In Caribbean history; the European colonial plantocracy created a cultural diaspora in which African slaves were torn from their ancestral homeland. In order to maintain vital links to their traditions and culture; slaves retained certain customs and nurtured them in the Caribbean. The creation of lace-bark cloth from the lagetta tree was a practice that enabled slave women to fashion their own clothing; an exercise that was both a necessity; as clothing provisions for slaves were poor; and empowering; as it allowed women who participated in the industry to achieve some financial independence.This is the first book on the subject and; through close collaboration with experts in the field including Maroon descendants; scientists and conservationists; it offers a pioneering perspective on the material culture of Caribbean slaves; bringing into focus the dynamics of race; class and gender. Focussing on the time period from the 1660s to the 1920s; it examines how the industry developed; the types of clothes made; and the people who wore them. The study asks crucial questions about the social roles that bark cloth production played in the plantation economy and colonial society; and in particular explores the relationship between bark cloth production and identity amongst slave women.
2016-06-03 2016-06-03File Name: B01GJZKJ4G
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