The Know Your Caribbean Podcast

What if the key to your mental health wasn't found in a therapist's office, but in the pages of your nation's history? In this powerful bonus episode, host connects with Audrey Augustave, LPC, LCADC, NCC — psychotherapist, Gottman-trained couples therapist, and practice owner of A Nurtured Life Psychotherapy — for a conversation that bridges Caribbean heritage and psychological healing. Audrey bre...

In this episode of the  Know Your Caribbean  podcast, host  Fiona Compton  explores the history and structure of slavery in the Caribbean and the United States. Drawing from Caribbean historical perspectives, the conversation examines how plantation economies, colonial systems, and resistance shaped life across the region. From the scale of plantation societies to the cultural...

In this episode, we dive into the devastating 1902 eruption of  Mount Pelée  on the Caribbean island of  Martinique —a disaster that obliterated the thriving city of Saint-Pierre in minutes. Through eyewitness accounts and historical insight, we explore how warning signs were missed, how a deadly pyroclastic surge changed volcanic science forever, and why this eruption remains one o...

In this episode we explore the first written record of a Moko Jumbie - a stilt walker - in the Caribbean. Through the exploration of the record we cover the arrival of 3 Slave ships from 3 different parts of Africa, life of the Kalinago and Garifuna people as their land is slowly yet violently being taken away, African music and masquerade, and how 440 African children were separated from their fa...

In 1840's Saint Lucia the tides have turned for Black women on the island. Abandoning the plantations that enslaved them, they took to the streets as sex workers taking agency over their bodies. White priests ventured not into the depths of the countryside to indoctrinate the Christian faith, and so in the enclaves of the countryside, African spirituality prevails. Here we uncover an obsessive man...

Drawing on the observances from writer Charles Day, we look at the beautiful traditions of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, in the 1850's and how illegal slave trading assisted in African cultural preservation in Carnival, and so much more. Link to Charles Day's book - Five Years Residence in the West Indies : https://archive.org/details/fiveyearsreside02daygoog/page/n269/mode/2up?view=theater Hosted...

Continuing of our interpretation of Charles Day's book - Five Years in the West Indies, we head to Saint Vincent to hear a detailed description of an Igbo stilt walker, jumbles, life of indentured labourers and much more about Caribbean customs we still have today, See Below for further reading notes : https://thevincentian.com/a-brief-historical-overview-of-the-portuguese-in-st-vincent-and-the-gr...

Reading excerpts of Charles Day's book - Five years the West Indies, this highly racist account of life in the Caribbean unintentionally captures the beauty of Black people in the Caribbean. Show notes for references: Buckra - buckra NOUNbuckra, buckras derogatory US, West Indian  A white person, especially a man. Origin Mid 18th century from Ibibio and Efik (m)bakara ‘European, mas...

She fall sunder many names, from the Boo Hag in the Carolinas, the Old Higue or Ole Haig in Guyana, Asema in Suriname, Soucouyant in Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Grenada, Trinidad, Martinique, Guadeloupe and more, even Louisiana. But who is she? Let's hear some stories about the elusive Soucouyant, closing off the episode with a a powerful story of resistance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy...

In our second instalment of the Junkanoo Jam series, we take a look at Junkanoo in the Bahamas.(see Jamaican Junkanoo in part 1) The largest Junkanoo parade in the world, glitzy, glamorous, large and in charge. But what are the fundamentally African roots of Junkanoo in The Bahamas? Let's see where underneath the gold and glitter are sparks of resistance. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for...

Touching on many topics, from how descendants of enslaved Africans in the Caribbean worshipped Mami Wata/ Mama Dlo, danced the 'Calenda' and Bele, and how rain was conjured out of nowhere in the heights of droughts. Excerpts from the book 'Obeah and Witchcraft in the West Indies' by Hesketh J Bell. Featured Kalinda music by : Red Drum Drumming - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMwyhjknOAk Bele Mus...

