Christopher Columbus and the Caribbean 288 Words

ARTICLE-A-DAY

The Caribbean 6 Articles

Check articles you have read: The Jonkonnu 200 words

Caribbean Geography 225 words

Anansi the Spider 304 words

Tourism in Jamaica 212 words

Christopher Columbus and the Caribbean 288 words

Caribbean Food 262 words

The Jonkonnu by ReadWorks

The Jonkonnu, also called 'John Canoe,' is a traditional Jamaican performance art form. It uses masks, miming, music, and most of all, dancing. This art form has African influences. This is because many Jamaicans were originally from Africa, but were forced to leave their home during the slave trade. Enslaved Africans came from many different countries, and many of them were taken to Jamaica. So the African Jamaicans spoke many different languages. Rather than using verbal language, these slaves used dance and physical expression to communicate with each other.

The Jonkonnu represented a step towards unity. It was also an act of defiance against the slave owners. By wearing masks (often worn during rituals in African religions), the slaves were celebrating their shared faith in a god or gods. By performing an African-inspired dance, they were showing that they were proud of their African roots. Following the later emancipation of slaves in Jamaica, African Jamaicans also danced the Jonkonnu as a way to show their united fight against racism and colonialism. In the present day, the Jonkonnu is performed during celebratory events such as parades and annual festivals.

Photo Credit: WikiPedant, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photograph of Jonkonnu dancers

Caribbean Geography by ReadWorks

The Caribbean is not just one island. It is made up of more than 700 islands, ranging from tiny islets to nation states. Islets are small rock formations in the water and they are typically not inhabited by many people. The nation states, on the other hand, are relatively populous. Cuba has the highest population living in a Caribbean state with around 11.4 million people and Haiti is a close second with a population just shy of 11 million. The Caribbean's total population is close to 47,000,000 people.

Despite the popular perception that the Caribbean is simply made up of sandy beaches, the terrain is diverse. Jamaica boasts an amazing mountain range, the Blue Mountains, where much of Jamaica's famous coffee is farmed and cultivated. Miles of salt flats, land covered with a layer of salt, range across Puerto Rico. Even the beaches are unique. In Bermuda and in the Bahamas, the sand is colored pink by piles of abandoned sea-creature shells. Would you want to go to a beach with pink sand?

In addition to the beauty of its islands, the Caribbean climate is idyllic, especially if you like warm weather. The average temperature during the winter is 80 degrees. It is safe to assume that snow would be foreign to this part of the world!

Anansi the Spider by ReadWorks

Photograph of a spider web

Anansi the Spider is one of the most famous characters in Caribbean folklore. Anansi is known for both his sneaky personality and cunning nature. Despite his small size, Anansi is able to outsmart bigger creatures to satisfy his personal needs. In fact, many people tell stories of Anansi in order to show that intelligence is a more powerful tool than physical power or size. There are many versions of Anansi stories, but the thread that runs through all of them is his ability to think quickly and creatively.

The Anansi stories originated from present-day Ghana and the Ashanti people. The Ashanti people believe that Anansi was the god of creation, who fell on bad luck and was transformed into a spider. According to Ashanti stories, Anansi served as the mediator between the sky god, Nyame, and the people on Earth. It was believed that Anansi's wise words could persuade Nyame to do many things for the people, including providing them with night and rainfall.

Anansi the Spider's ability to triumph despite the odds made him a symbol of hope during difficult times. As a result of the slave trade, many of the Ashanti people were captured and forced to leave Ghana and move to the Caribbean. During this time, the Ashanti people continued to tell each other stories of Anansi, who stood as a reminder that knowledge, not violence, was power.

As the Anansi stories have spread, the spider's name has changed. He is also called Kwaku Ananse, Anancy, and in the southern United States, he is referred to as 'Aunt Nancy.' Not only has Anansi's name evolved, but his identity also has taken on different forms. Versions of the 'smart spider' character appear throughout modern culture. Can you guess which character shares similar traits to Ansansi?.....Spider Man!

