Caribbean_Sydney_Logo_Retina
Caribbean_Sydney_Logo_Retina

About Caribbean Sydney

Sydney, Australia’s first and largest city, is a multi-cultural city where you can meet people from all corners of the world and experience a wide variety of food and cultures. Interestingly, despite the relatively small local population of people descending from the Caribbean, the Caribbean culture has infiltrated different cross-sections Sydney. Caribbean culture is being celebrated across Sydney via dance, food and other cultural activities. We have made our mark. 

About

Various Caribbean icons have helped to make Caribbean culture visible across the world, and here in Australia. Singers such as Rihanna, Bob Marley, Harry Belafonte, Sean Paul and Nicki Minaj have all left their mark on the global music scene in their various ways. Sports icons such as sprinter Usain Bolt and various West Indies cricket legends have also familiarised Australians with the Caribbean culture. A shared love of cricket and a healthy rivalry has also cemented ties between these countries.

It is however, the local businesses, community groups, event promoters, dance teachers, musicians and individuals whose efforts and contributions keep Caribbean culture alive and accessible here in Sydney. We want you to learn more about the Caribbean and the Caribbean lifestyle available in Sydney, and will provide you with information as it becomes available. Information such as discount deals..

The Caribbean is made up of the Greater Antilles; Lesser Antilles;  Lucayan Archipelago and some mainland territories in South America & Central America. 

Situated largely on the Caribbean plate, the region has more than 700 islands, islets, reefs and cays. The region takes its name from the indigenous inhabitants, the Caribs. The word “Caribbean” has multiple uses, its principal ones are geographical and political. The Caribbean can also be expanded to include territories with strong cultural and historical connections to Africa, slavery, European colonisation and the plantation system.

 

Soon after the arrival of Christopher Columbus (1942), both Spanish and Portuguese explorers began claiming territories. These early colonies bought gold to Europe, most specifically England, the Netherlands and France. 

The Caribbean was also known for pirates especially between 1640 – 1680. The Caribbean region was war – torn throughout much of its colonial history, but the wars were often based in Europe, with only minor battles fought in the Caribbean. Some wars, however were born of political turmoil in the Caribbean itself. Haiti is the first Caribbean nation to fight for independence from European powers, referred to as the Hatitian revolution. 

 

The Caribbean

Caribbean Organisations: 

CARICOM: The Caricom rests on four main pillars: Economic integrations; Foreign policy coordination; Human and social development; and security. The Caricom nations include: Anitgua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Monserrat, Saint Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname & Trinidad and Tobago. Associate Members inlcude: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands & Turks and Caicos Islands. 

 

Association of Caribbean States (acs-aec) : Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela.

West Indies FederationIF (3/01/1958 – 31/05/1962), The Federation was a short-lived political union of various Islands colonised by the United Kingdom. The intention was to become a federation to unite as a single state and become independent from Britain, similar to the Australian Commonwealth. 
 

 

Caribbean Peoples: Afro-Caribbean, Indgenous-Caribbean (Arawak, Igneri, Taino, Caquetio, Ciboney, Ciguayo, Garifuna, Kalina, Kalinago, Lucayan, Macorix & Raizal), Indo-Caribbean, White Caribbean.  Caribbean Languages: (El Caribe, les Caraibes, Karayib, De Caraiben) English, French, Spanish, Dutch, French Creoles, English Creoles, Dutch Creoles, Papiamento, Caribbean Hindustani & Chinese.  

Popular Caribbean music genres: Bachata, Merengue, Mombo, Baithak gana, Bouyon, Calypso, Chutney, Chutney-soca, Kompas, Dancehall, Parang, Punta, Ragga, Reggae, Reggaeton, Salsa, Soca & Zouk. The majority of all the music genres from the Caribbean contain an undeniable, underlying African touch, this is recognisable by the call and response style of music. Important to note, is that none of these genres would exist without the petridish like environment of each individual place in the Caribbean. The music drawing on the colonial history, the experience and the circumstances over hundreds of years, to be created as you know it today.


West Indies colonial names: British West Indies or Anglophone Caribbean, Danish West Indies, Dutch West Indies, French West Indies, Portuguese West Indies, Spanish West Indies, Swedish West Indies, Courlander West Indies.