Archival Irruptions: Moravians, Obeah, and Hidden Caribbean Histories
Dis a Fi Mi History Podcast: Explore Caribbean Ancestry & CulturePlay episode
Show notes
What can archives tell us about the lives of enslaved Africans—and what have they left unsaid?
In this compelling episode of Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris welcomes Associate Professor Kathrine Gerbner to discuss her groundbreaking new book, Archival Irruptions. Together, they explore how Caribbean archives, missionary records, and colonial documents both reveal and conceal the religious lives, resilience, and agency of enslaved Africans in eighteenth-century Jamaica.
The conversation examines the Moravian Church's mission in Jamaica, the criminalization of Obeah (Obia) following Tacky's Revolt of 1760, and the complex relationship between Christianity, African spiritual traditions, healing practices, and resistance. Professor Gerbner demonstrates how historians can read against the grain of colonial archives to uncover the voices and experiences that were intentionally marginalized or omitted from the historical record.
Discover how Moravian missionaries documented baptism, healing, and spiritual practices, while also navigating the tensions between African religious traditions and colonial authority. This episode offers fresh perspectives on Caribbean history, African diaspora history, genealogy, archival research, and the lasting impact of these eighteenth-century debates on contemporary understandings of African-derived religions throughout the Caribbean.
Whether you're passionate about Caribbean genealogy, Black history, Atlantic World history, Obeah, the Moravian Church, or historical research, this conversation will transform the way you think about archives and the stories they preserve—and the ones they silence.
In This Episode: ✔️ Archival Irruptions and what it means to "read against the archive" ✔️ The Moravian Church's role in colonial Jamaica ✔️ Obeah (Obia), African spirituality, and colonial law ✔️ Tacky's Revolt and its historical significance ✔️ Recovering the voices of enslaved Africans through archival research ✔️ Caribbean genealogy and the importance of historical records ✔️ How the past continues to shape conversations about religion, identity, and cultural heritage today
Book Link:https://www.katharinegerbner.com/books/archival-irruptions/
Website: https://www.katharinegerbner.com/
Bio:
Associate Professor Katharine Gerbner is a historian of religion, race, slavery, and the Atlantic World at the University of Minnesota, where she also serves as Director of Religious Studies. She is the author of Christian Slavery and Archival Irruptions, which examines the criminalization of Obeah in eighteenth-century Jamaica. Her research uncovers marginalized voices through innovative archival methods, reshaping our understanding of Caribbean and African diaspora history.
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