What is the Caribbean?
Before the Africans came to the Caribbean so did indigenous inhabitants such as the Caribs
or as some historians term the Kalinago. To identify the area of these inhabitants Jeffrey
Thomas wrote the name in his West Indies Atlas, referring to the Caribbean Sea.
Yet, which area really represents the Caribbean. I guess the easiest definition is islands
washed by the Caribbean Sea. However, Bahamas does not have a coastline on the Caribbean
Sea but it is accepted as part of the Caribbean. Besides, countries which are not normally
considered as Caribbean have coastlines on the Caribbean Sea. These include mainland
territories such as Panama, Colombia Venezuela and other countries of Central America. In
addition, not all Caribbean countries are islands such as Guyana and Belize. Furthermore,
Venezuela has 1000 miles of Caribbean shoreline more than that of Cuba. Subsequently,
more anomalies arise when we consider that while Barbados and Bahamas are located in the
Atlantic Ocean; Guyana’s coast borders the Atlantic Ocean.
Well, we can also delimit the Caribbean region in terms of latitude and longitude. Some
experts describe the Caribbean as stretching from 60o N and 900 W(of the Greenwich
Meridian) while others describes the same region as stretching from the equator (Guyana 50 N
of the equator) to beyond 250 N or even 300 N to accommodate Bermuda.
Thus, the geographical definition is not adequate since all Caribbean territories are not
washed by the Caribbean Sea and even the coordinates of latitude and longitude are
interpreted subjectively.
Then there is another conception of the Caribbean that is not widely known –the geological
definition, that of the Caribbean plate, which has margins or boundaries where it meets other
plates. This term refers to a subterranean feature that is part of the earth’s crust on which
consists of lands and oceans. The western edge of the Caribbean plate is in the Pacific Ocean
while other margins for the most part are in the Caribbean Sea.
While the geological conception is a good way to view the Caribbean, again this term poses
some difficulties; as this definition has some flaws. The Caribbean Plate does not include
Belize, Guyana, Bahamas and just touches the southern edge of Cuba. Thus, like geography ,
geology cannot be seen as a comprehensive definition.
So what definition could include the Caribbean Sea, mainland territories, other islands and
archipelagoes?
Defining the Caribbean by space and how the earth affects humans, is certainly not
acknowledging the importance of human activities in the region. What was common to this
region in terms of human activities? Genocide, indentureship, colonialism and the plantation
system and independence.
Yet, within the region some countries speak different languages Spanish, French and Dutch .
Countries like Cuba, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico were once colonies of Spain while
Haiti, once a part of France yet Guadeloupe ,Martinique and St. Martin still operate as part of
France.
Curacao, Bonnaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint martin and Aruba, are territorties of the
Dutch Antilles..
Despite the cultural and linguistic differences1, the historical definition represents the best
possible guide in defining the Caribbean.
These countries even took different paths to Independence
Countries like Cuba have different governance while Guyana political style is that of a
republic approach based on socialist principles and Grenada attempted to adopt a communist
regime; greatly discouraged by the USA, and in the 1970’s Jamaica with that of social
democracy .in addition, Haiti was the first to gain independence in 1804 and its political
affairs is greatly affected by France and that of the USA. It is also interesting to note that the
countries of the English speaking Caribbean, once part of the British Empire, have long been
members of the Commonwealth.
Curacao, Bonnaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius and Sint martin, are five self governing territorties of
the Dutch Antilles. Yet, Sint martin is part of the same island with St. Martin a French
territory. Aruba is also associated with the Netherlands but has a different political
arrangement.
In addition, Britain still have colonies such as Anguilla, Brtish Virgin Islands,Monsterrat, the
Turks and Caicos islands, the Cayman islands and Bermuda. In contrast, the French
territorities are not colonies but overseas departments. In other words they function as if they
were a part of France.
1
Spanish , French, Dutch territorities speak different languages.