Caribbean culture
Caribbean culture is a term that explains the artistic, musical, literary, culinary, political and social elements that are representative of the Caribbean people all over the world. The Caribbean's culture has historically been influenced by that of African, European, and Amerindian, and Asian traditions. It has also been strongly influenced by that of its linguistic, economic, and cultural neighbor, the United States.
Being a collection of settler nations, the Caribbean has been shaped by waves of migration that have combined to form a unique blend of customs, cuisine, and traditions that have marked the socio-cultural development of the nation.
Caribbean culture is a product of its history and geography. Most of the Caribbean territories were inhabited and developed earlier than European colonies in the Americas, with the result that themes and symbols of pioneers, farmers, and traders were important in the early development of Caribbean culture. The British conquest of the Caribbean in 1759 brought a large Francophone population under British rule, creating a need for compromise and accommodation, while the migration of United Empire Loyalists from the Thirteen Colonies brought in strong British, Spanish, French, African and even Dutch influences.
Although not without conflict, the Caribbean's early interactions with First Nations and indigenous populations were relatively short lived, compared to the experience of native peoples in the United States. Combined with relatively late economic development in many regions, this difficult history has disallowed Caribbean native peoples having any strong influence on the national culture, even destroying their remaining identity.
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