What makes you Caribbean?

Were you born in South Florida and raised in the Caribbean culture?

Do you still consider yourself Caribbean?

What does it mean for you to be Caribbean?

Is it the food? The music? The way you dress or dance? Would you consider someone claiming being from an island a “real islander” even if he/she only went there once a year for every summer vacation? Do you need to live in Jamaica to be Jamaican? Do you need to be born in Antigua to be Antigua? Can you just eat Roti and Bake and Shark and listen to Soca to claim you are from Trinidad?

Share your thoughts!

Julian Marley, son of Reggae legend Bob Marley, answer the question in the following video.

Comments

[caribbean Holidays]

Glad to see that you feel that we are all one big happy family, one love to you too

[Marie]

I think the jamaican guy was right because I was raised in the Caribbean and there is no way you can trully and fully relate to us (growing up there) if you were raised in South Florida instead. Having AC in your bedroom, mosquito nets and screen, supermaket with food from every countries, HOT water in your shower, bus bringing you to school, teachers not allowed to discipline you in the classroom..etc.. THOSE examples show that there is no way you can REALLY indulged yourself in the Caribbean culture. Of course this is a long debate to have, and I won't have enough time and space to write it all, but I know deep in my heart that if you did not grow up in the Caribbean, you are not 100 % Caribbean!

[chris]

Your Jamaican guest on this show is indicative of a real problem. He knows nothing of the Caribbean and by extension of CARICOM and not educated himself. The lack of the regional view is distasteful. Also to say that unless you have herded the animals, you are not Jamaican is further narrowing. Many many Jamaicans would not know what to do with an animal like a goat.

[Wendell]

There is no doubt that if you were born and raised in the Caribbean that you are Caribbean but those that were not it depends on several things. Firstly, if you don't have the mentality no matter what else you do or eat you are not. I think this is where it has to begin. The "Island Mentality" is what will distinguish from others. You cannot decide to have that type of mentality, it is just in you, engrain in your personality. It is passed on by your parents.