Reimagining Caribbean Collections: Unveiling Histories of Identity and Wellbeing through Material Culture

This PhD project aims to investigate the Caribbean archaeological collection at the Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (MAA) and the natural history collection from the same region housed at the University of Cambridge Herbarium. More than 3,000 pre-Columbian objects, including shells, ceramics, and stone tools, as well as botanical specimens (both illustrations and specimens plates), will be studied to understand the roles they have played and their connections to the lifestyles, identities, community health, and colonial and post-colonial history of the human groups that have long inhabited the Caribbean islands. Through community collaboration the study will integrate traditional knowledge such as the ceremonial and medicinal uses of the queen conch (Strombus gigas; 40% of MAA’s Caribbean collections), and bush medicine passed down through generations, to emphasise the inseparable nature of physical and spiritual health in past and present Caribbean communities and their relevance to contemporary cultural and ecological resilience. The research will employ an interdisciplinary and participatory methodology to co-create narratives with Caribbean communities, ensuring the collections are re-interpreted and re-presented in ways that reflect their relevance to contemporary identities. Outcomes will include digital exhibits, enriched museum records, and guidelines for inclusive curatorial practices, fostering stronger connections between museums and Caribbean communities while contributing to global efforts to decolonise heritage collections.