Carnival Major Aspect Of Trinidadian Culture Social Policy Essay

Carnival Major Aspect Of Trinidadian Culture Social Policy Essay What is culture? According to La Belle and Ward (1996), a current definition of culture encompasses the shared attributes which delineate one group as separate from another ( p. 28). A slightly more specific definition for this very broad term comes from Frantz Fanon who says that a culture is first and foremost the expression of a nation, its preferences, its taboos, and its models (2004, p.177). From this standpoint we will examine Trinidadian culture or more specifically the significance of Carnival, an integral part of Trinidadian culture, as an outpouring of expression which originated with the French Roman Catholic aristocracy and later was influenced by slaves and former slaves. We will also examine the role it plays in inspiring national pride and uniting the Trinidadian diaspora. According to Mr. Walcott we have lost much of our historical legacy and it is from this loss and the consequent necessity for something to fill that void that the innovation of our culture (i.e. Caribbean culture) materialized (Walcott, 1974, p. 6). I disagree with Mr. Walcott on this point. I believe that a great deal of history was lost yes, whether it is because it was irrelevant as he says or not is in itself immaterial for the purpose of this discussion. It is my opinion that culture was not simply an upwelling of inventiveness due to large gaps in historical memory, but also an amalgamation of what historical heritage was left behind regardless of the fact that it was in tatters. If we take Carnival as an isolated part of culture, this point can be proven as we examine the origins of Carnival and see for ourselves that it began in Trinidad with a French Roman Catholic tradition of the aristocracy (Zavitz Allahar, 2002) in the pre-emancipation era as a last prelenten celebratio n, which symbolized the abandonment of propriety. It was transformed with the advent of emancipation from a celebration in the form of masked balls, song, drama and dance which indirectly, covertly and subversively confronted issues of social restrictions of class and race, since most wore masks, into a fusion in the post-emancipation period of West African religious practices and beliefs and the pre-existing French celebration (Nurse, 1999). The initial celebration of Carnival by the recently freed slaves was in the form of re-enacting a scene that they had become all too familiar with and which they had named Cannes Brulà ©es or burning cane (Carnival). This is one instance of creation such as that which Mr. Walcott speaks of, however we can clearly see that the entirety of the Carnival practice, once taken as a whole, contains old and new elements, old from both French and African historical celebrations separately and new from the synthesis of new ideas based on experiences and the mixing of two cultures together, one forcibly oppressed for many years, and the other, living in extravagance comparatively. Let us now take a look at what Carnival is, what it symbolizes presently for the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago. Carnival as seen by the spectator and masquerader alike is not viewed as anything static. It is a dynamic and fluid process (Green, 2007, p. 206). It is a vibrant, exuberant, triumphant, colourful display on the one hand of freedom from ones inhibitions as passed down from the originators of this festival, in which fast-paced, up-tempo music urges revelers to jump and gyrate in time with the syncopations of the melodic soca music (Green, 2007, pp. 207-208). Feathers, beads, staffs, headbands, bright dramatic make-up, sequins, beads and all manner of shiny things bob and weave with the rhythm of the uninhibited who proudly bare their costumes and newly fit bodies for cameras and tourists alike. Big music trucks patrol the streets with thousands cavorting to the tune reverberating from the massive speakers that take up the entire truck-cab and face in all directions. This m addeningly spectacular display of peacock-like feathers, glitter and lithe bodies strutting to the beat, begins on Carnival Monday morning with JOuvert which means opening of the day and continues right through into LasLap on Tuesday night until the stroke of midnight (Scher, 2002, p. 461). This is the part of Carnival that is marketed, packaged and sold to the masses every year. The package includes the enticement of watching steel-bands vie for the title of champion in the Queens Park Savannah, during Panorama, the most renowned steelpan competition during the Carnival season. It is not to say that this is all that Carnival consists of, however when considering the diasporic culture of expatriate Trinis, as they are called, and their descendants, these are the images that bring to life that longing for the homeland and have inspired stirrings in