SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS

AND CARIBBEAN
PEOPLE
The Family
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Identify the types of families found in the Caribbean.

 Describe the two-dominant family systems found in the

Caribbean.
 Describe the factors responsible for the nature and
structure of family life in the Caribbean.
 Identify the role of the family influencing our
perceptions of gender, health and education.
THE FAMILY
The family is defined as a group of people related by
blood, marriage and or adoption.

 Types of Families found in the Caribbean:

 Nuclear
 Extended
 Visitingrelationship
 Common-law relationship
 Single Parent
 Sibling Household
THE FAMILY
 There are two dominant family systems found in the
Caribbean.
 They are the Afro-Caribbean Family and the Indo-
Caribbean family.
 The Afro- Caribbean family is found predominately
among lower class blacks and the Indo-Caribbean family
is found among ancestors of the Indian Indentured
servants.
 Most common in Trinidad and Guyana.
THE FAMILY
Features of the Afro -Caribbean Family
 Matrifocal
 Relationships
are centered around the woman.
 Most house-holds are female headed

 Relationships and roles in the home are clearly defined.

 Engage in different activities outside of the home.
 Temporary conjugal unions
 Low marriage rates

 High incidence of extra-residential unions

 Short– lived
 Few expectations of childrearing and providing
THE FAMILY
 High rate of illegitimacy
 Visiting relationships are common

 The marginalized male

 Do not perform traditional male roles
 Perform a very limited role in the family

 ‘Barrel Children’
 Children who are left behind and receive barrels packed with
food, clothing and other items.
 These children often experience several problems.
INDO- CARIBBEAN FAMILY
Nature and Structure
 Patriarchal
 Male dominated

 Marriage is common (a must).

 Usually the first sexual relationship of the couple.
 Divorce is prohibited and visiting unions are negatively
sanctioned.
INDO- CARIBBEAN FAMILY
 Presence of the joint-family (extended).
 Money and property are held in common.

 Large number of children, preferably sons.

 Close and enduring family bonds.

 Kinship and family comes before individual needs or wishes.
 Existence of the dowry system
 Inwhich the bride’s family make payments to the groom’s
family.
THE FAMILY
Factors affecting the nature and structure of the
Caribbean Family.
 Slavery
 Family life was not encouraged during slavery.
 Families were separated upon arrival in the Caribbean.

 Restrictions on marriage
 Formal unions between slaves were not recognized by

the planters and society.

 Sexual exploitation of female slaves
 Discouraged the formation of stable unions
THE FAMILY
Factors affecting the nature and structure of the
Caribbean Family.
 Slavery cont’d
 Male slaves were often hired out to different
plantations
 The practice of slave-breeding
 Male slaves were not responsible for the children;

belonged to the planter

THE FAMILY
Factors affecting the nature and structure of the
Caribbean Family.
 Female slaves were encouraged to have large number of
children.
 Imbalance in the sex-ratio
 More females than male slaves and vice-versa

 Immoral nature of the slave society

 In many cases, overseers and planters did not bring their

wives to the Caribbean, however, they had several slave

mistresses and children by them.
THE FAMILY
Factors affecting the nature and structure of the
Caribbean Family.
 African Heritage
 Certain cultural elements were retained by the slaves
including family forms.
 The importance of family support

 Looking after children and support in hardship

 Large number of children

 Polygamy
THE FAMILY
Factors affecting the nature and structure of the
Caribbean Family.
 Adaptive responses
 The family is seen as responding to the conditions in
society as a means of survival.
 Economic conditions
 Poverty

 Makes the nuclear family an ideal in modern times,

replacing the extended family. The common law

relationship is easier because it is cheaper.
 Marriage requires more financial stability
THE FAMILY
Factors affecting the nature and structure of the
Caribbean Family.
 Women in the work force
 Women have more authority in the home than men because

they earn more.

 Men are marginalized because they are mostly unemployed

and therefore cannot adequately perform their duties as

providers.

 Migration
 The extended family, sibling households and ‘Barrel Children’

and female headed households are common because persons

often migrate.
THE FAMILY
Factors affecting the nature and structure of the
Caribbean Family.
New Environment
 The Indo- Caribbean family has had to adjust to
Caribbean society.
 As a result, it lost some of its roles and forms.

 The joint family has declined significantly, along with

arranged marriages.
 The dowry system is no longer an important part of the
marriage system.
CONCLUSION
 The family in the Caribbean is very important is shaping
and influencing our values and beliefs.
 The family in the Caribbean has many forms which
reflects our history and social conditions.
 Factors such as slavery, indentureship, migration,
African heritage and poverty have influenced the nature
and structure of family life in the Caribbean.