The History Forum

BENEFITS AND DISADVANTAGES OF HERITAGE TOURISM IN THE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT OF CARIBBEAN HERITAGE By: Samantha Z. L. Alleyne, HIST 6711 Caribbean History and Heritage Heritage tourism is often seen as synonymous with cultural tourism, historical tourism, arts tourism, nature tourism or attractions-related tourism (Nurse 4). It is the branch of tourism oriented towards the cultural heritage (both the tangible and the intangible) of the location or destination in which the tourism occurs. Heritage tourism, encompasses natural heritage, such as caves, nature reserves, gardens and marine parks, as well as built heritage, like museums, monuments and historical buildings. It also observes cultural events, festivals, performing arts and other forms of popular culture. Heritage tourism brings to the Caribbean more than the concept of “Sun, Sea and Sand”, and with that, aids in the development of these countries. However, with every positive comes a negative and we will ...

HERITAGE PRACTITIONERS USE TWISTORY TO INTERPRET THE PAST FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION By: Samantha Z. L. Alleyne, HIST 6711 Caribbean History and Heritage What is twistory? Is it twisted history in inverted comas (“twisted history”) is it the millennial definition of a twitter story or twitter history or is it a term given to the concept of interpretation of historical sites, material culture and textual evidence that is altered to convey a more passive or docile view of past events? What we know is that, whatever way we look at the term, it is an idea that conveys some type of fiction as fact. Two major themes then are that of authenticity and interpretation. How the past is interpreted by heritage practitioners as well as how that representation of the interpretation (authentic or not) is interpreted by the consumer. Historical re-enactment is one form in which this interpretation can be presented. In Trinidad and Tobago, there is an annual festivity, the re-enactment a...

The Politics of Recreational Space: From Playing Fields to Beaches in Barbados By, Itasca Quady, Warwick University/ UWI Since full emancipation in 1838, Barbados has experienced a shift in economic dependency from agriculture to tourism. Despite the shift, intersectional socio-economic hierarchies have remained. Central to this has been the ownership and access of land in the hands of a small number of Barbadian elites. Sugar cultivation intensified on the island in the 1640s, benefitting from the flat terrain and the natural springs, which acted as irrigation systems for monocrop production in several parts of the island. This saw the deforestation of almost all of the native woodland of Barbados. Since sugar cultivation dominated the economic use of land resources, there was a marked lack of designated space for housing after emancipation which led to freed peoples still being attached to plantations - without security of tenure - through labour and rent. As a cons...

The Role Baby Welfare Leagues played in the provision of maternal and child health By Adrian Bellamy, HIST 3030 The Evolution of Social Policy in Barbados During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, women gave birth at home in the British Caribbean. They were assisted by traditional midwives. These were mostly African or Asian traditional midwives were also referred to as “grannies”. The colonial powers often referred to these grannies as ‘savage, uncivilized, ignorant, superstitious, and possessed of devilish obeah practices’. They blamed midwives for the high infant mortality. This led to the emergence of maternity wards, midwifery hospitals and lying-in wards, where medical care and education could be had. Almshouses also fulfilled this function. Accommodation was provided for all socio-economic groups of women. These establishments also provided training for midwives and birth attendants in an effort to curb the high infant mortality rate...

Where did our waste go before the Sanitation Service Authority in Barbados?              At the beginning of the 20 th century Barbados found itself in the peculiar position of being a colony with little to no idea or the means of how to maintain proper sanitary conditions throughout the island. This effected every corner of the island as citizens struggled to look after their health and sanitary means under the limited scope of the Vestry system in the island. Bridgetown had become a central hub, for business, trade and tourist activity; but unfortunately, it had also been riddled with urban slums, poorly placed vendor markets and very unsanitary conditions. The illegal dumping of night soil (excreta), garbage/refuse, the unsafe use of water and rivers, the congestion of gutters and drains along with lack of sanitary practices often lead to the outbreak of diseases. In 1908, the Public He...