Caribbean-Americans share culture with Springfield community during heritage month
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – It's National Caribbean-American Heritage Month, and the community is sharing their culture with the city of Springfield.
When it comes to Caribbean culture, celebration looks a lot like a carnival. With vibrant colors and music, it's the way they choose to express themselves.
'And that's what makes us really unique, the blended culture that we inherited,' said Andrew Sharpe, Chairman of the Authentic Caribbean Foundation. 'Both from Africa and Europe, and we created our own.'
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Springfield came together to celebrate National Caribbean Heritage Month, with local leaders showing their support at the steps of City Hall. A flag-raising was held to honor the Caribbean community across the region.
Music and dancing is a big part of Caribbean culture, and they plan to bring that to Springfield in the coming weeks. This includes the Moko Jumbie, also known as a traditional dancer on stilts.
'In terms of representing Moko Jumbie, which is one aspect of our folklore culture,' Sharpe said.
Across the Caribbean from east to west, the Moko Jumbie is celebrated. Groups like the Authentic Caribbean Foundation want this tradition to reach western Massachusetts.
'That spirit of fun and enjoyment is some of the things we bring to this nation as well,' said Curt Marcellin, Committee Chair for Caribbean Heritage Month.
Outside of Boston, Springfield and Holyoke are home to a growing population of Caribbeans. The celebration will continue through August, when the African Community Festival will take place on August 8 in Springfield.
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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