Tourism in Jamaica by ReadWorks

With its beautiful beaches and its rich culture, the Caribbean region attracts many visitors. Its tropical climate allows year-round scuba diving, snorkeling, and swimming. In the more mountainous nation states like Jamaica, hiking is a popular tourist activity. Many visitors also like to eat Caribbean food, which is often spicy and full of flavor. Not surprisingly, the Caribbean is a common honeymoon spot.

Photograph of Caribbean beach resort

The tourism industry is a crucial part of the Caribbean islands' economies. Hotels and resorts populate the islands so there are plenty of places for visitors to stay. With so many people to feed, the rise in tourism has helped the sales of local fishers and farmers. Retail stores in the Caribbean have also benefited from tourism because many visitors enjoy purchasing souvenirs during their vacation.

While tourism has benefited the Caribbean in many important ways, it has also had a mixed effect on the environment. Because so many more people are on the islands, the water supply has decreased. The sites that are visited the most, like the beaches, can also become damaged due to overuse. On the other hand, there are more nature reserves, which are protected lands, in the Caribbean because many tourists want to see wildlife on their visits.

Christopher Columbus and the Caribbean by ReadWorks

Photograph of ship at sea

With the Caribbean encompassing more than 70 islands, it is difficult to discuss its early history. The impact of colonialism, however, was universal and felt by almost every island in the Caribbean region. On October 12th 1492, Christopher Columbus landed upon the shores of the Bahamas by accident. His original plan was to find a passage to Asia so that Spain would have easier access to spices and a more profitable role in the international trade market. Instead, he landed upon the shores of the Caribbean islands and from that time on, the Caribbean became known as 'The New World.'

There had been navigators and foreign explorers in the Caribbean region before 1492, but Columbus had by far the largest influence on the lives of the local people. There is a reason why we remember his name today. In fact, despite popular perception, Christopher Columbus never even entered North America! He remained in South America and the Caribbean islands, but his fame can be attributed to the fact that he introduced this region as an ideal place for settlement and economic ventures.

Columbus was known for being cruel and violent to the original inhabitants of the Caribbean islands. During his rule, the native population decreased under Columbus's rule because he killed many people. The European settlers also brought over foreign diseases, which killed many of the natives who had not had previous exposure to these diseases and thus, had not developed immunity over time.

While European influences definitely affected the Caribbean way-of-life, Caribbean culture also has spread throughout the world in many different ways. For example, food native to the Caribbean, like plantains and guavas, can be found throughout the world.

Caribbean Food by ReadWorks

Have you ever seen a green banana that you assumed just wasn't ripe for the picking? Perhaps those bananas weren't actually yellow bananas. They may actually have been a bunch of plantains, naturally green fruits common in the Caribbean islands. Plantains share such a close resemblance to yellow bananas because they come from the same family of fruits. While yellow bananas are sweet and high in sugar, plantains are more bitter, and as a result, plantains are usually not consumed raw. Instead, they are often baked until warm or fried to a delectable crisp. Many people believe that plantains should be used like potatoes in cooking because of their high starch content.

Photograph of fried plantain

Since the Caribbean islands are surrounded by water, various types of fish represent staple foods in traditional Caribbean cuisine. Dishes made with flying fish, a fish that can reach up to four feet high in the air during flight, are common, especially in Barbados. Saltfish is also a popular type of fish for cooking and can be paired with fruits, like ackee, to enhance its taste. Fish stew, chock full of white fish and spices, is also a delicious meal that many people eat in the Caribbean.

A Caribbean dish that has become extremely popular in America is Jamaican Jerk chicken. Native to the Caribbean island nation of Jamaica, Jamaican Jerk chicken is prepared by rubbing or marinating chicken with spices that truly are spicy! The term 'Jerk' refers to this specific method of cooking and to the spices used to make the meat more flavorful.