Elements Of Caribbean Cosmology And Their Role In Understanding Afro-Pessimism, Afro-Futurism, And Diasporic Music Visual Cultures

Carnival

From the Kamau Brathwaite “Notes of Caribbean Cosmology,” it is analyzed that the elements of Caribbean Cosmology demonstrate the fact by which the African culture people easily accepted and co-opted the European cultures. The Caribbean Cosmology help in understanding of African diasporic music visual cultures, Afro-pessimism and Afro-futurism readings and for this storytelling procedure will be chosen by them. Therefore to demonstrate these facts three elements of Caribbean Cosmology will chosen for this context that defines the way by which the African people easily accept the European cultures. In addition, two music video, and one each Afro-pessimism and Afro-futurism readings will be further discussed in this paper.

The three elements described in this context are the carnival, jouvert and the rites of passage and with the help of these elements, an idea regarding the acceptance of other country culture to the home country will easily be defined. According to the author Turner, (126), the carnival is an element of Caribbean Cosmology that occurs as a border between life and art, and thereby it tied religious conversion, celebration, colonialism and ultimately freedom.

Therefore from this view, the main theme of this carnival element can be demonstrated that suggested the fact that it brought the pre lantern tradition of the African people thereby accepting the festival originated with Italian Catholics in Europe, Spain, and France. In addition, after reviewing the “Notes of Caribbean Cosmology,” it is noticed that the word ‘Carnival’ stands for two meaning one is the farewell to flesh and the other is the farewell to meat. The elements are named by this because many historians believe that Caribbean carnival had originated in the late 18^th century when flood brought the French settlers within this island and their food will only be meat and flesh. Hence, they are called by these names and from this fact, the author Joseph, (148), suggested that by these aspects the Carnival element has originated among the African people.

In the words of Turner, (126), jouvert is also consider as an important element of the Caribbean Cosmology that demonstrate as the heart of Trinidad carnival and they are celebrated in the Eastern Caribbean Islands. The author stated that this element of Caribbean Cosmology has originated from French that defines morning or morning daybreak and thereby it initiates the start of bacchanalia or carnival. In the opinion of GARRIDO-PÉREZ, (179), Jouvert is consider to be highly traditional and thereby it full of symbols heritage and culture. In accordance with tradition, they play with mud mas and hence called them Jab Jabs. In this traditional aspect, they also cover themselves from head to toe with chocolate, paints, white powers and anything like that. As stated by the author, the roots of Jouvert had come around 200 years back when the French plantation owners arrive in this island. In today’s environment, the African people easily accept this element of Caribbean Cosmology as their daily life part and thereby this culture stands in a good position in this respective island.

Jouvert

Apart from this, according to the author Joseph, (148), the rites of passage is an important Caribbean Cosmology element that is linked to the individual identity of the society as well as the community in this respective islands. The author also suggested that rites of passage mainly exists among the old Caribbean people and it generally consists of a series of definite rules of conduct that should be followed by every individual. Due to this reason the moral character or the religious beliefs in accordance with the ceremonies thereby also changes as well as varied over time. As evaluated by the author Rodriques, (7), in the present day, the rites of passage generally consists of sacred rituals such as the dances in Afro-Caribbean religions, the sacrament of confirmation in the Catholic religion and so on. Besides this, along with the sacred element, the rites of passage also include three different moments such as a separation from the child’s previous state, wishes of good luck for future and also an opportunity to fix the wrong aspect in past days. Hence from these three Caribbean Cosmology elements, it is quite evident that the African people easily accept the cultures belonging to the different country and this help to co-operate with various cultural factors in the current day easily.           

After reviewing the Braithwaite article, an idea regarding the significance of Caribbean Cosmology has been found and this help to understand the music videos of another country towards the people. The music video of Childish Gambino’s “This is America” is a loaded and cryptic shocking metaphor and imagery video that demonstrates America’s complicated relationships in accordance with both soldiers and the remnants of slavery. Thereby to understand the fact the Caribbean Cosmology elements are important for the people. In the opinion of Francis, (6), with the help of this Caribbean Cosmology they enable to understand the cultural aspect of peoples belonging to other culture as well as the country. In addition, the lyrics of this musicians define the central theme of the art that defines the importance of money to people because black culture is often packaged, commodified and resold if they do not have the respective. Hence to know the exact meaning of this central theme the people easily accept the other cultural beliefs with the help of this Caribbean Cosmology. Therefore, it is quite evident that for understanding the respective music video theme the African accept and co-operated the other country cultures. In addition, it can also clear that with the help of Caribbean Cosmology, the people are able to understand the diasporic music visual cultures of different countries.