the soul to return to Trinidad, just to participate in this festival of colour and unadulterated elation. The term diasporic mentioned re fers to the dispersion of a community away from its homeland to more than one peripheral region, which remembers or has some cultural connection to the homeland and is not fully acknowledged as a member of the current country (Clifford, 1994, p. 304). Although they may be expatriates, during the Carnival season, many Trinis faithfully return home to take part in festivities and can be heard speaking d lingo of dey people even if with a slight North American twist. As was stated by Clifford (1994) the language of diaspora is increasingly invoked by displaced peoples who feel a connection with a prior home (p.310). Many Caribbeans in New York, for example, have maintained a sense of connection with their home islands, a distinct sense of cultural, and sometimes class, identity that sets them apart from African Americans (Clifford, 1994, p. 315). The reclamation of ties to the homeland can also be seen through the migration of the celebration of Carnival to major cities around the world. This repossession can be accounted for by marginalization and experiences of discrimination and exclusion (Clifford, 1994, p. 311). It is the way that the diasporic mentality makes up for the bad experiences (Clifford, 1994). It also however speaks t o the issue of nationalism. Expatriates and their descendants must look to Trinidad for innovations in the Carnival arts (Green, 2007, p. 213) speaks to the issue of national pride as well and the refusal to allow the denigration of the achievements of the nation. I digress here to discuss this issue of nationalism and national pride. Nationalism, according to Greenfeld (2006) refers to the set of ideas and sentiments which form the conceptual framework of national identity (p.69). Four concepts that are key to Greenfelds theory that factor in here in our discussion are: equality, respect, dignity and citizenship(2006. She says that the fact that ones national identity is coupled with dignity and self-respect, due to the elevation of citizens to the level of membership in the nation, guarantees ones investment in the community that constitutes the nation. The dignity imparted with feeling like one belongs is what spurs national pride. The prestige associated with that feeling of belonging encourages international competition. This concept speaks to the pride that Trinidadians feel, particularly at Carnival time, possibly more so than at any other time of the year, on professing that, yes they come from the land of Carnival and pretty mas and w hats more they know how to wine. It may well be that other islands craved the sense of pride that they saw in Trinidadians at some point since we are told that it is from Trinidads Carnival that they take their inspiration, form, and structure (Cohen, 2007, p. 898). I dont suppose we will ever know if this adoption of carnival stemmed from regional competition or from a different historical legacy. In support of this argument that Carnival has inspired national pride we look to Mr. Green, who talks about how these other carnivals derived from Trinidadian Carnival has instilled a certain drive in Trinidadians to have their originality and cultural innovation recognized and their country acknowledged as the birthplace of the copycat Carnival that is now marketed in at least three major metropolitan centers internationally: Toronto, London and Brooklyn respectively (Green, 2007, pp. 210-213). Even still, we find that the visitors still number in the thousands to Trinidad for Carnival each year. Currently, most of those who come to Carnival are either expatriate Trinidadians or individuals who are very familiar with some aspect of the Carnival (Green, 2007, p. 206). But non-Trinidadians and descendants of Trinidadians living abroad also learn about theCarnival-like events inspired by Trinidad Carnival Caribana, Notting Hill, and West Indian-American Day among them, in the three afo rementioned major cities respectively (Green, 2007, pp. 210-211). We can see from the comments made by the interviewee in Mr. Greens article, that national pride and the resultant desire to seek the nations interest in reclaiming what is rightfully Trinidadian is spawned from the prospect of stolen ideas and the frustration at other countries inadequate imitations of a distinctive cultural marker People in promoting their own Carnival based on Trinidads Carnival, forget about Trinidad So we have got to look after our own laurels to re-establish ourselves And once we do that, people will remember that this is the Mecca, this is where you come for the real things that are rich and flavorful and tasty about Carnival (interview, 13 August 1993) (Green, 2007, p. 212). We learn that sadly, it is mostly Trinidadian expatriates and individuals who have had some exposure to some