Natalya Mills, IDSVA

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Text

Broad Creation Date

2025

Language

English

Location

Portland

Abstract

This dissertation explores the philosophical dimensions of the Trinidad Carnival as a critical site for decolonizing and reimagining philosophical discourse. Situated in the twin-island Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, a nation shaped by the confluence of cultures and the legacies of deterritorialization, this study investigates the interplay between Yorùbá cosmology, West African diasporic traditions, and Caribbean cultural expression. Trinidad Carnival serves not merely as a festivity but as a living philosophy that embodies resilience, creativity, and communal consciousness that resists Eurocentric paradigms. This dissertation proposes a multidimensional framework that infuses philosophical inquiry with Trinidad Carnival's aesthetics, spontaneity, and subversive ethos. Grounded in Yorùbá ontology, particularly the wisdom of Ọ̣̀rúnmìla, this approach challenges the rigid, hierarchical structures of European philosophy by fostering pluralism, relationality, and dynamic epistemologies. I introduce my concept of Carnivalizing Philosophy, which posits that cultural art forms like Trinidad Carnival provide alternative methodologies and epistemic tools for interrogating notions of Being, individuality, and collectivity, thus expanding the boundaries of philosophical thought.

By engaging with the embodied and performative dimensions of Trinidad Carnival, this work uncovers how aesthetic expression can serve as a transformative philosophical practice. Through a synthesis of philosophy, anthropology, cultural studies, and performance theory, this dissertation illuminates the enduring influence of Yorùbá cosmology in shaping Caribbean ii identity. It provides a framework for understanding the complexities of cultural negotiation and transformation. Carnivalizing Philosophy advocates for a radical reorientation of philosophy, urging scholars to embrace diverse voices, histories, and modes of expression. This approach underscores the transformative potential of integrating cultural aesthetics into philosophical discourse by reclaiming the legacies of West African and Caribbean traditions.

Disciplines

Aesthetics | African Languages and Societies | Caribbean Languages and Societies | Philosophy

Publisher

Institute for Doctoral Studies in the Visual Arts

City

Portland ME

CARNIVALIZING PHILOSOPHY: TRINIDAD CARNIVAL, CARIBBEAN THOUGHT, AND THE INFLUENCE OF WEST AFRICAN YORUBA PHILOSOPHY



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