Grand Narratives of colonization, especially ones related to the Spanish and Portuguese Americas, began circulating soon after 1492. The danger of these Grand Narratives is that they are often mistaken as reality and eclipse all other possible narrations pertaining to a particular place and/or time. As more Caribbean territories become independent, the questioning of Grand Narratives has permeated many disciplines in the region, and archaeology is no exception.This work attempts to examine the lifeways at the archaeological site of Concepción de la Vega during its occupation from 1494 through 1564, using a Decolonial approach. Situated in present-day Dominican Republic (Hispaniola island), this site was one of the earliest and most affluent in Caribbean colonial history.The Decolonial approach used here critically analyzes and reinterprets primary data about Concepción from the point of view of those colonized, particularly non-elite, Indigenous peoples, and those of African descent. This approach uses various sources of data to recreate early lifeways, and helps gain a better understanding of the process through which the Spanish-American cultural tradition was created, and later disseminated, to the rest of Latin America.

The Routledge Handbook of the Archaeology of Indigenous-Colonial Interaction in the Americas brings together scholars from across the hemisphere to examine how archaeology can highlight the myriad ways that Indigenous people have negotiated colonial systems from the fifteenth century through to today. The contributions offer a comprehensive look at where the archaeology of colonialism has been and where it is heading. Geographically diverse case studies highlight longstanding theoretical and methodological issues as well as emerging topics in the field. The organization of chapters by key issues and topics, rather than by geography, fosters exploration of the commonalities and contrasts between historical contingencies and scholarly interpretations. Throughout the volume, Indigenous and non-Indigenous contributors grapple with the continued colonial nature of archaeology and highlight Native perspectives on the potential of using archaeology to remember and tell colonial histories. This volume is the ideal starting point for students interested in how archaeology can illuminate Indigenous agency in colonial settings. Professionals, including academic and cultural resource management archaeologists, will find it a convenient reference for a range of topics related to the archaeology of colonialism in the Americas.

What is the role of local Caribbean individuals and communities in creating and perpetuating archaeological heritage? How has archaeological knowledge been integrated into education plans in different countries? This book aims to fill a gap in both archaeological scholarship and popular knowledge by providing a platform for local Caribbean voices to speak about the archaeological heritage of their region. To achieve this, each chapter of the book focuses on identifying and developing strategies that academics, heritage practitioners, and non-scholars from the insular Caribbean can adopt to stimulate a necessary dialogue on how archaeological heritage is used and produced on various academic, political, and social levels. Contributors are: Zara Ali, Arlene Álvarez, Lisette Roura Alvarez, Irvince Nanichi Auguiste, Victoria Borg O’Flaherty, Lornadale L. Charles, Eldris Con Aguilar, Raymundo A.C.F. Dijkhoff, Matthieu Ecrabet, Kevin Farmer, Cameron Gill, Eduardo Herrera Malatesta, Katarina Jacobson, Joseph Sony Jean, Debra Kay Palmer, Harold Kelly, Wilhelm Londoño Díaz, Stacey Mac Donald, Jerry Michel, Ashleigh John Morris, Andrea Richards, Kara M. Roopsingh, Pierre Sainte-Luce, Tibisay Sankatsing Nava, and Laurent Christian Ursulet.

A vivid account of the Irish slave trade: the previously untold story of over 50,000 Irish men, women and children who were transported to Barbados and Virginia.

Grand Narratives of colonization, especially ones related to the Spanish and Portuguese Americas, began circulating soon after 1492. The danger of these Grand Narratives is that they are often mistaken as reality and eclipse all other possible narrations pertaining to a particular place and/or time. As more Caribbean territories become independent, the questioning of Grand Narratives has permeated many disciplines in the region, and archaeology is no exception.This work attempts to examine the lifeways at the archaeological site of Concepción de la Vega during its occupation from 1494 through 1564, using a Decolonial approach. Situated in present-day Dominican Republic (Hispaniola island), this site was one of the earliest and most affluent in Caribbean colonial history.The Decolonial approach used here critically analyzes and reinterprets primary data about Concepción from the point of view of those colonized, particularly non-elite, Indigenous peoples, and those of African descent. This approach uses various sources of data to recreate early lifeways, and helps gain a better understanding of the process through which the Spanish-American cultural tradition was created, and later disseminated, to the rest of Latin America.

Toward the end of the first decade of the new millennium, many people felt a sense of urgency, almost that time was running out. The world is still here five years on, but for many, 2012 was a year of great change. For author Amanda McLeod, 2012 was marked by a series of events and upheavals that changed her life forever. That year, she lost two of the most precious souls in her life, experienced a health scare, had an operation, was made redundant in her full-time job of nearly ten years, and nearly saw the end of her marriage. As a result, McLeod found herself with a new and different sense of purposefirst, to share her story, and second, to live fearlessly and without stress, still a work in progress. In this personal narrative, she describes her pilgrimage back to her homeland under very unusual circumstances, revisiting her childhood and events throughout her life, leading up to her return home. The result is a tapestry of people and places that were intricately and magically woven into the fabric of her life. In this memoir, one woman shares the true story of a bizarre and unexpected journey back to her homeland, exploring the divine guidance that made it possible.