Dis a Fi Mi History Podcast: Explore Caribbean Ancestry & Culture

What can archives tell us about the lives of enslaved Africans—and what have they left unsaid? In this compelling episode of Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris welcomes Associate Professor Kathrine Gerbner to discuss her groundbreaking new book, Archival Irruptions. Together, they explore how Caribbean archives, missionary records, and colonial documents both reveal and conceal the relig...

In this episode Dr. Amanda T. Perry discusses her research on how early nineteenth-century Haiti used the language of indigeneity to define nationhood after the revolution. The conversation explores how formerly enslaved Africans, Taíno memory, and political claims to territory shaped the new state's identity and citizenship. Topics include the Declaration of Independence, racial and social divisi...

In this episode we speak with Paula Ogun Hector, creator of Tapestry of Black Britons, about uncovering and preserving the long, diverse history of people of African and Caribbean descent in Britain. We explore how art, community storytelling and archival research reveal contributions stretching from Roman Britain to the present. Through tapestry, workshops and exhibitions Paula shows how reclaimi...

In this episode of Dis a Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris interviews travel journalist and TV host Natalie Preddie to explore Caribbean history beyond the typical resort experience. They delve into the rich heritage and family genealogy of the islands, uncovering stories shaped by colonialism and community resilience. Explore how community-led tourism offers travelers a meaningful connection...

In this episode of Dis A fi mi History, Professor Clive Forrester explores how English and Creole coexist in the Caribbean and how language shapes power, identity, and access to justice. We discuss language advocacy, bilingual education, courtroom interpretation, and cultural movements that uplift Creole languages as tools for social justice and community empowerment. Bio: Professor Clive Forreste...

Dis A fi mi History Season 9 explores memory, archives, and cultural preservation across the Caribbean and its diaspora. Episodes examine language, music, archives, genealogy, spirituality, and the stories that shape identity. Featuring conversations with scholars and community storytellers—from linguistic forensics and ancestral healing to archival silences and genetic genealogy—this season highl...

Welcome back to Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast—where we center Caribbean histories, voices, and the many ways our stories are preserved across generations, including family genealogy and heritage. Today’s episode reminds us that not all archives are written—some are spoken, performed, and passed down through voice, serving as a vital mode of preserving Caribbean history and culture. Across the Caribb...

In this insightful episode of the Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris delves into genetics and healthcare access within Caribbean communities with Dr. Carika Waldon of Cary Genetics. They explore how genetic testing, including ancestry analysis and pharmacogenetics, intersects with Caribbean history, family genealogy, and heritage. Dr. Waldon shares her personal journey and highlights the...

On this episode of the Dis A fi mi History Podcast, Dr. Ryan  Persadie explores Indo‑Caribbean identity through music, family memory, and the legacy of indentureship. The conversation centers on Chutney and Soca as sites where masculinity, queerness, language, and migration histories are performed, contested, and reimagined. Through personal stories, intergenerational memories, and cultural analys...

In this episode of the Dis A fi mi History Podcast, host and guest Professor Kristen Block explore the lives of ordinary people in the early Caribbean—maroons, sailors, Quakers, and enslaved individuals—revealing how religion, empire, and survival shaped their worlds. Using archival records and personal stories, the conversation considers identity, resistance, family, and the complex ties between...

Host Wendy Aris engages with Alyssa Green, founder of the Cayman Heritage Guide, in a deep dive into preserving Caribbean history and family genealogy through community efforts in the Cayman Islands. They explore the rich oral storytelling tradition, the impacts of colonialism, and the essential roles of women and language in shaping Caymanian identity. This episode highlights the challenges of sa...

In this episode of Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris delves into Caribbean history and colonialism through a conversation with author Roderick Sargeant about his historical-speculative essay "Seven Sisters." The essay traces family genealogy and ancestral memory across Barbados' plantation landscapes, exploring themes of drumming, chanting, rhythm, and silence. They discuss how resistan...

In this episode of the Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, Professor Idalia T. Wilmoth delves into crucial aspects of Caribbean history and heritage through the lens of Black Roatán identity, migration, and language preservation. Exploring family genealogy and the significance of family archives, she paints an immersive picture of how cultural memory is preserved through storytelling, religion, and langu...

