10 Most Annoying Misconceptions About The Caribbean
A few years ago, approximately four, maybe five years, my mother, who had recently immigrated to the United States from the Caribbean, was asked by her new neighbor “if people drove cars on the island where she was from”.
It seems unbelievable, especially in our current social media-driven world where it sometimes feels like our whole lives are online, that some could still be so clueless about other parts of the world. Unfortunately, that is very much the case.
In fact, this lack of knowledge of basic facts related to the region was on full display this past year, during the global media coverage of the effects of Hurricanes Irma and Maria on a number of islands. Some of the most reputable journalists and news sources were incorrectly identifying islands (no, Dominica and The Dominican Republic is not the same island), mispronouncing the names and just getting basic facts wrong.
It was so bad that at the annual Caribbean State of the Tourism Industry Conference (SOITC) held last October in Grenada, the Caribbean Tourism Organization discussed a plan to raise funds to launch a worldwide marketing campaign to help educate individuals about the region.
It is especially baffling when you consider that the tourism industry is the lifeblood of many Caribbean islands. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council 2017 Impact report, tourism contributed 13.4% of total employment across the region and that number is expected to increase to 15.8% by 2027. Tourists from all over the world, particularly the U.S. and Europe, visit the Caribbean islands in significant numbers, all year round.
And yet, the reality is there are still many common misconceptions and perceptions about the Caribbean that greatly annoy those who are from the region. Here are ten of the most common.
1. It is One Massive Country — Okay, we get that not everyone’s a Geography buff (I’m not) and I’m certainly not asking that one be an expert on the region. However, we are living in the digital age where Google is your friend. So it’s really not so hard to have some rudimentary knowledge of the world around you. Thinking that the Caribbean is one big country is unacceptable.
The Caribbean Islands, as the name denotes, is, in fact, a chain of islands that border the west of the Gulf of Mexico, south of the Caribbean Sea and east and north of the Atlantic Ocean and comprises a total of 28 different islands, some of which, for example, The U.S. and British Virgin Islands, comprise smaller islands within.
It is also categorized into four main island groups — i.e. The Greater Antilles (including Jamaica, The Cayman Islands, Cuba, Haiti, The Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico), The Leeward Antilles (including Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, aka, The ABC Islands) , The Windward Islands (including Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Martinique, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & The Grenadines, and Trinidad & Tobago) and finally, The Leeward Islands (including, Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, Montserrat, Saint Martin, Saba, Saint Eustatius, Saint Barthelemy, St. Kitts & Nevis, and The U.S. Virgin Islands).
And while most of the islands within the region are English-speaking, it also includes a number of French-speaking islands, e.g. Martinique, Spanish-speaking, e.g. Puerto Rico and Dutch-speaking as well, e.g. The ABC Islands.
So the next time you’re planning your vacation and decide to visit “The Caribbean”, you might want to specify what island (or islands) you’re referring to.
2. We’re referred to as “Caribbeans” — In the interest of fairness, one can sort of understand the rationale behind this thinking. However, contrary to belief, people from the Caribbean are not referred to as “Caribbeans”. They, in fact, mostly identify as West Indians, owing to the fact that the region is also often referred to as The West Indies. And that name, of course, comes from the historical background of Christopher Columbus, when stumbling upon what is known today as the island of Hispaniola, mistakenly believing that he had found a western passage to the Indies.
It must also be noted that there are a few islands that make up the Caribbean region, that are also considered part of the Latin American region (i.e. Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic, etc.) and thus, individuals from these islands are likely to be referred to as Latin Americans, as opposed to West Indians.
Also, please note that each individual island has its own moniker. For example, people from Jamaica are identified as Jamaicans, people from Saint Lucia are Saint Lucians, from Antigua, they are Antiguans, etc. The important factor is that while the islands are part of one region, each island and the people of that island are distinct in their own ways.
3. Caribbean = Latin America — While it is true that a few Latin American countries are found in the Caribbean region (see above), most notably Guyana, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint-Martin, Saint Barthelemy and Hispaniola, the latter which comprises of the Dominican Republic and Haiti, the two are not interchangeable.
Latin America consists largely of the countries found in South America, Mexico, and Central America and shares a history of colonization by the Spanish and Portuguese dynasties. In the interest of fairness, one can be a little more forgiving about this error as the two regions are often categorized and grouped together by various organizations. For example, the United Nations has a distinction titled the Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC), under its list of Regional Groups of Member States, which groups all islands of the Caribbean and Latin America into one.
