What is Creolization?
Origin of Creolization theory
- As a result of colonization, there was a mixture among people of Indigenous American, West African and European descent, which came to be understood as Creolization.
- The mixing of people brought a cultural mixing which ultimately led to the formation of new identities, thus Creolization can be described as the process in which Creole cultures emerge in the New World.
- The origin of creolization in the Caribbean region lies arguably within the processes of colonization, slavery and migration which created the foundation of the New World.
- As a result of the slave trade, Africans of diverse cultural backgrounds came into contact with people from Europe, China, South Asia and the Middle East. Consequently, the Caribbean became a melting pot of cultures thus, the process of creolization came into effect.
Introduction into the Creolization theory
Weaknesses in the theory
- The Creolization theory was introduced by Edward Kamau Brathwaite.
- The theory focuses on culture and Caribbean identity.
- Through interactions, different groups learn to adapt and even imitate the various cultures that they are exposed to.
- These adaptions and imitations can be referred to as Acculturation and Interculturation.
- The theory focuses on the Euro- African relationship and largely ignores the other groups such as the East Indians and the Chinese.
- The theory does not explore the other macro/structural factors that helped shape Caribbean society.
Introduction into the Creolization theory
- Acculturation is when contact between various cultural groups lead to the practices of new cultural patterns, while interculturation is the mutual, symbiotic exchange of cultural traits (Chinipoo 2014, p98)
Kamau Brathwaite stated that it was through this process that the Africans undergo the most change because their culture were inferior to the culture of the Europeans. At the time of the “seasoning” process would be a perfect example, because the new Africans were immediately taught the European cultural traits by those who surrounded them.
How the Creole Society Theory is applied to the Caribbean.
- Creolization is reinforced by the ideology of white dominance and black subservience.
- Acculturation is determined by Eurocentric superiority in the society. Dominant colonial powers dictated the official cultures (language, religion, dress).
- Creolization presents a threat the Caribbean groups who are trying to preserve their culture and heritage by excluding others.
THE CREOLE SOCIETY THEORY
CREOLIZATION