From this radio programme I have been able to understand the many ways in which the Black migration from the Caribbean to Britain has changed the modern day culture we live with and have today in Britain.
A major part of the Caribbean culture is festivals it is a chance for the community to come together, interact with each other and celebrate. The African-Caribbean communities also carried on this tradition when they came to Britain. Annually, the Notting Hill Carnival is organised and is the largest street festival within Europe; attracting around 1.5 million people each year.
The Caribbean also brought with them their food now consumed regularly throughout Britain-it was necessary for this change of diet as Caribbean immigrants found differences in diet and the availability of food an uncomfortable challenge. The most recognised Caribbean food brands found within Britain are Dunns River, Jamaican Sunpride, Walkerswood and Grace Foods.
Another way in which British culture has been adopted through the Black British community is through religion. Many Black people continued to practice Non-conformist Protestant denominations along with Evangelical influences including Pentecostalism and Seventh Day Baptism. Many African-Caribbean communities involved Gospel Music; this type of music came to play a part in British cultural life. Afro-Caribbean’s played a major role in establishing British gospel choirs, most recognisable the London Community Gospel Choir.
The language of the former British West-Indies was English, therefore there few communication difficulties between the Black people and White people. However indigenous British people were not used to the Caribbean dialects, creoles and patois spoken by many migrants and their descendants which became challenging when education was involved.
Media is easily influenced by new trends frequently; the African-Caribbean style of acting is no different. It would be hard to imagine some of Britain’s most iconic programmes without the likes of Rudolph Walker (Love Thy Neighbour) and Don Warrington (Rising Damp). The Black community has had a positive impact upon the British entertainment industry; this is obvious with one of the most well-known comedians- Lenny Henry- being of Afro-Caribbean descent.
There is no doubt that the African-Caribbean community has had a great impact on the music we now listen to in Britain. Along with the large-scale migration to Britain, brought a variety of musical styles; it did not take long for these new styles to gain tremendous popularity with the British people. The very first musical element brought with the Windrush was ‘Calypso’. Jamaican music styles reached Britain in the 1960s, becoming the staple music for many British youths; this type of music was known as ‘Ska’. In 1969, the British African Caribbean Ska band Symarip recorded “Skinhead Moonstomp” which had a huge effect on the British Ska scene. The Ska sound and ‘rude boy’ imagery inspired a generation of white working-class youth (especially mods and skinheads) and later helped spawn Britain’s multi-cultural 2 Tone movement in the late 1970s.
To me Black British culture in different to those who do and those who do not accept change. I believe there would be an extreme hole in modern Britain if the Windrush had not made its maiden journey to the Caribbean. So many aspects of what we perceive to be British including music, media, catering, the arts and so much more. The migration of the African-Caribbean has transformed Britain into an amazing open multi-cultural place to live.
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