AfroCaribbean

Afro-Caribbean is a term used to describe the people, cultures, and artistic expressions in the Caribbean that derive from African ancestry. It encompasses communities across Caribbean nations such as Jamaica, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and the Lesser Antilles, as well as Afro-Caribbean diasporic communities in North America, Europe, and elsewhere.

Historically, Afro-Caribbean identities emerged from the transatlantic slave trade, when millions of Africans were brought to Caribbean plantations from the 16th century onward. Enslaved Africans mixed with Indigenous, European, and later Asian influences, leading to syncretic religious, cultural, and social forms. Following emancipation in the 19th century and waves of migration, Afro-Caribbean communities grew and diversified, contributing to the region’s social and cultural life.

Linguistically, Afro-Caribbean communities speak a range of languages and creoles, including English-based creoles in Jamaica and Barbados, French-based creoles in Haiti, Guadeloupe, and Martinique, and Spanish in parts of Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Religions often blend African-derived practices such as Vodou, Santería, and Obeah with Christianity, Islam, and traditional beliefs.

Cultural production has made a lasting impact globally. Afro-Caribbean music includes genres such as reggae, calypso, and soca, as well as dancehall and zouk, which originated in part from Afro-Caribbean communities. Carnival, storytelling, literature, and cuisine reflect the syncretic and resilient heritage of Afro-Caribbean peoples.