Rites of Passage

Another music video of Arthur Jafa’s “Love is the Message; The Message is Death” is also determined by the people with the help of this Caribbean Cosmology aspect. According to the author Gaffield, (112), the central theme of this music video is to highlight the humor and beauty and also the instances of horrific violence among the cultural peoples of Africa and America respectively. From the music video, it is quite evident that African expression over a matter is profoundly different from the products of the European tradition. Therefore it can be said that this music video provides a huge inner meaning of both these different cultures. Hence, to understand this aspect it is necessary that people should easily incorporate with the European culture so that they can easily understand their cultural beliefs. In the words of Kehm, (1015), with the Caribbean Cosmology that help in developing the relationship between both African and European culture thereby plays a vital role and thereby they succeeded in convincing the African people regarding the acceptance and co-operation of the European cultures in their religion and cultures. Therefore, with the help of this music video the Caribbean Cosmology enable to build the relationship between the cultures of both black people and white people of both Africa and America respectively. Hence, it is proven that with the help of Caribbean Cosmology the people will thereby understand the diasporic music video cultures belonging to different countries.

According to the author Gómez, (11), Caribbean Cosmology also help the people to understand the Afro-pessimism readings by helping them to know about the inner meaning of the themes of this selected reading. The reading thereby selected in this context is the Saidiya Hartman’s “The Terrible Beauty of the Slum” whose main theme is to demonstrate the group of beautiful thugs that define the beauty of the Slum. In the words of Majfud, (6), the terrible beauty demonstrate the fact of order, assimilate and explain the snap of their pictures of kitchenettes, buildings, outhouses, and clotheslines. Hence to understand the main aspects of these Afro-pessimism readings, it is necessary that the people know about the inner meaning of these readings.

Therefore to understand the people regarding the meaning as well as the theme of these reading the Caribbean Cosmology provides various literature with the manuscript to help the people to understand the readings properly. In the opinion of Hayward, (207), after reviewing the Kamau Brathwaite’s Notes on Caribbean Cosmology, it is quite evident that the Caribbean people are mainly storytellers and this aspect help them to teach the people regarding the Afro-pessimism readings. Hence it can be said that the Caribbean Cosmology help the people to understand the fact of Afro-pessimism readings and thereby it also help them to understand the cultural meanings of other religion present in the nation.

For understanding the Afro-futurism readings among the people the Caribbean Cosmology also plays a vital role. Due to this reason, the Afro-futurism readings of Octavia Butler’s “Speech Sounds” theme has been chosen for this context because it helps to easily demonstrate the role of Caribbean Cosmology for learning the people are reading the Afro-futurism aspects. As evaluated by the author Hayward, (207), the readings of Olivia Butler’s demonstrates the depiction of an anti-utopian or dystopian society that generally represented by violence, misery as well as disorder. Hence to describe this central theme among the people, the Caribbean Cosmology uses the storytelling aspects so that they can easily teach the people about the various aspect of the society. In the opinion of Majfud, (6), the Caribbean cosmology help the people by other supported things so that they can easily understand the inner meanings as well as the theme of these respective readings. Hence it is clear that the Caribbean Cosmology plays a vital role to demonstrate the people regarding the fact of these Afro-futurism readings.                  

References

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Gaffield, Julia. “Three Ancient Colonies: Caribbean Themes and Variations.” (2014): 112-114.

GARRIDO-PÉREZ, EDGARDO I. “SALSA WITH COCONUT: CHALLENGES FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY, FOOD EMPHASIS, AND ETHNO-ECOLOGY OF AFRO-CARIBBEAN DANCE MUSIC.” Ambiente & Sociedade 18.4 (2015): 179-200.

Gómez, Pablo F. “Caribbean stones and the creation of early-modern worlds.” History and Technology 34.1 (2018): 11-20.

Hayward, Michele H., Frank J. Schieppati, and Michael A. Cinquino. “Religious Organization in the Late Ceramic Caribbean.” Rock Art and Sacred Landscapes. Springer, New York, NY, 2014. 207-232.

Joseph, Celucien L. “Towards a Caribbean Political Theology of Emancipation and Decolonization: A Comparative Analysis of Four Caribbean Theologians.” Black Theology 16.2 (2018): 148-180.

Kehm, D, Kirsch, J. Struckmeier, D. Vasak, and M. Hanauske. “Violation of Birkhoff’s theorem for pure quadratic gravity action.” Astronomische Nachrichten 338.9-10 (2017): 1015-1018.

Majfud, Jorge. “Indigenous Cosmology and Spanish Conquest.” The Routledge History of Latin American Culture. Routledge, 2017. 6-23.

Rodriques, Janelle. “Threads thin to the point of invisibility, yet strong as ropes”: Afrofuturistic Diaspora in Paule Marshall’s Praisesong for the Widow.” Anthurium: A Caribbean Studies Journal 14.1 (2017): 7.

Turner, Carlton John. “Taming the Spirit? Widening the Pneumatological Gaze within African Caribbean Theological Discourse.” black theology 13.2 (2015): 126-146.