Category: Weekly Responses submissions

For this Wednesday’s reading, and our final one of the semester, we read “Celebrating ourselves: the family reunion rituals of African-Caribbean transnational families” by Constance Sutton. Throughout the text Sutton discusses family ties of Caribbean families and how roots stem back all over the world as the Caribbean is composed of a diverse array of people predominantly from African and Indian backgrounds. The article talks specifically about three different family reunions, one in Grenada, one in Barbados, and one in Trinidad & Tobago and the similarities and differences of each, as well as the manner in which these Afro-Caribbeans unite. It is evident from the discussion of these three reunions that family reunions are a big part of Caribbean culture for many families, but is a very different experience for various individuals of the families depending upon their background. The article explores family dynamics as well, and how those family members who possess a transnational identity feel differently and more as though they are ‘connecting back to their roots’ or learning of their origins, whereas for native and elder members of the family it is a more joyous and entertaining time where they reflect on all the different members of the family. The discussion of the different family dynamics reminded me of my own family and how it feels almost like that ‘family reunion’ when we go back to visit Pakistan. This article also allowed us to think critically about what family is definitively, how it pertains to identity, and who family is to us.

The article covers the topic of family reunion rituals of African Caribbean families and how they are specifically designed to reunite kinfolk. These rituals represent a way that members of transnational families sought to re-engage in a face to face interaction that keeps the family ties and memories of the family alive. The article was written from experiences that Sutton learned by interviewing people who participated in family reunions. The dispersed transmigrants who attended the reunion rituals came from places reflecting differing migration trajectories: the USA, Canada, Britain, France, Germany, Ghana, Guyana, and various places in the Caribbean. The size of the reunions varied from a total of 46 participants to an estimated 250 participants. In all but one of the reunions, participants who came from overseas outnumbered the participants who lived on the island where the event was held. The reunions of the three descent groups differed not only in scale but also in the scope of activities undertaken, and in the degree of formality in the arrangements and in what was regarded as the main intent of the reunion. The significance of the rituals was captured in frequent iterations of ‘we are a very tight-knit family, a very close one’, ‘family is everything’, or ‘knowing your family is
knowing yourself’. These statements were made to explain why family reunions were important. ‘Knowing your family’ referred not only to learning who you are but whom  you can count on for support – a support that materializes in exchanges of goods, advice, services, ‘favors’, monetary assistance and the welcoming of kin who may wish to stay with you for shorter or longer periods

From the transnational nature of many Caribbean communities, we had already seen the important of family to these people. This article talks about how this importance has led to the creation of reunion rituals which heavily reflect the people’s values. The author specifically focuses on 3 families: the Marshalls, the Bishops, and the Williams. These rituals were interesting to look at because they were organized not by the locals living back in the Caribbean but by members of the Diaspora. Each reunion is also different in scale and the activities performed due to differences in the core family planning the event. At each reunion, migrants would more likely be the majority and but the people were all inclusive: cousins, spouses, neighbors, those who were not blood related but like family, emphasizing the importance of community. Another important aspect of these reunions was that it was always centered around an elderly man or woman of the main organizing family, showing respect and the importance of filial piety. Families would also visit dead relatives and ancestors to pay their respects. The author talks specifically about the core Marshall group, which was smaller scaled compared to the other cases the author studied. He highlights the importance of creating a face-to-face connection with their family members back at home. This is especially important now that some family members have migrated abroad. These reunions facilitate a deeper understanding and appreciation for one’s roots, especially in children of the second generation who did not grow up experiencing life in the Caribbean. I also feel this way about my own roots. I feel that if I had never gone back to visit or learned the history from my parents, China would just seem like another country on the globe. After visiting family and seeing different places in China, I feel that I have a deeper appreciation for the language, food and people in my family.