A podcast minis ode, extending from our love story series, where enslaved people came from the Caribbean to New Orleans, what was it like in the slave markets. Some things you may never imagine being heard or said. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Junkanoo is an African centred festival found across many areas in the Caribbean, Central America and even parts of the USA. Found specifically during Christmas time, like much of our masquerade it is rooted in resistance, African spiritual and cultural practice and anti-colonial intent. Dying in some areas and flourishing in others. For part one of our Junkanoo Jam Sessions we head to the root of...

Celebrating the unknown and uncelebrated histories of women and resistance in the Caribbean. Emancipation and the apprenticeship period was not a 'lighter' version of enslavement for many as we were made to believe. How did Caribbean women resist? Find out here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Contrary to popular belief, acts of resistance occurred across the Caribbean during the era of slavery. This episode features 4 stories of revenge from two Caribbean islands, an insight into enslaved African spiritual beliefs, and how revenge was a bittersweet response to slavery. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A mini episode to introduce the discussion of Black Mermaids and African Spirituality in the Caribbean Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What was Carnival like in Martinique in 1887? Or Cuba in 1899? Puerto Rico in 1903? Or Dominica in 1909? What traditions still live on today? What did our ancestors eat, sing, what costumes did they wear? Learn Carnival's significance in political and social anti colonial resistance. That and so much more ! Hosted by founder of Know Your Caribbean - Fiona Compton Additional music - Dominica Creole...

In this episode we discuss the gangsta stories of one of the largest Maroon strongholds to ever exist. 20,000 strong, holding on to ancient African traditions, we show love and tell the stories of the complex legacy of the Maroons of Suriname, some of the most gangsta rebels in Caribbean history. Featuring our guest Nii Tetteh, the chocolate voice from the Motherland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...

An epic Love Story of Madison Washington and his wife Susan. Madison escapes slavery in Virginia, travels over 1000 miles to freedom, only to return into the belly of the beast to save his wife. In an unbelievable twist of fate, this story is by all means unforgettable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An insight into the history of the Maroons of Dominica, a country with the last Kalinago stronghold, home to Maroon country that was larger than the entire island of Barbados. Stories of resistance and rebellion against enslavement, and the complex dynamics of societies in the Caribbean . Featured music - The Kalinago National Anthem, as features in the Miss Kalinago pageant 2016, Dominica, perfor...

An insight into the complex role of the Church with the Trans Atlantic Slave trade. Its recruitment, and impact in Africa and the Caribbean. Guest from Ghana Nii Tetteh gives insight into Christianity West Africa whilst we dissect the nuances of the very complicated history we have with the Chrstian Fatih. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NXN4pIblLI - Link to our featured music from Trinidad ! Hos...

The church, one of the largest and most powerful institutions in the world. The church has shaped this planet from schooling, to economics and of course the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade. From validating slavery, petitioning for abolition but also being grafters and slave owners themselves. In this episode learn about the writer of the famous gospel 'Amazing Grace' was a slave trader how Dominica's A...

In history books the stories of our Indigenous people have been often whittled down to scattered accounts of food they ate, stone axes and genocide by Europeans. But what about love? Revenge? Honour? Valour? What about friendship and betrayal, incredible skill, and real gangsta action by the people who walked the Caribbean soil for centuries before murderous Columbus and his crew foot? Find out so...

Bringing our Caribbean History to life! here to teach you things the school books won't, from our indigenous people, our Indo-Caribbean culture, African heritage and so much more. Our history is beautiful and dynamic and far from boring... So get to know yourself through Know Your Caribbean Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Kicking off our first episode with everyone's favourite - Gangsta Stories. We Bring 3 incredible and very different stories from three different Caribbean nations with one common thread - all of these freedom fighters hail from Ghana. Learn about the dynamics of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade, and how wars in Africa became alive and well in the Caribbean. With special guest Nii Tetteh Hosted on Ac...