Caribbeing

Caribbeing is a film aesthetic developed by Trinidad & Tobago film director, screenwriter and film lecturer Yao Ramesar. The genesis of the term is circa 1970 when, while travelling with his family on the Federal Maple (a West Indian inter-island ferry), Ramesar coined the term in relation to how some of the other passengers pronounced the word 'Caribbean'. In his eventual film career, he applied the term 'Caribbeing' to describe his trademark cinematic aesthetic. Additionally, the name 'Caribbeing' became both the title of a 9-minute short which he made in 1995, and the name of his company.
In an article entitled Ramesar’s vision of 'Caribbeing' Haiti, Yao explained the genesis of Caribbeing: I noticed in some islands Caribbean was pronounced ‘Caribbeing’ and I started calling the region this. The Caribbeing aesthetic came about because I wanted to develop a cinema language that would represent the light, the landscape, the people and the sounds of the geo-political Caribbean through its own prism, and not laundered by Hollywood.
In a 2015 article, Yao explains: In 'Caribbeing' - I use the words centrifugal because you remember the times when the European believed that somehow the planets revolved around the earth... the Caribbean sun, as such, is a centrifugal force and aesthetic, in our films - it has to be... light is the main spirit in cinema... the idea of Caribbeing new terminology of the 'eyelect', the visual dialect, the things that we see without eyes.
Characteristics
Caribbeing almost always contains one or more of the following elements:
*The use of natural light (sunlight) as the primary source of lighting for the camera.
*Light reflected off bodies of water.
*Natural landscape as character.
*Iconic gestures of Caribbean body language.
*The cadence of the spoken Creole language.
*Narratives historically unique to the Caribbean space.
Caribbeing Goes Public
In 1995, during the Carifesta VI Film & Video Festival held in Trinidad, Yao premiered a 9-minute short entitled 'Caribbeing'. Utilizing his Caribbeing aesthetic, this short film explored the supernatural being of Caribbean people, beyond the influence of cable and satellite television. During the Carifesta VI symposium on Cultural Technology held in Trinidad, Yao delivered the paper 'CARIBBEING: Cultural Imperatives & The Technology of Motion Picture Production'). This paper explored Yao's concept of Caribbeing and the existence of Caribbean peoples on the spiritual plane. In addition, Yao hosted a Caribbeing photo exhibition, where the subjects of his photographs (mainly women) were shot using natural and available light.
Caribbeing Award
In 2013, Yao Ramesar announced the establishment of a Caribbeing Award to commemorate the work of Caribbean nationals and recognize the impact of an individual or group on the arts within the Caribbean space. This award, which was bestowed the following year, will be granted biennially with the first award celebrating an individual or group for work in intellectual property law).
The Reel Caribbeing
In 2015, Yao Ramesar launched his official website, TheReelCaribbeing.com), and a supplemental Facebook page). Available on the website is production information on three of Ramesar's recent feature films: SistaGod (2006), SistaGod II: Her Second Coming (2009) and Haiti Bride.

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