4. We All Smoke Weed — Yeah that image you have in your head of island living being a bunch of chill, hippie individuals living on the beach, smoking the ganja — it’s false. For one thing, weed is actually just as illegal in most Caribbean islands as it is in many other countries. In fact, just two years ago, eleven individuals were given sentences of 15 to 30 years for attempting to traffic marijuana into Cuba, from Jamaica. Also, much like other countries, there is very much a generational divide in the islands where many older individuals still view marijuana as an illicit and harmful drug, used predominantly by members of the Rastafarian faith.
5. Marijuana is Legal (Because We All Smoke It) — See above. Here’s the thing, on some level, it makes sense where this misconception comes from. For many whose only perception of the Caribbean islands is probably listening to Bob Marley’s music and seeing images of the legend with a stick of cannabis in hand, it makes sense that they would assume the drug is legal and acceptable across the region.
But the reality is, from Trinidad and Tobago to Barbados, Saint Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, etc. marijuana for all uses, is illegal. That said, much like the U.S. and other parts of the world, debates and discussions have increased in recent years on the issue of decriminalizing the possession of small quantities of the drug. Leading the charge, in 2015, the Jamaican government voted to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana and use of the drug for medicinal purposes. The debate has also sparked enough discussion for the creation of a Marijuana Commission in 2014 by the Caribbean Community Council (CARICOM).
However, while discussions and debates have increased in recent years, at present, most islands still view the drug as illegal. Therefore, if you had visions of coming to the islands and casually walking around, smoking your weed, I’d strongly advise against it, as it could land you in jail.
6. Caribbean = Jamaica, Trinidad and thanks to Rihanna, Barbados — Listen, we get it. Not only are Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago two of the largest islands in the Caribbean region, boasting a population of 2.7 million and 1.3 million respectively, they have both produced some amazing talents that have helped place the Caribbean region on a global stage. And of course, Barbados gave us the Bad Gyal herself, Rihanna.
So yes, we get why some may immediately think of those three islands when the word “Caribbean” is mentioned. But once again, a quick Google search could enlighten one to some of the amazing and unique things that many of the other islands have to offer. For example, Guyana is home to the second highest waterfall in the world, as per the Worldwide Waterfall Database — i.e. The Kaieteur Falls and Grenada is home to the first underwater sculpture park — i.e. a unique submerged gallery of life-like and life-size human sculptures.
7. We Are Obsessed With Coconuts — Don’t get me wrong, coconuts are awesome. Not only are they delicious but they also offer a number of health benefits. For example, the milk from coconuts is low in fat and offers a great alternative for vegans and individuals who are lactose intolerant. And it is true that it is used in many local and popular recipes in many parts of the region. That said, no, we are not all running around every day, chugging on coconuts. This isn’t The Jungle Book or Robinson Crusoe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQXVHITd1N4&t=11s
8. Reggae is Our Only Musical Art Form — Yes, reggae originated from the islands and we are very proud of that fact. And while admittedly it is probably the most globally recognized musical genre from the region, it is not the only one we have. The Caribbean is, in fact, a melting pot of various genres all intermingled — including, soca, dancehall, calypso, ska, salsa, etc. And because the region has such diverse musical genres, it also boasts much more than just Bob Marley and Rihanna, as successful musical talents. For example, Harry Belafonte (who could forget the infamous Day-O dinner scene from the movie Beetlejuice), Shaggy (okay, who didn’t sing along to It Wasn’t Me in the early 2000’s), Billy Ocean, Beres Hammond, Machel Montano, Sean Paul, Buju Banton and many more.
9. Dominica and The Dominican Republic are One — Nope, two completely different islands. A distinction that many news sources seemed unaware of last year when discussing the damaging effects of Hurricane Maria on Dominica. Dominica is, in fact, an English speaking island located north of the island of Martinique and is part of the Windward Islands of the Caribbean. The Dominican Republic, on the other hand, is a Spanish speaking state that is part of a larger island called Hispaniola, which is comprised of the former and the country of Haiti. The two islands also differ significantly in size (18,000 square miles for The Dominican Republic to 289 square miles for Dominica), population (approximately 9 million for The Dominican Republic versus approximately 72,000 for Dominica), as well as currency, government and many of its cultural traditions. In short, do not ever refer to the two as interchangeable.
10. We all live on the beach and love climbing trees — Yes, many of the islands in the Caribbean are blessed with gorgeous beaches and like many people who are lucky to have access to great beaches, many of us enjoy a relaxing day at the beach. But no, we’re not a bunch of primitive people living on beaches, climbing trees and foraging the forest for food. This isn’t Survivor. We do in fact live in houses and drive cars, have internet access and fancy restaurants, cinemas, etc. Basically, we live the same way most of the world does.
So in conclusion, the next time you’re thinking about taking a cruise or spending a few days in The Caribbean, keep in mind that it is a region that offers a number of location options and a wealth of varying cultural expressions.
