While the fish has good, positive connotations in the minds of both Chinese (the Eastern culture), and Barbadians (the Western culture), the connotations of the dragon differ between the cultures of China and the Caribbean. In Chinese culture the fish is a symbol of abundance, good fortune and family life; in the Caribbean it has connotations of delicious nutrition, freedom and self-sufficiency, and is associated with festivals and enjoyment. However, whereas in Chinese culture the dragon is an augury of prosperity and cooperation, in the Caribbean the dragon’s image varies; it does have a positive image among some, but a darker connotation among many others, while for others the image of the dragon conjures up very little.
The advent of 2024, the Year of the Dragon, brought with it high hopes of good fortune and success in Chinese families across the country. This contrasts with a more nuanced symbolism for the dragon in the Caribbean. The dragon does not feature prominently in Barbadian consciousness, and when it does, it is not seen in a positive light. In Christianity and in Western folk tales the dragon is most often to be feared, and intends humans no good. However, our Caribbean is a mixture of cultures, and, perhaps because of stronger Chinese influences, many Trinidadians have a positive view of the dragon, as a symbol of strength. The dragon also plays a role in Trinidadian Carnival which is very similar to its role in Chinese festivals, as a character of fun, enjoyment and dancing.
The fifth ABCF-ZISU Youth Forum took place by Zoom on May 17, Barbados time, on the topic “The Story of Fish and Dragon”. The audience was welcomed by WANG Hao, who reminded us of the great value of the Forum as a live example of partnership, cooperation and cultural exchange. Both Hao and WU Yifan, the first student presenter, spoke of the positive values associated with the fish in Chinese culture - resilience, adaptability, a spirit of exploration, good fortune, endurance, freedom and harmony. Yifan mentioned that during Chinese New Year people put up colourful fish decorations to wish for abundance, young couples often have pictures with a baby holding a toy fish and students wear fish charms before exams. We were also told that fish are revered in Buddhism and that Tai Chi practitioners use a symbol with black and white fish to portray balance and harmony.
Mikala Hurdle, the second presenter for the evening, spoke of the importance of fish in the Barbadian diet, and the special treats that Barbadians make with fish a main ingredient, such as fish cakes and “bread and two” (a bun sandwich with two fish cakes). Historically, fish was not only a principal subsistence food, it was also a symbol of freedom. With the emancipation of the slaves, Barbadian workers came to depend heavily on fresh-caught fish to supplement their diet. Barbadians developed a special technique in the preparation of the flying fish, which was abundant, and in the process the flying fish became the national symbol. The flying appears on the national coins, and skills in its preparation are on display at an annual festival in the fishing village of Oistins.
WU Jiajin explained that the Loong (the Chinese Dragon) is among the most important icons of Chinese culture, a mysterious, majestic and auspicious divine beast. She recounted the ancient legend of the creation of heaven and earth by the separation into two beings of a creature with the body of a dragon and the wings of a bird, making the Loong one of the Chinese gods of creation. The Year of the Loong, 2024, is seen as one of hope, good fortune, prosperity and strength. Loong is prominent in culture, as evidenced by Dragon dances and Dragon Boat Races.
Precious Doyle looked at the symbolism of the dragon from the Barbadian perspective. Dragons are not prominent in Barbadian culture, being overshadowed by mythical creatures such as the Steel Donkey and the Heartman. Most Barbadians derive their concept of the dragon from the Christian Bible, where the dragon is a symbol of God’s power, as well as a depiction of Satan, the ultimate evil. In the Bible the creatures that resemble dragons are powerful and arrogant, boastful, cruel and evil. However, with weakening of religious affiliation and newer cultural influences, the negative image of dragons may be changing.
What is more, the image of the dragon elsewhere in the Caribbean appears to be quite different. Trinidadian society features a much richer mix of cultures than does Barbados, with a population which traces its origins to India and China as well as to Europe and Africa. In the open discussion which followed the presentations, Jada Hinkson pointed out that in Trinidad the image of the dragon is associated with festivals and celebration in much the same way as in China, and the Dragon is a prominent character in traditional Carnival celebrations in Trinidad.
Our fifth presenter, GAO Zhuhan spoke of the challenges of communication and integration as we move towards a world community with a shared future for mankind. She argued that the interaction of cultures across the globe creates a good environment for uncovering and promoting previously unknown cultures on the world stage. The process also serves to add new values to old civilisations. However, the younger generation needs to work together to help resolve differences when the cultures collide. There is a need to create an environment that allows different cultures to thrive, with a focus on development, a process to which this Forum is an important contribution.
Jarad Inniss sees opportunities to learn and enjoy new experiences when the Fish meets the Dragon. He expects there will be culture shocks, but they may be good for us, exposing us to different ways of seeing things, and build relationships that can help us to become better versions of ourselves.
The Youth Forum, a series which is organised jointly by the Association for Barbados-China Friendship (ABCF) and the Zhejiang International Studies University (ZISU) in Hangzhou, China, is managed jointly by students of UWI Cave Hill and students of ZISU. They choose the topics, speakers and moderators, as well as the format.
A full report of the previous forum in the series, held in January, on the topic of “Mental Health and Wellbeing” may be found on the ABCF website. To join the mailing list for the weekly ABCF Updates of news and commentary, please send your email to us via the ABCF website contact page.
DeLisle Worrell
June 12, 2024
The ABCF mission is to build a deeper understanding between the Chinese people and Barbadians and Caribbean people from all walks of life. The association’s focus is on personal experiences, people-to-people contact, cultural exchanges and exchanges of ideas, and the facilitation of travel, business and study. From the outset we aim to learn from and build on the experiences of the Caribbean and China, and to develop mutual understandings and support that will be to the benefit of both sides.
