A Taste of the Rich Caribbean Culture with the Caribbean Society: An Interview with Shir-vonne Rhodes
Written by Natasha Fernandes
Thumbnail by Shir-vonne Rhodes
The world sometimes feels like a huge place, too big to grasp or understand. One way to combat this feeling is to learn about different cultures, which may help the world feel smaller and more approachable. This is why culture is an intrinsic part of our daily life. It’s important to have exposure to different cultures to help define who we are and to help us see the world through the eyes of others.
Saint Mary’s University brings different cultures to the table through its cultural societies such as the Caribbean Society (SMUCS), African Nova Scotian Student Association (ANSSA), Conflict Resolution Society (SMUCRS) and the Vietnamese Student Society (SMU VSA). I have always been very curious about how cultural societies sustain their mark on campus amidst a myriad of other clubs and societies. As an international student myself, I find cultural societies very necessary. Experiencing different cultures by participating in these types of societies allows students to learn new languages, explore different cuisines, embrace distinctive music, and become more sensitive and empathetic human beings. So without further ado, let’s dive into the rich culture of the Islands of the Caribbean.
I recently had the pleasure of interviewing the President of the Caribbean Society, Shir-vonne Rhodes. During our conversation, it became clear that she is a very passionate and humble leader who wants to build up Caribbean International students of Saint Mary’s University into strong, independent entrepreneurs. I asked Rhodes how she would describe the Caribbean Society to new students who have no idea what the society is about, to which she said,
“Our society provides a comfort level for students from the West Indies by creating a homely and familiar environment through arts, music and food. It’s just a place where the members are all from the same location and share the same culture thus it becomes some sort of safe haven for all the members.”
The Caribbean Society is known for its rich music, dance, food, and relaxing vibes. They used to organize cookout events that were very popular among the members when things were ‘normal.’ That led me to ask Rhodes how things have changed since the onset of the pandemic and how she, as the president, has managed to keep the members’ morale up. Her response was:
“It’s a bit difficult with the pandemic going on, and we have members spread all across the world, some are in Halifax whereas some are back in their home countries, hence it is a bit difficult to connect with students now as compared to when it was in person. Because as you may know, we have a lot of in-person events and it is hard to create virtual events that people would want to attend in the place of our prior face-to-face events. We are a society that thrives on personal interaction, so it has been tough.”
With all in-person events moving to a halt, the Caribbean Society had to improvise and get a little creative to help the Caribbean students at Saint Mary’s University. The Caribbean Society has now started a new initiative where they promote budding business ventures in Halifax. This includes locally-owned food spots, clothing or beauty shops, local YouTubers, and other young Caribbean entrepreneurs or artists. This is done to give these businesses much-needed exposure and to support local businesses. Rhodes provided me with a list of the current businesses that they have been promoting on all their social media platforms including Krew n Vybe, No days off apparel inc, Royal Braids, Sweettee’s, The Balloon Bar, Done by Mwah Braiding, Dj Nuff, 902 Gadgets and Lashicons hfx. I personally find this initiative to be very heartwarming and I am sure this helps so many entrepreneurs to make their businesses reach a wider audience. So please feel free to check these businesses out and if possible support them in whatever means you can!
Following up on my conversation with Rhodes, I had the opportunity to have a quick chat with Ebony Stuart, who is the creator, director and producer of Krew n Vybe. Krew n Vybe is one of the businesses that the Caribbean Society is currently promoting on their page and is a youtube channel. Stuart is a Saint Mary’s University Alumna and former Caribbean Society Vice President. I asked Stuart to explain what her business is all about and how the Caribbean Society has helped her business flourish, to which she said,
“Krew N Vybe provides an outlet for Caribbeans to have a voice and share their views on various topics that aim to spark discussion and may even be taboo in the Caribbean. Most of our cast members consist of present SMU students, past Caribbean Society board representatives and/or alumni themselves. We deliver authentic content to our audience whilst showcasing our culture along the way. We offer the VIEWS, VOICE AND VIBES. Currently, you can connect with us through Youtube, Instagram and Twitter. The Caribbean Society has provided us with exposure to other Caribbeans within the community which helps us achieve more visibility”
One thing I noticed about the Caribbean Society is the fact that you don’t have to officially be a member of the society to receive the benefits. I asked Rhodes about any upcoming events that SMU students should look out for, to which she said:
“An event we will be doing this semester is having sessions where new students can ask us questions about anything they wanna know about moving to Halifax. As I continue to promote things that other Caribbean students are doing here it will allow me to let new students know, for example, if they wanted to get their hair done, they can have an idea of places they could check out”
With the vast amount of promotion for all the current and upcoming businesses, I asked Rhodes if she can name an executive member who has done remarkably well given this shift to virtual operations. She told me about Natalia Stor, who is the Vice President of the Society, and how together, they have worked cooperatively to shoulder the bulk of the work in supporting the society this term. I managed to have a quick chat with the Stor to learn about her views on the Caribbean Society and how it has helped her foster distinguishable leadership skills. Here is Stor’s take:
“Taking on the role of Vice President of this society has started a bit challenging but I am learning and growing from each situation, be it good or bad. I feel my exposure to being an executive member on other executive boards of other organizations has prepared me for this role and I don't take it lightly. I offer up my advice to both the president and other executive members when needed. I have also offered my full support to Shir-vonne, the president, in whatever way she deems necessary. This is from helping plan events to stepping in to assist in hosting events as needed. I feel my leadership and communication skills have improved thus far while sitting on this board and I look forward to developing many others before the end of the term”
The Caribbean Society provides students with a chance to build long-lasting friendships and increase their networking skills. One can learn more about what the Caribbean culture has to offer by taking part in events and having refreshing conversations with students from all over. Caribbean students who come to Halifax can meet people that share their same culture and can experience the ‘home away from home’ feeling that comes with being a part of the community. According to Rhodes, the main purpose of the Caribbean Society is to offer a relaxed and homely environment that lets students know they are not alone in this big scary world. It is meant to be a reminder that they can take a break once in a while to have a quick BBQ and to dance to some tunes. If you are looking for a society that allows you to relax and bond with people through music, food, dance, and games, then this is the chance to grab a friend and salsa your way into the Caribbean Society!
If you are a Caribbean student seeking some extra support for furthering your brand do not hesitate to send a message to the SMU Caribbean Society’s Instagram page.
P.S: If you are a member or an executive of a campus society at SMU and would like to be featured here at the SMU Journal to have your opinions heard, you can email me at fernnash15@gmail.com and we can have a chat! I want to know more about your experience with societies here on campus, so do not hesitate to reach out!