Sarafina Lin

For this Monday’s reading we read the article “J’ouvert in Brooklyn Carnival: Revitalizing Steel Pan and Ole Mas Traditions” by Ray Allen,  in which the J’ouvert festival was discussed and the way the people of the diaspora imitate carnival through it. It is basically like carnival in the Caribbean, except here in Brooklyn where thousands and millions of Caribbean people gather representing their respective countries through the carrying and wearing of their flag, all congregating together around when festival would be back home in the Caribbean, around Labor Day in September. One interesting part of the article, and fact about J’ouvert mentioned was the importance of the steel pan during the festival and how organizers in fact banned other music at one point. This action highlighted the importance of preserving the authenticity of the steel pan and how crucial the instrument is to Caribbean music and culture. This part of the article reminded me of the walking tour we went on and the steel drummer we met who not only performed for us, but very thoroughly described the significance and history of the steel pan and how it is a staple of culture for Caribs around the globe.

While Carnival is full of music, dancing, and fêting, J’Ouvert is meant to express political criticisms deep-rooted in Trinidad’s history. The celebration of J’Ouvert originated in Trinidad, developing over time from the Canboulay festivals. 19th-century French colonists in Trinidad created a celebration in which landowners would masquerade and mock slaves. Following the emancipation of slaves, many used this night to imitate their former masters using satirical costumes and symbols. Former slaves would cover themselves in molasses, a major export of sugar cane plantations, as a reference to the treatment and labor they endured. When the tradition was incorporated into Trinidad’s pre lenten carnival, J’Ouvert became an area for African derived percussion, witty satire singing, sardonic costuming, and Steelband music. Jouverts shows something way different than the bright and fancy Carnival, Jouvert had gruesome devils and mud-covered revelers that show the underworld dimension of Carnival. In Brooklyn, Jouvert has grown from small groups of Dimanche Gras to a massive predawn celebration attracting nearly 100,000 Steelband and old mass enthusiasts. The history of the carnival is rich within the streets of Harlem and Brooklyn. Around mid-1930 Rufus Gorin and Jesse Wattle began organizing outdoor carnival parties. Jouvert furnishes a sonic environment in which pan music can be heard, literally free from the blaring sounds systems of deejays and amplified brass bands. At the more symbolic level, the entire event represents the revitalization of what some see as “endangered” Trinidadian traditions.

Lois Wilcken’s The Sacred Music and Dance of Haitian Vodou From Temple to Stage and the Ethics of Representation discusses the misrepresentation of Vodou in media, and how it is actually a form of healing. It is believed that through the practice of lave tet, the washing of one’s head, will acknowledge the lwa (spirit in one’s head) and allow them to speak and dance. This becomes a performance for others to watch and play music to, following a two and three drumming pattern, creating a kase or anti-rhythm for the lwa to dance to. In history, when missionaries made note of these performances, they described them with ethnocentric ideals and in pejorative terms. In addition to that, when enslaved people practiced vodou themselves, those in power felt threatened by the possibility that the congregations could be the enslaved people plotting to overthrow them, so vodou was viewed and presented negatively by them. Without the privilege of literacy, Haitians who practice vodou do not get a chance to represent themselves properly in media. Even when Haitians get a chance to show and explain it, there is a fear that others will exploit and criticize their practices. In addition to that, the other problem is performing their practices in a way that appeases those who want to watch it in 60 to 90 minutes, when the real event could take hours. I agree that the lack of representation for vodou in media is still a problem because I was quite unfamiliar with vodou before reading this article. In the past I have only watched movies such as Princess and the Frog that included two different forms of vodou in the plot, but did not go in depth as to how it truly is. Hopefully these practices will get the proper representation in media that they deserve in the near future.

-Isabella Huang

The article “The Sacred Music and Dance of Haitian Vodou from Temple to Stage and the Ethics of Representation” by Lois Wilcken explores the practice of Haitian Vodou in Port au Prince and New York City as well as the representation of Vodou and how it has been misrepresented by those in power. In doing so, Wilcken makes the argument for an ethical representation of Vodou. The author explains how much of Vodou centers around dance and was brought to Haiti from West Africa as slaves were captured and brought to the Caribbean. The drumming and dancing included in Vodou ceremonies are used to ask for help from the spirits, and an animal, such as a chicken, is often sacrificed after the ceremony. 

