Caribana in Toronto: From Male Dominance to Female Agency

Abstract

This paper is to examine the current state of Caribbean women’s participation in the Caribana festival in Toronto. Caribbean-origin women in general have, over time, developed transnational identities that are a logical extension of their roles as modern, assertive feminist subjects who are employed full time, juggle familial responsibilities and are also actively participating in the Caribana cultural festival each year as spectators, supporters, and dancers who provocatively express their agency and independence.