Shaping the Narrative of the Caribbean

‪#‎MoreThanBeaches‬

In an effort to further complicate ‪N. Kimron Corion‬'s response to the online reaction after a double murder in Grenada, I want to add a couple thoughts to his plea for foreigners to see the warmth, friendliness and humility of the people of the West Indies in general.

It's high time that we dismantled the ways in which the Caribbean as a product is sold as a vast offering of unspoiled beaches, clear turquoise waters, luxurious quality resorts peopled by smiling, servile black and brown faces with weird accents first; and a hotbed of dangers to white/global north-native bodies borne by the hands of the savage local second.

We need to be aware of how this discourse of "paradise"--in which the islands of the neo-tropics exist fundamentally as an escape from reality for those weary of the serious work in the global north--is one edge situated on the same double-edged sword as the discourse of "plantation." In both, the Caribbean exists for the benefit of the foreigner. In both the Caribbean belongs to the foreigner.

We need to recognize that this discourse has roots in colonialism, empire and hyper-capitalism and when it is deployed it keeps our region in the colonial memory.

We need to push back when essentializing notions of the Caribbean as idyllic pop up JUST AS HARD as when West Indians characterized as inherently violent, savage and regressive. (And we shouldn't take part in perpetuating that image).

We need to show the world that Caribbean society is just as complex as every other society. That those friendly black and brown faces at the resorts are civic agents situated in a host of daily realities. We are political, economic and cultural engineers. Our social atmosphere is dynamic and diverse and at times combative.

For a more in depth exploration of this plantation-paradise dichotomy, please check out Ian Strachan's Paradise and Plantation.

Post of my original blog