“The indentured labour gave rise to a new culture in the Caribbean”. Justify the statement
Answers
#In Trinidad the annual muharram procession was transformed into a riotous carnival called 'Hosay' in which workers of all race and religion joined.
#The protest religion of Rastafarianism is also said to reflect cultural and social links of indian and carribian migrants.
#Chutney music popular in Trinidad and Guyana is also another creative contemporary expression of the post indenture experience.
These forms of cultural fusion took place only because of the indentured labour the labourers were forcefully brought to do.
Answer: Cultural fusion’ comes to exist when two or more
different cultures intermingle and interact with each
other and give birth to a new culture which inherits
the features of both the cultures.
The life of the indentured labour was very harsh,
troublesome and difficult. This forced them to seek
new avenues of comfort, ease and relaxation. As such,
they developed new means to make their life worth-
living. Some means and methods they adopted were
as follows :
a. In Trinidad the annual Muharram procession was
transformed into a riotous carnival called ‘Hosay’
(for Imam Hussain) in which workers of all races
and religions joined.
b. Similarly, the protest religion of Rastafarianism
(made famous by the Jamaican reggae star Bob
Marley) is also said to reflect social and cultural
links with Indian migrants to the Caribbean.
c. Chutney music’, popular in Trinidad and Guyana,
is another creative contemporary expression of
the post-indenture experience.