aspect of Carnival, who come to visit each year (Green, 2007, p. 206). It is still encouraging from my standpoint however to know that non-Trinidadians and descendants of Trinidadia ns living abroad also learn about Carnival-like events created by Trinidadians inspired by Trinidad Carnival Caribana, Notting Hill, and West Indian-American Day among them, in the three aforementioned major cities respectively (Green, 2007, pp. 210-211). Even if the name of the country is mentioned and people are able to experience and capture some essence of what Carnival is about, we never know, it may instill in them the desire to come and visit Trinidad 1themselves. Carnival is broken down into parts and must be expressed in such a manner that can be experienced by others in order for it to be brought to the educational forum and projected into the public arena both nationally and internationally (Green, 2007, p. 207). It can be broken down into music, costumes, food and so on. The end to this breaking it down, when we consider edification of the nation in itself of its own tradition and festival , is cultural nationalism. Cultural nationalism as described by Mr. Green has as its aim to inculcate among members of the nation a sense of shared national culture, one that is not distorted by outside cultural influence (Green, 2007, p. 203). Simply put, this has the ability to put the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago in a position of stemming its vulnerability to outside cultural forces because it has been educated on the importance of its own. Globalization is inevitable, however, the question that has to be posed is how much is Trinidad willing to l ose its culture to other nations? How has Carnival indirectly affected culture negatively? It has opened the country up to the influences of massive influxes of tourists and the impact their culture has on the uneducated populace. Unfortunately though, as Derek Walcott so eloquently expressed his feelings of dependence on America that can be easily transmitted to many an educated Trinidadian regarding Carnival the more West Indian I become, the more I can accept my dependence on America not because America owes me a living from historical guilt, nor that it needs my presence, but because we share this part of the world, and have shared it for centuries now (La Belle Ward, 1996, p. 3). Again, the only solution to avoiding vulnerability and to ensuring sustainability of the festival and the uniqueness of Trinidads Carnival as opposed to what is being produced in the name of Carnival, is education. Now that Carnival has come to pass: national pride has been boosted, global awareness of the festival has exploded and tourism has grown as an industry during that period of time, the Carnival season. With increasing globalization, Trinidad stands to lose out on a large percentage of income and also the proper credit, recognition, and appreciation for what it has contributed to the world (Green, 2007, p. 214) that could be earned through these festivals, these pseudo-carnivals initiated by members of the diaspora uniting to recapture the essence of their homeland in metropolitan hubs around the world. The positive side of the coin is global recognition for innovativeness and diversity as a culture. What will become of Carnival and Trinidadian national pride in the years to come? We will have to wait and see. REFERENCES Carnival. (n.d.). Retrieved November 23rd, 2009, from Trinidad and Tobago National Library and Information System Authority Web site: http://library2.nalis.gov.tt/Default.aspx?PageContentID=206tabid=161 Clifford, J. (1994). Diasporas. Cultural Anthropology , 9 (3), 302-338. Cohen, C. B. (2007). Trinidad Carnival Today: Local Culture in a Global Context. Anthropological Quarterly , 80 (3), 897-902. Fanon, F. (2004). On National Culture. In F. Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth (p. 177). New York: Grove Press. Green, G. L. (2007). Come to Life: Authenticity, Value, and the Carnival as Cultural Commodity in Trinidad and Tobago. Identites: Global Studies in Culture and Power , 14 (1/2), 203-224. Greenfeld, L. (2006). Nationalism and the Mind: Essays on Modern Culture. Oneworld Publications. La Belle, T. J., Ward, C. R. (1996). Ethnic Studies and Multiculturalism. New York: State University of New York Press. Nurse, K. (1999). Globalization and Trinidad Carnival:Diaspora, Hybridity and Identity in Global Culture. Cultural Studies , 13 (4), 661-690. Scher, P. W. (2002). Copyright Heritage: Preservation, Carnival and the State in Trinidad. Anthropological Quarterly , 75 (3), 453-484. Walcott, D. (1974). The Caribbean: Culture or Mimicry. Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs , 16 (1), 3-13. Zavitz, A. L., Allahar, A. L. (2002). Racial Politics and Cultural Identity in Trinidads Carnival. Identity: An International Journal of Theory and Research , 2 (2), 125-145.

