found in the food and language. Though their religion was not found out by the Spanish until later, they believed in a supreme god and goddess and believed they could interact with spirits through zemis. Zemis were wood carvings or could also be referred to as spirits, and the people also found in the afterlife.

The Spanish Caribbean came to be after the colonization of Jamaica, Hispaniola, Trinidad, Puerto Rico, and Cuba by the Spanish settlers. The colonization influenced the literature and culture of the Spanish Caribbean. These individuals influenced the Spanish Caribbean literature, and the Caribbean started getting a worldwide recognition after they began to publish in the United Kingdom. The writers used the Creole dialect to write their books, and this made their writing unique. Many of the writers from the Caribbean have won a lot of prices and also have been recognized worldwide. Migration and indenture influenced the Caribbean literature. The foundation of many authors came from the migration of Caribbean workers towards the Panama Canal. Other influences on the literature are gender roles, independence, and literary movements.

Conclusion

The Spanish Caribbean culture has been shaped mainly by the early settlers as well as its tropical setting. The climate and physical landscape have shaped the lifestyle of the Spanish Caribbean that includes; customs, architecture, music, and attitude. The Spanish Caribbean culture was widely influenced by the African slaves who were shipped in by the Spanish to work as laborers. The old African customs and culture manipulated many of the singing, religious worship, rhythmic dancing, thinking ways, and artistic expressions of the Caribbean.

Music is not the only export from the Spanish Caribbean but film and crafts as well. Crafts such as woven materials locally made are exported as well as art where the artists use bright colors to bring out the unique culture of the land. The British, French, Dutch, Spanish, and Amerindian have influenced the Caribbean food and cuisine; the residents have also developed some special dishes. Another influence on the cuisine includes the African slaves who were imported into the region.

Some of the favorite foods in the Spanish Caribbean include rice, beans, jerk, and seafood which are preferred all over the Caribbean region. The Taino people were the ones found on the island during the Spanish colonization. These individuals left a few of their traits to the Spanish and today some of their heritage can be found in the food and language. These traits were later passed on to the residents who still use them today.