In this enlightening episode of the Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris speaks with Chedwick Crieghtney, founder of the Gold Pill Group, about conscious return tours that reconnect the Caribbean diaspora to Africa on emotional, cultural, and economic levels. Dive deep into the heart of Caribbean history and family genealogy as Chedwick explains the transformative 'Gold Pill' concept, the...

In this episode of the Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, host and Dr. Marva Ferguson delve into the experiences of Jamaican-born adults who migrated to Canada as children, situating their stories within the broader context of Caribbean history and family genealogy. They explore the complex two-step migration process, including the challenges of family separation and reunification, schooling in a new co...

In this episode of Dis A fi mi History Podcast, Jennifer Henczel, founder of the Women Podcasters Network, discusses how podcasting empowers women to share stories and build communities, particularly within the context of heritage and family history. They explore the Network's mission, monetization support, and the People's Choice awards, which teach creators how to engage and rally their audience...

This episode explores the complex intersections of Christianity, colonialism, and slavery in the 17th–18th century Caribbean and Atlantic world. Historian Catherine Gerbner discusses her book, Christian Slavery, shedding light on how baptism and shared worship challenged the institution of slavery and unsettled slaveholders. The episode delves into the legal and racial shifts from identifying free...

On this episode of the Dis  fi A Fi Mi History Podcast, host and guest Kadeem Leslie dive into vision, ownership, and financial empowerment through the lens of Caribbean family history, heritage, and the enduring impacts of colonialism. Kadeem shares his inspiring journey from humble beginnings in Jamaica to becoming a real estate investor, entrepreneur, and author of Full Money. He explains pract...

Host Wendy Aris sits down with Ana Chavier Caamañor, founder of Tradition Café, to explore how family history, Caribbean history, migration, and food shape identity and heritage. Through oral histories and chosen communities, Ana shares stories that connect Caribbean cultures and spark curiosity about our shared past. This episode highlights the power of traditions — from recipes and music to resp...

Host Wendy Aris speaks with Jamil Ninsoo ( DouglaBwoy ,) about tracing his Afro‑Indo‑Jamaican family history through powerful methods such as oral history, archival research, newspapers, and DNA analysis. Their discussion delves into the impact of colonialism on Caribbean historiography, revealing gaps and silences while illustrating the resilience of cultural retention and heritage across generat...

Host Wendy Aris and Gabrielle Garrard of Caribbean Mystics dive deep into the complex history and colonial legacy of the Virgin Islands. This episode explores Caribbean history, spiritual traditions, and how U.S. territorial status influences identity, culture, and self-determination. Through storytelling, the conversation addresses language loss, gentrification, and diaspora connections, emphasiz...

Season 8, Episode 1 of the Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast delves into significant themes within Caribbean history, focusing on Black Barbadian migration to Canada. Featuring Dr. Christopher Stuart-Taylor and his book Flying Fish in the Great White North, this episode explores how colonialism, kinship ties, and education shaped these deliberate migratory journeys. These movements deeply impacted famil...

Welcome to the Dis A fi mi History Podcast. In this season preview, host Wendy Aris outlines Season 8's episodes and themes, including migration and Canadian policy with Dr. Christopher Stewart Taylor; U.S. territorial status and Virgin Islands history with Gabrielle Gorard; Indo-Caribbean indentureship and family history with Janelle Nixu; first-generation migration, women's storytelling, the chu...

Host Wendy Aris engages with Michael A. Henry in a captivating conversation about Indo-Jamaican migration, memory, and identity within the broader context of Caribbean history and colonialism. They delve into documenting family genealogy using oral histories and archival research, shedding light on the legacy of indenture and the cultural traditions that shape identity today. Listeners will explor...

In this episode of Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, Wendy Aris interviews Matthew Taylor about his book Black Redcoats, exploring a pivotal yet often overlooked chapter in Caribbean history and colonialism. They discuss how formerly enslaved men who joined the British Colonial Marines during the War of 1812 transformed military service into pathways to freedom, land ownership, and community building....