Effects of Global Warming Essay

Starting in the 1960s, scientists recognized long-range problems, concentrating at first on sea-level rise and a threat to food supplies. New items were gradually added to the list, ranging from the degradation of ecosystems to threats to human health. Experts in fields from forestry to economics, even national security experts, pitched in to assess the range of possible consequences. It was impossible to make solid predictions given the complexity of the global system, the differences from one region to another, and the ways human society itself might try to adapt to the changes. But by the start of the 21st century, it was clear that climate change would bring serious harm to many regions — some more than others. Indeed many kinds of damage were already beginning to appear. (This essay does not try to cover the entire history of impact studies, but sketches some examples. Current scientific understanding of impacts is summarized at the end). Through the first half of the 20t h century, when global warming from the greenhouse effect was only a speculation, the handful of scientists who thought about it supposed any warming would be for the good. Svante Arrhenius, who published the first calculations, claimed that nations like his native Sweden â€Å"may hope to enjoy ages with more equable and better climates.†(1) Most people assumed that a â€Å"balance of nature† made catastrophic consequences impossible, and if any change did result from the â€Å"progress† of human industry, it would be all to the good. In any case nobody worried about the impacts of a climate change that scientists expected would only affect their remote descendents, several centuries in the future, if it happened at all.| – LINKS – for more on this see

Internship Midterm Report

Bad is a non-profit organization that publishes magazines and provides counseling services such as phone counseling, email counseling, face to face counseling. My mall Job responsible Is to writing articles and phone counseling, other than that, there are some minor responsible for the Job, such as help Administrative Department if needed. In phone counseling section, I need to record the cases, my suggestion and my analysis of the cases, for the purpose of follow up when other counselors pick up the phone.For certain cases, we are referring to some centers to follow up or In need, such as unmarried mother. Except phone counseling, another opportunity of this job is able to write articles regarding counseling. I have to come out a topic about some issue regarding youth, such as financial management, thanksgiving, and etc. While the time that writing articles, I have to collect some resources from various area, for example, online websites, magazines, and some books.Articles writing a lso required some technique that different from assignments and report. When I writing an articles, that prefer to SE the word â€Å"we† rather than â€Å"you† or â€Å"them† in order to bring a closer distant to reader and similarity as well, and also, there Is no blaming Issue happen by using word â€Å"we† so that we are not bring offend towards anyone. 2. 0 VALUE 2. 1 Person-centered Therapy The most common therapy matter being used nowadays Is Person-centered Therapy, in which the people are the center of the counseling section.Even we learned it from very beginning, but there are mistakes that I make subconsciously, like blaming fault. Even some mistakes that I know very well and trying to avoid, but cause of never realized that, I been made all those mistakes that shouldn't make In any condition. Fortunately, my â€Å"teacher† is there to tell me where I make mistakes. As my supervisor told me, they can't make adjustment for every word from my mouth towards people, and yet, that might cause their disappointment towards phone counseling If I not doing In a good way. 2. Practical Counseling Technique Every words that we say in counseling section is directly transfer to people, there is no time to consider what therapy matter to use during that time. The things that we can do are analyze what the people say and find out the root of the problem, and then, we take all useful Information to help people to solve their problems. Sometimes, they are troubled because they don't know what to do with the problem, and they call for a solution. That might break the rule of not giving any opinion or 1 OFF know what to do.Therefore, we will give some unavoidable opinion in certain situation, and we try to minimize the space to people to ask for opinion, even though they ask, we are not giving if that can be avoid. According my supervisor, we should ask people to step out the first step if possible, for the first step is the important action to solve problem. Without the first step, there is no further to move on. 2. 