Finally - Authentic Caribbean History Books

By Janelle Charles

August 18, 1998 - A newly launched volume on the General History of the Caribbean is already receiving a warm reception from international students and educational officials. The book "The slave societies of the Caribbean "- is the third of six volumes in an initiative led by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to re-write the Caribbean’s history form a regional perspective.

"Sales according to Macmillan have been good among universities around every part of the world. I think that augers well for the other volumes and speaks to the interest that the world has in our region," says Alwin Bully, UNESCO advisor for Culture in the Caribbean. UNESCO has also indicated a willingness to support local initiatives to re-write St. Lucia’s history as part of its overall goal to publish accurate historical narratives of the region.

The General History of the Caribbean project was launched here over the weekend with the publication on the slave societies of the Caribbean - a narrative that is being viewed as authentically Caribbean. The examination of the various themes in the region has been done from a European perspective in the past and may not have been a reflection of true Caribbean history. The mandate given to the editors and authors was to change that perspective to look at that history from the inside, examining areas which were not explored comprehensively in previous histories.

One hundred and five (105) authors are involved in the production of the 6 volumes. Professor Sir Roy Augier of the University of the West Indies is the Chairman of the Drafting Committee. By the middle of next year three additional volumes are to be launched and by the year 2000 the entire collection of 6 volumes should have been published.

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