Caribbean

Culture

Caribbean culture is known for its vibrant mix of African, Indigenous, European, and Asian influences. It’s reflected in music, dance, festivals, language, food, spirituality, and art. Each island has its own distinct traditions, but shared themes like rhythm, storytelling, and community run throughout the region.

Some of the most famous Caribbean festivals include Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago, Junkanoo in the Bahamas, Crop Over in Barbados, and the St. Lucia Jazz Festival. These events feature live music, elaborate costumes, street parades, and deep cultural significance rooted in both resistance and celebration.

Caribbean music traditions include reggae, dancehall, soca, calypso, salsa, zouk, punta, and bachata — each tied to different islands and cultural histories. These genres often tell stories of struggle, pride, joy, and identity. Our blog explores how this music shapes daily life and major celebrations alike.

Caribbean cultural heritage includes traditional crafts, oral storytelling, African diaspora religions, colonial-era architecture, and local languages or dialects. You’ll also find it in folk medicine, food practices, and artistic expressions like murals and woodcarving. Many islands work to preserve and promote this heritage through festivals, museums, and education.

You can find island arts in the Caribbean in galleries, open-air markets, public murals, live dance performances, and community festivals. Places like Curaçao, Cuba, Haiti, and Martinique are especially known for their visual art scenes, while music and dance are woven into everyday life across the region.