Caribbean Crucible

 The documentary titled the Caribbean Crucible talks about how African slaves arrived in the Caribbean. It originally started in Britain when the British empire started to expand. The British took goods to the West African coast in exchange for slaves. The slaves were then taken onto the ships and were sent across the Atlantic and sold into the Americas. In exchange for the slaves in America, the British wanted cotton, tobacco, and molasses. The slaves had a vast knowledge of the wilderness and survival. These were the slaves of the Spanish that were left on these islands. When the British arrived, they would surround them without the British even knowing. These people were called the Maroons. They were very victorious against the British and the British eventually begged for peace. After they made peace the island became a much better place to live. The word Maroons come from a Spanish word that means runaway slave. These were very common within all types of slave societies. These maroon communities provided the best place for survival for slaves in the African community. Music is a very large part of their community. Singing and dancing is a very special part if their community because they believe it makes them stronger. All of these customs originated from Ghana in Africa. If you are happy, they try to make others happy too because it helps the community as a whole. They use music as a way to get in touch with the spirits they believe in. The only way to talk with them is through music.