Maritime Stewards of the Bahamas: The Highbourne Cay Experiment

Summary

The Converging Worlds project was so named for many reasons, including the initial goal of incorporating the diverse public, both visiting and local to Highbourne Cay, into the core functioning of the cultural preservation project. For decades, the Bahamas has seen its cultural heritage exported by outsiders for personal interest removing any possibility for community involvement and public archaeology. The authors worked to change this trend through outreach, public education, and cultural understanding, showing that an organized network of local stewards can protect submerged cultural heritage while enabling locals and visitors to access the material. This project will not only serve to preserve the historical material culture for future generations, but will act as a community bonding activity facilitating the strengthening of community bonds beyond the current excavation season. This is a case study in incorporating local community and applying known public archaeological approaches in a new environment: the Bahamian communities.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Converging Worlds: Excavation of the Highbourne Cay Shipwreck   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2018

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 909