1. DONE BY: SANGEETA AND SUNETA SAMUEL
The impact of Festivals and
music of the Caribbean, upon
the festivals, music pageants
and street parades of the
countries of north America,
Europe, Africa and of Japan

2. THE IMPACT OF OUR NATIONAL FESTIVALS
 Carnival- is a festival season which occurs immediately before ‘lent’ season. This
occurs during February or March. It is typically involves a public celebration or parade
combination some elements of a circus and public street party. People often dress up
or masquerade during the celebrations.
The Trinidad and Tobago carnival, became a part of the way of life of the people of
England, through the Notting hill Carnival. Nonetheless, it has continued and grown,
and become a tradition in the area, as has happened with the Caribana festival in
Toronto, and the Brooklyn Labour Day celebrations. There were elements in society
that resisted the Caribbean cultural impact, but the huge economic activities that
accompany these celebrations have forced the authorities in these countries to
recognised the greater benefits to be gained by the tolerance of the annual infusion of
the Caribbean culture. However, partly because they have contributed to the
economies of these countries, and partly because the West Indian communities have
fought for their inclusion, pointing out, for example, the Caribana has earned millions
of dollars from metro Toronto, Carnival has started to take root in these countries, and
become part of their cultural practice. Indeed the Notting Hill carnival has now
become one of Europe’s largest street festivals.

3. THE IMPACT OF CARIBBEAN FESTIVALS
(COUNTRIES OF NORTH AMERICA)
 When migrants leave the Caribbean to live abroad it
carries with them their cultural practices. Today
these have evolved into popular festivals. For
instance , nothing hill carnival in the united
kingdom, labour day celebrations in Brooklyn,
carnival in Miami and Caribana in Toronto/Canada.
These traditional carnival celebrations have become
major tourist attractions where thousands of people
attend them each year. As a result, local economies
are boosted yearly through hotel booking, taxes or
entertainment, services the food industry and
provide work in producing costumes etc.

4.  Caribbean migrants have helped to develop the
economics of metropolitan countries . Where
immigrants leaving for the USA and or Canada had
to be professionally trained and educated which led
to brain drain of Caribbean countries. Where our
educated people , often trained at the expense of the
state left to benefit the economies of the already
developed countries.

6. NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL
 This carnival is staged in Notting Hill, London on the last
weekend in august(since 1956). It began with the black
immigrants from the west indies especially Trinidad and
Tobago. It served as a form of uniting the immigrants who
were facing racism, unemployment, poor housing and
general oppression which led to the suppression of their
self esteem. Steel band was invited so as to appeal to the
vast number of West Indians who felt alienated in the
community. Soon calypso was joined by reggae making it a
Caribbean blend. Notting Hill festival reflected a blend of
old and new.

8. CARIBANA
 Every summer, Toronto(Canada) blazes with the excitement of
calypso, steel pan and elaborate masqueraders costumes during
the annual Caribbean Festival. Carnival is the largest Caribbean
Festival in North America. Presented by the Caribbean Cultural
Committee, the two-week Festival attracts over a million
participants annually, including hundreds of thousands of
American tourists. Among the highlights is the Caribbean
Parade, one of the largest in North America. Thousands of
brilliantly costumed masqueraders and dozens of trucks carrying
live soca, calypso, steel pan, reggae and salsa artist jam. Caribana
was created in 1967 based on Trinidad and Tobago carnival, the
festival exhibits costumes of Jamaica, Guyana and the Bahamas.

10. LABOUR DAY IN BROOKLYN(USA)
 Carnival is the biggest parade in New York with 3 million
participants each year. The parade depicts elaborately designed
costumes, illustrating beauty and pageantry. There are many
masqueraders and huge sound trucks with live performers. The
service roads have stand of vendors lined up selling food, books,
clothing, art, jewerly, and much more. Labour Day Carnival
Parade has grown over the years from thousands of participants
and tourist to over 3.5 million people in attendance since the mid
1990’s. The influx of tourist from all over the world has benefited
New York City on an economic level, most recognizably with
large corporations, small businesses and the tourist/service
industry.

12. THE IMPACT OF CARIBBEAN MUSIC
 Reggae and soca music are now regularly played and performed all
over the world. Some of you may have mentioned the steelband. The
tuning and playing of the steelpan have become popular in some
schools and colleges abroad. Every year in Trinidad and Tobago many
of the top steelbands preparing for the annual Panorama Competition
take on a few players from the metropolis who are for the most part
studying the art form
 Reggae, to a greater extent than calypso or soca, has developed a
following among non- Caribbean people. It is said that this interest
began with the protest music of Bob Marley’s early recordings and it
was adopted, particularly by the youth of the world. His music also
had strong themes of peace, love and brotherhood, again relevant to
the concerns not only of the youth but mankind. His Rastafarian
image is also important in explaining world acclaim of reggae.
 Reggae Sumfest has made a significant impact on international
audiences who visit Jamaica annually for this festival. So too, have the
Jazz festivals, in many Caribbean islands. These have a relatively large
international following and are covered by the international media.

13.  There are many types of Caribbean music which, although quite
popular in the Caribbean, have had limited impact on the world
scene. For example, zouk, punta, cadence and Afro- Cuban
rhythms ( such as the rumba) are types of music which are enjoyed
abroad by Caribbean people and their friends. Dissemination to a
foreign audience usually occurs on an informal basis, for example
through their friends and local live performances.
 In Japan, for instance, a well known female vocalist Sayoko has cut
a reworking of the Japanese pop classic Ue O Muite Aruko
(Sukiyaki) as an extended CD single that includes both the
Japanese and English versions of the song, set to a reggae beat.
Furthermore, reggae is also being incorporated into other forms-
one pop rock group in the USA, for instance, now produces a kind
of crossover reggae they called Jah rock.

15. Definitions
 Punta- the best known traditional dance in
Honduras and it is called ‘banguity’ (new life). Punta
can be sung at wakes and at the end of ceremonies.
 Calypso- a style of Afro Caribbean music which
originated in Trinidad and Tobago at about the start
of the 20th century
 Zouk- a style of rhythmic music originating from the
French islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique .
‘Zouk’ means 'party’ in the local Creole of French
with English and African influence all three of which
contributes to the sound

16.  Salsa- is essentially Cuban in stylistic origin through
it is also a hybrid of Puerto Rico and other Latin
styles mixed with pop jazz, rock and R n B.
 Reggae- is a music genre first developed in Jamaica
in the late 1960’s. While sometimes used in a
broader sense to refer to most types of Jamaican
music, the term reggae more properly denoted a
particular music style that originated following on
the development of ‘ska’ and ‘rocksteady’. Reggae is
often associated with the Rastafarian movement.

17. Thank You for your
time and attention!
Hope this
presentation was
educational and
helpful to you
