The works of most early Caribbean painters followed European trends. During the mid-1800s, Caribbean painters have developed a wide range of highly individual styles. The arts have flourished in Caribbean since the 1900s, and especially since the end of
World War II in 1945. The Washington Organizations of American States (inaugurated in 1976) houses one of the oldest
20th-century art collections representing the Caribbean. For example, one exhibit showcased works included two important pieces by women artists of the Caribbean:
El vendedor de andullo (Tobacco Vendor), 1938, by modernist
Celeste Woss y Gil of the Dominican Republic, and an oil painting entitled
Marpacífico (Hibiscus-Marpacífico is the name used in Cuba for the hibiscus flower), 1943, by Cuban modernist
Amelia Peláez. There have even been a rare selection of prints by Haitian artists such as
Castera Bazile,
Wilson Bigaud,
Dieudonné Cedor,
Jacques-Enguerrand Gourgue and
Gabriel Lévêque, that have not been exhibited since they were part of a traveling exhibition in 1948.
Literature Caribbean literature, whether written in English, French, Spanish, or a
creole language, often reflects a Caribbean perspective on nature, life, and the region's position in the world. Caribbean identity is closely tied to its literature. Caribbean literature is often categorized by region or island; by the status of the author (e.g., literature of Caribbean women,
Europeans, Asian peoples, and
Irish Caribbeans); and by literary period, such as "Caribbean postmodern" or "Caribbean Poets Between the Wars". The
East Indians have preserved their
Indian literature and brought religious Hindu texts such as the
Itihasa (
Ramayana,
Mahabharta,
Bhagavad Gita),
Vedas,
Puranas,
Upanishads,
Tirumurai,
Naalayira Divya Prabhandham,
Shastras,
Sutras. The
Sikhs also brought their
Guru Granth Sahib with them. The
Muslims also brought their
Quran with them. Caribbean authors have won numerous awards.
Mark McWatt won Best First Book Award (2006) and
Commonwealth Writers' Prize for
Suspended Sentences: Fictions of Atonement. Sir
V. S. Naipaul won the
Man Booker Prize (1971), the
Trinity Cross of
Trinidad and Tobago, and the
Nobel Prize in Literature (2001).
Derek Walcott also won the
Nobel Prize (1992). A selection of poetry and fiction produced in the Caribbean during the 19th and 20th centuries and be searched at "Caribbean Literature". The Caribbean Literature Day is celebrated annually on July 12, in the Caribbean region, across all language zones, and by Caribbean literature lovers worldwide.
Carnival The annual celebration of carnival is an important part of Caribbean culture. Traditionally, most
Caribbean islands celebrate carnival on Ash Wednesday or the days leading up to Lent. Barbados celebrates the delivery of the last Sugar Canes called 'Crop Over' better known as the 'Sweetest Summer Festival' which is held in August.
Music The
music of the Caribbean reflects the multi-cultural influences that have shaped the Caribbean and these are mainly African. The first historical figures to influence Caribbean musicians were from the South Americas and to some degree Africa. Nevertheless, the
Caribbean's first peoples, the
East Indias, the
Chinese, the
Arabs, the
Jews, the
Spanish, the
French, the
British, the
Portuguese, the
Danish, the
Dutch,
Germans, and the
Italians have all made large contributions to the musical heritage of the
Caribbean as well. Since Italian explorer
Columbus arrived and established the permanent colonies, the islands have produced their own
composers,
musicians and
ensembles. From the 17th century onwards, the Caribbean has developed a music infrastructure that includes
church halls,
performing arts centers,
record companies,
radio stations and television
music video channels. The music has subsequently been heavily influenced by American culture because of its proximity and migration between the two regions. The Caribbean has produced a variety of internationally successful performers and artists. These individuals are honoured at The
Awards, recognizing Caribbean achievement in popular music. In addition, the Caribbean is home to a number of popular summertime folk festivals. The Caribbean has also produced many notable composers, who have contributed in a variety of ways to the history of Western
classical music. The
Caribbean is home to the
Indo-Caribbean musical form of
Chutney. It was created in
Trinidad and Tobago by
Sundar Popo. The
Caribbean is also home to the
Indo-Caribbean musical form of
Baithak Gana that originated in
Suriname. There are the
Anthony N Sabga Caribbean Awards for Excellence (ANSCAFE) launched in October 2005 to awards in the Arts (and other areas). Up to 2010, they were made biennially, but as of 2011, the awards will be made yearly in ceremonies in Trinidad. Linden Forbes Sampson Burnham (late President of Guyana) facilitated the first Caribbean Festival of the Arts (
CARIFESTA) in 1972 in Georgetown, Guyana.
Caribbean theatre The Caribbean has a thriving stage theatre scene. Judy Stone writes: "In addition to the conventional drama of social realism and the yard theatre, the range includes popular farce and roots theatre, musical folk theatre, pantomime, community theatre, Jamaica's Gun Court theatre, political theatre, church theatre, children's theatre, storytelling, the street theatre of Carnival and carnival theatre, calypso theatre, theatre of ritual, and the poetic theatre of St Lucia's
Derek Walcott. There is also a considerable body of dramatic work written for film, television and radio. Cuba, in particular, has a comparatively vibrant film industry." Theatre festivals draw many tourists in the tourist months. As an example - Ruprecht argues that
Creole Theatre would take one on a tour to a chain of islands in the Caribbean, and he offers an analysis of the contemporary Creole theatre of the Caribbean and of the work of some of the playwrights associated with Creole theatre, such as Frankétienne and Cavé in Haiti, José Exélis and Arthur Lérus in Guadeloupe, as well as Boukman and Placoly of Martinique. The Trinidad Theatre Workshop (established in 1959).
Film and television The Caribbean film market was dominated by the American film industry for decades, although that film industry has since inception seen a prominent role for actors, directors, producers and technicians of Caribbean origin. Filmmakers from the Caribbean began to challenge Hollywood by making innovative and relevant documentary, dramas and feature films. Some Caribbean islands have developed a small but vigorous film industry that has produced a variety of well-known films, actors, and auteurs. Also, the distinct French-Caribbean and Spanish-Caribbean society permits the work of directors to contribute very different film-forms. Some have become the Caribbean's first films to win the
Award for Best Foreign Language Film. Many Caribbean people are employed in the film industry, and celebrity-spotting is frequent throughout many Caribbean cities. Caribbean television, especially supported by the
Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation, is the home of a variety of locally produced shows. French- and Spanish-language television, is buffered from excessive American influence by the fact of language, and likewise supports a host of home-grown productions. The success of French and Spanish-language domestic television and movies in Caribbean often exceeds that of its English-language counterpart. Caribbean Media Awards honor the best feature broadcast placements, print and photography from Caribbean-based media outlets.
Architecture ,
Nicaragua Caribbean
vernacular architecture exhibits a blend of African, European, and Indigenous architectural influences considering the history of the region. Homes are typically constructed from locally available materials like thatch, bamboo, or even mud. These houses are often constructed with steeply pitched roofs and deep overhangs to guard against the region's notoriously heavy rains and strong winds. Large, open verandas are also a frequent trait of Caribbean homes, taking advantage of cooling breezes in a region with a lot of heat and humidity. To mitigate against the impact of hurricanes, low, rectangular designs are favoured to withstand the winds. Shutters are also frequently fixed to windows. ==Caribbean humor==