Written by Dominic Ramsay
Last week, I wrote an article engaging in an inspection of diversity within mainstream media. In doing so, I alluded to some of the different implications that portraying diversified characters can have that affect the reception of various audiences, particularly in terms of representation and racial identity.
Well within the same realm of speaking on this topic, this week I decided to drill further into how representation and identity overlap and so I thought what more applicable of an art medium could serve as an appropriate discussion board for identity than to speak about Cosplay?
Cosplay, is a portmanteau of the words Costume and Play, which when put together creates an art form that serves as an offshoot of fashion and theatrical play. Essentially, Cosplay is a convenient excuse to make it socially acceptable for grown adults to dress up as their favourite fictional characters in public.
But, as alluded to in my previous article last week, I was curious as to the larger social implications and mental effects that embodying another person; sometimes a person wildly different from your normal identity could have. To gain more insight I thought it made sense to tackle addressing this subject through a Caribbean cosplayer’s lens as, from my individual experience within the Caribbean cosplay community, the majority ethnic makeup of the community varies differently from the ethnic background of the characters in the media they enjoy and cosplay as.
So, for a fruitful discussion with different perspectives, I decided to sit down with 3 veteran Caribbean cosplayers in a podcast so each of us could explain our personal experiences and give further insight into the overlap between Cosplay and the Caribbean identity.
Here is some quick background info on the guest I sat down with.
Cosplaying for 9 years, Sing Cosplay has been intimately involved in the development of the Jamaican cosplay scene. Since 2015 she has been the creator, organizer and creative director of Fantasy Beat, a series of summer anime conventions in Kingston, Jamaica.
Internationally Sing Cosplay has also cosplayed and competed in cosplay competitions in Malaysia and Trinidad & Tobago, placing first in the 2016 Alias Caribbean Cosplay Championship.
Her other noteworthy awards include:
-2013 Anime Nation: 3rd place Award
– 2014 Anime Nation: 1st Place Award
– 2014 Anime Nation Cosplayer of the Year Award
-2022 AnimeCom Fest: 3rd Place Award
You can follow her youtube channel here: www.youtube.com/SingCosplay
Cosplaying for 14 years, Daedinen is a part-time streamer on Twitch. With elaborate, large-scale costumes and hand-made props, Daedinen has made a name for herself by consistently placing first or in the top 3 of many local cosplay competitions in Kingston.
Daedinen streams weekly on Twitch here: https://www.twitch.tv/daedinen
Cosplaying for 10 years, SilverN3ko is a full-time content creator whose brand merges the worlds of cosplay and entertainment. SilverN3ko has incorporated her passion and talent for dance into the cosplaying community, regularly performing for crowds at local events. She has included cosplaying as the main aesthetic of her pages on social media, posting and streaming while in cosplay. SilverN3ko has also travelled and competed regionally in Caribbean cosplay competitions.
You can follow SilverN3ko’s Twitch here: https://www.twitch.tv/silver_n3ko
Below is the link to the full podcast episode:
Discussing Caribbean Identity in Cosplay. | The Coscast
Sylvia Wynter's Dream 
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