Does racism between Caribbean people disappear in the diaspora

[u/CompetitiveTart505S]

For example growing up I was never under the impression there were conflicts between Indo and Afro Caribbean people, because the Indo Caribbean people I met were all very nice and emphasized that we're all Caribbean.

I also have a Dutch friend who explained that Surinamese people seem pretty united in the Netherlands regardless of race, but this is an outsider looking in of course.

What do you guys think? Does this imply that ethnic tensions are more superficial, or is it really not that significant? Do you all have any contradictory or complementary experiences?

[u/Bouldershoulders12]

It’s not as bad but it still persists in America more subtly.

In NYC indo caribbeans tend to live mostly in indo caribbean neighborhoods whereas Afro caribbeans can live in any borough just fine. Most indo Guyanese and Trini live in queens with a small percentage in Brooklyn or Bronx. Most Afro Caribbean reside in Brooklyn but a good amount live in the Bronx and Queens and a decent amount in Harlem .

Even in the party scene indo caribbean ppl tend to only go to clubs and events that are mostly indo Caribbean. You’ll find 1-2 that are in fetes that have all island ppl but it’s rare. I usually stick out in a lot of events because I’m indo guyanese and a majority of my friends are Afro caribbean from different islands but most other islands are very welcoming and ive never felt excluded . Whereas my Afro caribbean friends get weird stares if we were to go to a fete in queens.

And when it comes to relationships I’d say most families are still against interracial marriages. But it’s not as bad as back home. I’d say things are slightly more liberal now. My family has had plenty of interracial marriages over the decades and a lot of my cousins are Dougla so it’s not taboo. All of my serious LTR’s have been with Afro caribbean women but that’s my anecdotal experience but being objective most indo caribbean ppl I know tend to only marry other indo caribbean ppl or an occasional white person.

I’d say it’s more Indo Caribbean ppl sticking amongst themselves for the most part . Because honestly most of the island ppl in NYC are pretty welcoming .

[u/Retrophoria → u/Bouldershoulders12]

Residential segregation was more true in the 90s and 00s. Caribbean people will seek each other fast when people start lumping Indo Guyanese with other brown people like Bangladeshi and other recent immigrants who culturally have nothing in common with us. I say this as a Indo-Caribbean with some Black heritage that grew up in the Bronx. I was quicker to be associated with any Caribbean person rather than some FOB from India for example. Even the club scene in Queens is somewhat diverse. I remember meeting Dominicans, Haitians, etc when I would club in Jamaica. If you go to like Richmond Hill, then obviously you'll see majority Indo-Caribbean people. I think since the 2010s, the "racism" is just not what it is back home and sure the marriages may be taboo but the modern generations are way more accepting and the parents are as well imo.

[u/Bouldershoulders12 → u/Retrophoria]

I think the modern generation are more liberal minded but I think being objective it wouldn’t be accurate to say a majority of indo caribbeans (particularly Guyanese and Trini’s) to be as open. The older generation in particular still kind of have that prejudice in them. It isn’t as overt but in circumstantial situations or behind closed doors it’s there. But things are slowly improving every decade.

I have a couple of indo jamaican friends and even a mixed indo/afro Lucian friend and there seems to be better relations overall between indo/afro compared to a indo Guyanese or Trini

[u/Retrophoria → u/Bouldershoulders12]

The older gen are literally dying off man. The ones still alive are being lumped in with groups that xenophobic America hates so it's become a survival of the fittest mindset. I know when I was a kid in the 90s, the bigotry was more prevalent. I think actual racism and discrimination is not a common occurrence in American between Indo-Caribbeans. Within NYC, I do agree that Indo Guyanese groups have a territorialism and superiority complex but I know many who are friendly with others and marrying outside of their own group