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This summer, I had the opportunity to conduct a literary studies analysis of the existing works of contemporary Caribbean diasporic poets, specifically on their influence in shaping the integration of Antillean identities in the Caribbean, the United States, and Great Britain. My study focuses on the influences that inspired the works of these poets and, to a greater extent, how their legacy reflects and shapes the ideological landscape of the present-day Caribbean diaspora.
The purpose of the project was to identify the common themes that have influenced the current generation of Caribbean diasporic poets, and how they exemplify the Antillean experiences of struggle, resilience and political turmoil within their respective regions. Understanding their contributions to the Caribbean literary canon is quintessential, as their poetry embodies the contemporaneous underlying issues faced collectively by the Caribbean diaspora, and shapes how future generations inherit and navigate their cultural heritages, fostering cultural awareness, political engagement and creative inspiration.
For my Caribbean sample, I examine Barbadian poet Kamau Brathwaite (1930-2020) and Jamaican poet Mutabaruka (b. 1952) to analyze how their incorporation of Caribbean Creole vernacular, nation language (Brathwaite), showcases active resistance to colonial linguistic hierarchies and challenges the authority of imperial English. In the United States, I examine Caribbean diasporic writers Claudia Rankine (b. 1963) and Safiya Sinclair (b. 1984) for their role in addressing the harmful effects of both traditional and systemic oppressive paradigms Caribbean-Americans tackle daily and the necessity for self-pride and personal liberation. In Britain, I examine poets Grace Nichols (b. 1950) and Linton Kwesi Johnson (b. 1952) for highlighting contemporary issues of police brutality and xenophobia, and emphasizing the collective power of community and resilience through rhythm.
Using a postcolonial method of critical analysis, drawing heavily from Jamaican-British cultural theorist Stuart Hall to examine how postcolonial power structures persist across the aforementioned regions, the research highlights how oppressive power structures still persist, and sheds light on the oscillating battle of acceptance and resistance to the long-lasting and nuanced effects of colonialism. It is in the hands of these poets, and other writers of the diaspora to redefine historical and contemporary challenges by asserting self-representation and cultural autonomy.