On Nov. 12, NYU Abu Dhabi’s Caribbean Students Association kicked off their second annual Caribbean Culture Week — a community-wide celebration of music, festivals, folklore and food that are unique to the region.

One of these festivals, J’ouvert — a traditional masquerade party celebrated throughout the Caribbean with roots in African Culture and origins in Trinidad and Tobago — stood as the focal point of the celebration and was brought to life at the end of the week in a night of colors and steel pans. Throughout the week, students were encouraged to interact with this year’s overarching theme, “Dialogue and Education”, in ways that not only revealed common stereotypes about Carribean life but also directly connected them to resources and communities within the UAE.

At the TASHAN Student Interest Group’s annual Diwali festival, CSA members donned Indian Saris and danced in the spirit of introducing students to the legacy of South Asia in the Carribean. From Roti and chutney to Bollywood music, Executive Board members explained how Indian culture has remained a dominant force in the Carribean for over 180 years and is still very much alive within the 2.5 million people of Indian origin living in the Carribean. It is these delicate balances between different ethnic and religious groups that Gabrielle Branche, Class of 2021 and E-board member of CSA, says made her interactions with cultural celebrations such as Diwali a special part of her childhood.

“The president of TASHAN was telling me that in her Catholic school in India, she wasn’t allowed to celebrate Diwali even though [it was] India and she’s Hindu. In Trinidad, even though I’m Catholic and went to a Cathaolic school, we still had to learn about Diwali and the celebration,” said Branche.

In line with the week’s theme of resource provision, CSA partnered with the Career Development Center along with four Carribean professionals in the UAE to host its inaugural Career Panel. On Nov. 12, students had the chance to network with representatives of Etihad Airways, Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts, a hospitality group and the catering industry, while gaining further exposure to what it’s like to work in Abu Dhabi as a person from the Carribean.

Later in the week, CSA also invited students to learn more about the historical origins of Carnival, prompting deeper engagement beyond just appreciation for its colourful costumes and lively parades. In addition, while watching the famous Trinidadian rom-com Bazodee (2016), students discussed topics such as the symbolism of masquerade as a mode of defiance against colonizers, as well as the importance of musical competitions such as Dimanche Gras and Panorama in preserving history and tradition.

That same vibrant masquerade energy was brought to the forefront during the celebration of J’ouvert (or “daybreak” in French Patois) on Nov. 22. In the grass above Al-Diwan, students first banded together at the costume station, attempting to find the best feathers and fabric for the night’s costume competition. Thanks to delicious catering by “West to West Kitchen” — an authentic Caribean restaurant in the city — participants were also invited to sit back, eat rice and peas, and enjoy a series of musical performances by CSA members. Among the live acts was a steel pan rendition of “Can't Help Falling in Love With You” and a whining competition — a popular Caribbean dance characterized by the rotation of the hips and pelvis.

For dancers like Sage Dawes, Class of 2022, events like J’ouvert that facilitate cross-cultural communication and expose people to the beauty of Soca music and Carnival push forward the story of Caribbean culture on campus.

“For J’ouvert, people jump up and down in the road […] It’s like a party for the country and it builds such a spirit of community and happiness, especially in this time where the world is going through a lot. To export that happiness is such an important thing,” said Dawes.

As the night came to a close, microphones were traded for water balloons and cutlery for colorful powders as participants commenced the annual J’ouvert paint party. Already smeared in a sea of vibrant colors, Branche led a troop of messy supporters around the Highline, citing the importance of spreading Caribeean culture at NYUAD.

“There is so much to learn from the Caribbean and oftentimes, we are overlooked because we are so small,” Branche said. “People know of Jamaica [because] they know of Usain Bolt. They know of Bob Marley. People sometimes know of Trinidad. They know about Nicki Minaj and Cardi B, for example, but they don’t know that there is so much more to the region.”