Lecture addresses development of Creole Consciousness

THE second lecture delivered by Historian Trevor Marshall at the Queen’s Park Steel Shed was a powerful yet revealing lecture, which focused on the topic, ‘Me True Barbadian Born: The Development of Creole Consciousness’.

 

The lecture was hosted by the Barbados Museum and Historical Society and the University of the West Indies (UWI), Cave Hill campus’ History Department.

 

Marshall focused on the period between 1627 to 1816. A time Barbados developed a simple provincial relationship with the ‘Mother Country’, Britain, to become Britain’s main colony for the introduction and diffusion of British cultural norms, practices and features, which saw the emergence of a non-racially homogenous society.

 

He defined the term Creole Consciousness as, “someone who fully embraces the Caribbean or one of the constituent territories as home”. 

 

Creating insight into the lecture topic, Marshall spoke about the establishment of the white elites in Barbados. How they established themselves as an island plantocracy and constructed a slave society in which the African slaves were treated as subordinates.

 

He noted, “Despite the rights the white elites gained from England, such as the right to establish their own constitutional practices and the exclusion of Africans in helping to mould the emerging society, there emerged in Barbados a creole society. One in which the white planter class began to develop a pro-nationalism. One based mainly on their ability to maintain economic prosperity, such as the production of sugar, rum and molasses in great quantities. They also adapted themselves to the environment and set a tone for the poor whites, free coloureds and enslaved Africans to follow.” 

 

“The sense of distinction in being true ‘Barbadian born’ is strongly manifested in the sentiment conveyed by vulgar expressions so common to the island – ‘Neither Carib, nor Creole, but true Barbadian’. A trend also adopted by the slaves whenever asked if imported. They proudly arrogated a superiority above the negroes from the other islands, quick to reply, ‘Me nedar Carib, nor Creole, Massa – me troo Barbadian born,’” he pointed out.

 

“A mutual understanding and superiority complex of being a ‘True Barbadian’. A common understanding that united the two social groups – the slave masters and the enslaved.” 

 

Marshall highlighted a noteworthy example of Barbadians being a proud people, when he retold the story of the hated Great Horatio Nelson. Nelson fought against the France-Spanish fleet of Cape Trafalgar and died during his hour of victory – a gesture which made the planter and merchant classes forget their animosity towards him and to laud, magnify and glorify his achievement in October 21, 1805. Consequently, a statue was erected on March 22, 1813, partly as a tribute to the fallen hero, but also as an expression of the Barbadian elite’s conviction that the island was so important to Britain that Nelson fought the battle on Barbados’ behalf.

 

“Over the years, Barbados grew and developed and remained peaceful, productive and prosperous. It was the only Caribbean country not attacked in the 18th century by any of Britain’s enemies,” he revealed.

 

Marshall concluded by saying, “Barbados had reached an era of proud peace and protracted prosperity that even the African-Barbadian slaves could pronounce themselves, ‘Neither Carib nor Creole, but true Barbadian born’. Inheritors of the most blessed isle, a point of view they kept up until the abolition of slavery.”