3 Selective Attention Every counselor will be facing the same problem during counseling section, the client/patient talk many things and yet not everything related or useful.Therefore, we need to filter out some â€Å"rubbish information† or repeated phrase. Selective attention is what we need within the counseling section, as we have limited time to hold the hone counseling. Within about 20-30 minutes, we have to know what the problem(s) is/are and get as much useful information as we could to examine the problem(s), so we can guide people to a right way to solve the problem. Indeed, selective attention is the useful element for counseling section that to eliminate the information that not helping in solving the problem(s). . 4 Multitasking skill Due to hearing phone counseling and article writing in the same time, I may apply multitasking in the situation. There is no sign to know hotlist wi ll ring during I doing y other works such as writing article, therefore sometimes that may required multitasking skill to handle the situation. To remember what the people say and come out with a suggestion at the same time required not only multitasking skill alone, that may also recall short term memory.Sometimes, there are more than Just two things to handle if I'm alone in the office while others went out or doing things, that time is the best time to practice multitasking skill for future. A man who can handle multiple things at the same time may not be qualified to enter a good ignition, but that easily to be put in consideration as many Jobs required multitasking skill. There are some expectations for every Job; The Bridge Communication Sad Bad is not the exception.I have 2 expectations when I decided to start my internship in The Bridge Communication Sad Bad. 3. 1 Practical Counseling Technique Every student who enters a counseling organization or department may expect to ga in some practical counseling techniques to equip ourselves for future path. Even though we learned many theories and matters from textbooks in class, but to practice t is never same like Just an assignment. In counseling department, I would like to learn how to have a counseling section with all the things I learned.That is a truth for everyone who been working in counseling services, what we learn and what we practice can be very different. During counseling, there is no therapy matter but only some rules to be aware, such as no offend or blaming, always request people to take a first step. 3. 2 Articles Writing Skill As expect before internship start in The Bridge Communication Sad Bad for articles writing been mentioned as one of the Job description, I excited to have this as part of my work.Most of the organization didn't manage to offer articles writing to internship students, even employees since they have no magazine publication within the organization. This would be the inte resting Job description for an internship student to learn more through writing articles, in which I can improve and corrected patients for that may bring either positive or negative effect towards them, yet, that lead a perception of counseling towards people.

Marketing Analysis Maybelline s Ad - 931 Words

The first fashion ad I selected is from the Cosmopolitan June 2015 magazine. Maybelline is advertising their lipstick in different shades of pink. This ad covers two full magazine pages, displaying a model on one page and the product on the other. I enjoy how the ad displays the model most because without looking at the next page, which has the product on it, I can automatically know Maybelline is advertising lipstick. The lipstick is so strong and bold and having subtle eye makeup on the model helps the viewer focus on the product. In addition, on the following page all the writing is clear to read and the lipstick shades are respectably spaced out. The second ad regarding fashion came from the Cosmopolitan March 2015 magazine. Covergirl’s ad was very similar to Maybelline’s ad. However, Covergirl squeezed everything into one magazine page. Covergirl has an ice-cream cone on the left side, a portion of the models face in the middle and finally has their different shade s of pink compacted into a vertical column on the right hand side. Personally I dislike this ad because it is too cluttered for one advertisement. In addition, despite my favorite color is pink there is an overwhelming feeling because majority of this advertisement is pink. The first non-fashion ad is of an alcoholic beverage from Cosmopolitan July 2015. The ad is displaying the new Bud Light Lime Lemon-ade-rita with a summer atmosphere. I enjoy this ad because the alcoholic beverage is placed on a beachShow MoreRelatedL’oreal and the Globalization of American Beauty Essay1420 Words   |  6 Pages the French prestige, which helped sell perfumes, did little for the hair-coloring products. L’Oreal continued its attempts of global expansion and gained ground in the U.S. hair-coloring market in 1973 with the famous, â€Å"Because you’re worth it† ad campaign. 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