Slavery, Resistance, and Memory -The Case of Mauritius.

Summary

This is an abstract from the session entitled "Historical Archaeology in the Indian Ocean" , at the 2020 annual meeting of the Society for Historical Archaeology.

The materiality of slavery has received much attention over recent decades. Unequivocally focused on the Atlantic experience, comparative models from the Indian Ocean serve to enrich our understanding of slavery on a global scale. The body of literature on slave artefacts, mortuary practices, and diet highlight the nuances and complexity of slave life-ways.

This presentation focuses on Mauritius, and draws on a decade of work into the dynamics of both forced and free labour on the island, and wider region. Using a range of case studies, I illustrate the nuances of slave-lifeways as they are understood from this region: what do we know about the process of arrival; working conditions, and daily existence? The paper provides insightful similarities to Atlantic counterparts, as well unique features that help contextualize the experience of slavery in this part of East Africa and the South-western Indian Ocean

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2020   •
• Historical Archaeology in the Indian Ocean

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 954