Abrahams,Roger D. (Editor) and Szwed, John F. (Editor)
Format:
Book, Edited
Publication Date:
1983
Published:
New Haven: Yale University Press
Location:
African American Research Center, Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Notes:
444 P., A chronicle of the cultural relationships between African Americans and their African ancestors. The model of acculturation holds that the characteristics of plantation life in the New World were strongly influenced by African cultural and religious practices.
271 p., Uses W.E.B. Du Bois' reference to the worlds 'within and without the veil' as the narrative setting for presenting the case of an African-Bahamian urban cemetery in use from the early 18th century to the early 20th century. The author argues that people of African descent lived what Du Bois termed a 'double consciousness.' Thus, the ways in which they shaped and changed this cemetery landscape reflect the complexities of their lives. Since the material expressions of this cemetery landscape represent the cultural perspectives of the affiliated communities so changes in its maintenance constitute archaeologically visible evidence of this process. Evidence in this study includes analysis of human remains; the cultural preference for cemetery space near water; certain trees planted as a living grave site memorial; butchered animal remains as evidence of food offerings; and placement of personal dishes on top of graves.
African American Research Center, Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Notes:
Reproduction of original from Goldsmiths' Library, University of London. Goldsmiths'-Kress no. 13282; included in Thomson Gale's Eighteenth century collections online., 64 p
