PERFORMING IDENTITIES

Performing identities: the intersection of gender, ethnicity and religious practice among Trinidadian women

Performing identities: the intersection of gender, ethnicity and religious practice among Trinidadian women

Literature Review

There are various perspectives on gender, ethnicity, religion, and identity from within a range of disciplines including sociology, political science, theology and geography. Within each there are various theories relating ethnic groups and communities to the state, the nation, geography, space, ideology, history and so forth. This literature review seeks to explore the concepts of gender, ethnicity and identity and establish key themes and thinkers in relation to the Trinidadian context. This approach has been chosen through a blend of reviewing critical points of knowledge in each of the 3 themes: gender, ethnicity and identity and attempting to connect these to my research question of how do young women define and identify themselves as Indo-Trinidadian and 'do' their gender and ethnicity through religious practices.

Women often occupy different roles in a foreign culture. Avoid offensive assumptions and behavior by understanding the position of women in Trinidadian society: their legal rights; access to education and health care; workforce participation; and their dating, marriage, and family life. Boost your knowledge about how things work in Trinidad & Tobago to avoid insulting its people or their heritage (Chatterjee, 2000, 45).

Both men and women can make a better impression and show respect by understanding how women are viewed in Trinidad & Tobago: whether they enjoy the same legal rights as men; how they are represented in Tobagonian politics, law, medicine, and business; if they can date or choose their own mates and professions, and what they tend to choose. As a woman, you'll gain insight on how to blend in with dress and behavior and make appropriate travel or business plans to fit in with cultural norms.

Eventually, Hosay came to symbolise the exile of all ethnic and religious communities in Trinidad as a cultural resistance and defiance against colonial hegemonic powers. Muslims and non-Muslims alike participate in the ritualistic fast and various purifying activities alongside Muslim observers, both acknowledging and signifying acceptance of the public practice of Muslim traditions in Trinidadian society (Clifford, 2008, 21).

By dressing in a certain way, Muslim women maintain the symbols of their community and religion as well as creating an identity that is distinct from the prevailing Afro-Trinidadian culture and society. Clothing and fashion become a way for many Muslim girls to negotiate and navigate between shifting identities. One girl told me: "I take the latest fashion from magazines and the mall, but I make it Islamic." Often, Muslim girls imitate the latest Western fashions but wear long sleeve t-shirts or buy clothing in a larger size in order to follow normative Islamic modest dress. This type of behaviour creates a fusion between Islamic tradition and modern Western culture in Trinidad.

Trinidad is a society in which religious and cultural traditions are acknowledged and respected. This kind of practice has created an open and accepting society in which Muslims are welcome to share their ...