EDMONTON’S CARRIBEAN COMMUNITY

The existence of a thriving Caribbean Arts Festival (CARIWEST) continuously presented since 1984, reflects the heritage and determination of this community to thrive. Alberta’s postsecondary Caribbean students had created a strong educational and cultural presence, an annual ‘West Indian Week’ across campuses during the late 1960s and 1970s. “West Indian House”, located then at the current Timms Centre, was the engine room of creativity for steelbands, music groups, connecting with a young Caribbean community and meeting with

Caribbean government officials as well as advocates of the ‘Black Power Movement’. This was the cubicle that gave birth to CARIWEST. This package was delivered to families and immigrants on arrival in the 1980s and 1990s - a declaration that early battles have been fought with racism, with discrimination, to succeed at postsecondary, recognition of accompanying skills, to reject stereotypes imposed by the ‘dominant’ community. A strong level of social service support had been built by barbers, hairdressers, imports of familiar Caribbean food.

The presumptions that Alberta is a neutral space of fair and equal opportunity were confronted by new immigrants in the 1990s. Exploring the many professions that exclude People of Colour directly or indirectly can be onerous. Parents preoccupied with employment and surviving in the new socioeconomically and geographically challenging environment found themselves unable to monitor the pigeon-holing of their children’s academic ambitions into stereotyped and secondary subjects. Organizations like CCACH (Council of Canadians of African and Caribbean Heritage) have been created to provide supportive education.

Where can the next generation, many of mixed parentage, take this legacy, this responsibility – inheriting as they have, the virtues and values of different cultures. Let us welcome them into the room of enquiry so that they too can rise.