When considering the influence of pop culture in the Caribbean, it is important to remember that pop culture is not merely an outside influence. That is, the term not only applies to what is popular in our culture that has made its way, out of context but still popular, to different corners of the globe, but also to the popular culture native to the Caribbean region. In a globalized world popular culture everywhere is usually a blend of the homegrown and the imported, and the Caribbean is no different.

The popular culture that is “native” to the Caribbean moreover, is nonetheless imported, just as the population is. The residents of those problematic island paradises are descended from, in general, Europeans and Africans, and their native culture as we know it today is a blend of all that has been most “popular,” most appreciated by the crowd, from those distinct yet now mixed sources.

An example of this is the Carnival tradition in Trinidad, which like the famous Brazilian carnival, is the celebration of African roots and culture. Whole communities become involved, and the finalists and semi-finalists are chosen and judged by an audience of the people who flock to see and applaud the carnival. This is the very definition of popular culture, according to Caribbean poet Derek Walcott,who sees it as a democratic celebration in which the people are entertained and involved, and are also the critics. in this tradition Walcott finds echoes of Greek theatre, something which is now considered high culture, but was the popular culture of its time.

Trinidad popular culture also features the “pan”, a simple drum invented on the island by cutting the top from an oil drum, thus creating a national voice with the leftovers of a colonial and industrial past. Popular culture can be a way for the poor to insist upon their importance and their contribution to society, and to claim that society as theirs.

Given the largely mixed and inherited traditions of the Caribbean, it is neither surprising nor inappropriate that North American pop culture has also made its way there, and influenced the culture of the islands yet again. Dominant political forces will always have an impact, and the population of the Caribbean has been enthusiastic in adopting American music and fashion. There is worry that this dominant culture will dilute or destroy what is there already, and the effects of it are certainly not all good. Nonetheless, cultural change is as inevitable as time and the tide, and it is important to also note that the Caribbean nations have also contributed a great deal recently to American popular culture, which becomes ever more influenced by the Latin countries in particular. A famous example is “Hips Don’t Lie,” a smash-hit pop song performed as a duet by Shakira and Haitian rapper Wyclef Jean, with some lyrics by a Dominican composer, or the continued international success of the Barbadian pop star Rihanna.

These singers and sounds aren’t for everyone, but they do demonstrate an important connection, dialogue and reciprocity between cultures, even if this is not always reflected between nations. Pop culture these days pretty much guarantees fusion. And sure, there can be bad fusion, like an “Asian Fusion Restaurant,” a label that pretty much guarantees bad takes on a variety of unidentifiable “traditional” dishes, but is can also be fusion in a good way, and we all have our own examples of things that popular culture has done right for us.

Sources: Winn, Peter. Americas