The article then shifts to discussing how Vodou has been perceived by others, specifically white Europeans. Upon first encountering Africans practicing Vodou, Moreau de Saint-Mery looks down upon the drumming and dancing involved due to his racist attitudes towards Africans. Furthermore, Europeans used Vodou rituals against African slaves during the revolutionary years in order to show them in a negative light and paint them as “primitive”. Even after the revolution, the new ruling elites continued to discount the role of slaves and their spirituality in the revolution, as well as denying Vodou as part of the Haitian identity in favor of Christianity in order to be more accepted by the Christian nations of Western world. However, racist representations of Vodou from abroad inspired Haitian leaders to defend the practice due to the fact that it showed Haiti as a whole in such a negative light. More devastatingly, the negative representations of Vodou by the media helped the United States justify their invasion and occupation of Haiti. Later, as part of a black nativist movement known as negritude, the practice of Vodou was rebranded as folklore and aspects as dancing were emphasized in order to be more accepted by foreign nations. However, the Haitian community, which continues to practice Vodou at home and abroad in places such as New York City, strive to keep the original traditions of Vodou alive. 

-Cassia Rizzo

My initial perception on Vodou was morphed and distorted by how popular culture depicted it. I believed Vodou was dark magic, and was utilized solely to cause pain and havoc. I believe a large portion of the population perceives Vodou in this aspect, mainly due to the negative depictions of it in the media. This article changed my perception of Vodou, and showcased the significance of Vodou. Vodou revolves around dance, and establishing a connection with spirits through dancing in various patterns and rhythms. This helped unite communities, and built strength through unity throughout Haiti. Initially, however, Vodou was primarily practiced by slaves and seen as “obnoxious” to the upper class. Due to its community building nature, Vodou brought together the lower class and allowed slaves to rebel against their masters. These congregations worried the upper class, as large gatherings of slaves may lead to a power struggle and outright rebellion from the lower class. Furthermore, the media depictions of Vodou in the United States morphed it and hid its true significance. This, coupled with the ban of Vodou in the United States, led a majority of the US population to perceive it as black magic and inherently evil. These articles not only opened my eyes to Vodou’s true significance, but also dispelled any negative and completely incorrect assumptions of it.

In the article “The Sacred Music and Dance of Haitian Vodou from Temple to Stage and the Ethics of Representation,” Lois Wilcken explains the significance of Vodou practices in Haitian culture, and how it has been misrepresented by those in power. This practice involves preparation that one may find unusual, such as animal sacrifices and tracing magic diagrams at the temple. Haitian Vodou revolves around dance, which allows the community to connect with spirits. The drums are played at a particular beat (usually two slow beats) in order to match the dance patterns to mimic the movements of the spirits. Through these rituals, Haitians are able to contact spirits and may even become possessed. Societies such as this consider Vodou as part of their “norm,” but to the outside world it was seen as “uncivilized.” During the period of colonization, Haitians were seen as inferior to the Europeans because their traditions of Vodou resembled those of African societies. Racist depictions of Vodou spread throughout the media, reshaping the entire Haitian national image. As Haitians continued to be taken advantage of for labor, their traditions were used in films and theatrical performances by privileged foreigners. This practice also led to tourism In Haiti, and companies such as La Troupe Makandal were able to move to New York with American visas. In a way, this helped Haitians who were trying to make a living; however, they were still falsely represented and looked down upon. These stereotypical views led to the unjust treatment of Haitians that persist to this day. Society sees Vodou as a strange concept practiced by “barbaric” people; however, Western ideologies contributed to this misconception. Vodou was seen as the devil’s work, similarly to how witches were viewed in Europe during the mid 1400s. This practice is used in all parts of the world, yet the media tends to ignore this in order to justify racism.

-Lily Suleiman