In Our Neighbourhood

A few weeks ago, as everyone knows by now, Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny performed on the Half-Time Show at the American Superbowl. It seems to have been a massive success, with a resonance far beyond the stadium.

There are numerous analyses about the significance of the performance, but I found myself particularly interested in its relevance for those of us from the Caribbean. This was clearly not just a concert; it was a lesson replete with historical, cultural, and political significance.

Here are three ways the performance resonated with me as a Caribbean national.

1. A Legacy of Shared Oppression

The opening scene with workers in the cane fields brought me to tears unexpectedly. It was such a visceral reminder of the oppression of Caribbean people, especially (but not only) those of African descent, under the brutality of plantation and chattel slavery.

In some sense, the oppression and marginalisation continue in other forms. The power outage reference was a stark critique of the infrastructural neglect faced by Puerto Rico, an overseas territory of the world’s wealthiest nation. Many Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the region also remain pawns in global geopolitical games, sidelined and struggling for true self-determination in the shadow of great powers.

2. A Dynamic Shared Culture

So many of the scenes in this performance felt intimately familiar for anyone raised in the Caribbean: the shaved ice man, children fast asleep on dining chairs amidst a mirthful family party, the rhythms of African drums, the scrape of the güiro, and the rattle of the maracas. Add to those the game of dominoes, the random guy buying gold jewellery, and the coconut vendor.

These scenes remind us that despite our different languages and our diverse ethnicities, there is an underlying Caribbean soul that unites us. Whether in San Juan, Kingston, Port of Spain, or Georgetown, the Caribbean “vibe” is unmistakable.

3. Common Resilience

The climax of the performance featured a parade of flags from across the Americas, accompanied by a roll call of the nations and Bad Bunny’s defiant reminder: “We are still here.”

This was a profound moment for at least two reasons. First, it countered the global ignorance regarding the Caribbean’s geography. Seeing the flag of a nation as small as St. Kitts and Nevis on the world’s biggest stage was a heartwarming reminder that every country is valuable and worthy of recognition.

Second, it spoke to our endurance. The Caribbean has suffered through a lot: colonisation, economic volatility and collapse, natural catastrophes, and crippling debt, to name a few. I have often remarked that in Jamaica, for example,  we seem to go from crisis to crisis.  Yet, the Caribbean continues to thrive against all odds.  We have mastered the art of rebuilding and are blessed with grit and  resourcefulness. Ours has been a reality forged through pain and sacrifice, but we have never lost our hope or our smile.

I could not be prouder to be Caribbean.