Specifically, influences from African, Creole, Asian, Indigenous American, European, and Indian cultures converged in the Caribbean to create a blend of lore unique to the region.
Many themes are covered in Caribbean folklore, including colonial legacies, diversity in cultures, and the search for identity.
Folklore is a cultural body of traditional customs, sayings, dances, tales, or art forms that are preserved among a group of people.
In Caribbean folklore, different characters have remained consistent throughout time through both oral and written stories, such as the "Ananse" and "Papa Bois".
[7] This history involves the extermination of Native Americans, the African slave trade, and the arrival of indentured servants from China and East India.
Many of the tales, songs, proverbs, riddles, and superstitions that are found on the islands of the Caribbean can be directly traced back to Africa.
[11] The Caribbean's unique geopolitical features and multicultural landscape inspire artists and writers to navigate multiple identities while maintaining a vibrant regional aesthetic in their works.
"Papa Bois" appears in many forms, sometimes as a deer, sometimes in old ragged clothes, sometimes hairy and though very old, strong and muscular, with cloven hoofs and leaves growing out of his beard.
[17] "La Diablesse", the devil woman, is sometimes personified as an old crone, who steps forth with her cloven hoof from behind a tree on a lonely road, the sound of chains mingling with the rustle of her petticoat.
Although she may appear young, she will be dressed in the traditional costume of these islands: a madras turban, chemise with half-sleeves and much embroidery and lace, zepingue tremblant ("trembling pins of gold"), and all the finery of by-gone days.
Even when she appears beautiful, there is something that betrays her – she often has one hoof and a normal human foot or two hooves that she uses her long, flowing gown to hide.
In Caribbean Myths, the Loup-Garou is a man who made a deal with the devil to have the ability to change form (to a werewolf) so that at night, he could go around killing without ever being caught.