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Slavery And Emancipation Birth Of The Caribbean Conference |
Announcement
The Turks and Caicos National Museum announces the postponement of the Slavery and Emancipation: Birth of the Caribbean Conference, originally scheduled for October 25-28th 2004.
Organisers apologise for any inconvenience caused but have decided to postpone the conference due the fact that many delegates from the Caribbean and US are encountering difficulties in attending due to this highly active tropical season across the region and in the USA.
Director of the National Museum and President of the Museums Association Of The Caribbean Nigel Sadler explains “the aim of this conference was to bring delegates from the Caribbean and the World together to discuss this important heritage. The level of interest in the subject of Slavery and the conference itself has been very encouraging. We hope that by postponing now, we will be able to ensure that all of those interested in attending the conference from across the Caribbean and in US States affected by the recent storms get the chance to participate.”
The Museum very much regrets this postponement and is at present working on plans to put on the conference in January 2005. Exact dates and details will be announced in the next few weeks.
Slavery and Emancipation:The Birth of the Caribbean
(Slave History Conference - Turks and Caicos Islands)
October 25-28 2004
Background
The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2004 as International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition. 2004 has been chosen as this is the 200th anniversary of the independence of Haiti, the first state set up by freed slaves.
In 2000 the United Nations also launched the UNESCO/WTO Joint Caribbean Programme of Cultural Tourism on the Slave Route Project. The Turks and Caicos National Museum became the representative for the Turks and Caicos Islands and over the last 4 years the Museum has concentrated most of its research work into uncovering the slave History of the Turks and Caicos Islands. This culminated in the release of the book Slave History of the Turks and Caicos Islands in January 2004. The research is continuing and is concentrating on sunken slave ships within the waters of the Turks and Caicos Islands and the slave records for 1822-1834 held at the Public Record Office in London.
Slave History is of course a sensitive subject. However, it is important that it is understood at many levels – its economic, social and cultural development not only of individual countries, but the Caribbean as a whole. In the Turks and Caicos Islands, which is rapidly developing its economic structure (mainly tourism) there is a tendency to look to the USA for its cultural inspiration, especially through the influence of satellite television. This means that the local ties to the past are rapidly being lost and that there is a dwindling appreciation of local cultural roots.
The Turks and Caicos Islands Government’s Cultural Department is fighting against this by trying to preserve the culture of the Islands, be it the arts, crafts, music or storytelling. A major part of this must be the education of the population both through formal and informal channels. Schools must teach about the History of the Turks and Caicos Islands rather than general Caribbean History and teachers must be encouraged to understand the resources that are available to them through the Museum, National Trust and Department of Culture. Local TV and radio must broadcast shows that help challenge local residents perceptions of the past and their heritage. Organisations such as the National Museum and National Trust must be the forerunners in the research and presentation of the data, whether it is on websites, in publications or through active field work such as archaeological and anthropological studies.
The Museum is seeing 2004 as the ideal year to start this process. It is planning a number of activities and is encouraging the government departments to get involved. The culmination of all of this will be a conference where local researchers, scholars, teachers and residents with an interest will have the opportunity not only to learn about the local slave History but also to interact with leading international researchers and learn about work being undertaken in the Caribbean, USA and UK.
Organiser
The lead organiser for the conference will be the Turks and Caicos National Museum.
Contact:
Nigel Sadler, Director,
Turks and Caicos National Museum
PO Box 188
Front Street
Grand Turk
Turks and Caicos Islands
British West Indies
Telephone: 946 2160
Fax: 946 2160
E mail: museum@tciway.tc
The affiliated and supporting agencies include:
H. E. Governor's Office
Turks and Caicos Islands Government
Turks and Caicos National Trust
Turks and Caicos Tourist Board
Turks and Caicos Department of Culture
Friends of the Turks and Caicos National Museum
Museums Association Of The Caribbean
Windward Media
Ships of Discovery
Conference Venue
The conference will be at Brayton Hall, next to the British West Indies Collegiate, on Providenciales.
Delegate Fees
The conference will have national, regional and international interest. For this reason we would have several tiers of delegate fees. All prices quoted here are in US Dollars, the official currency of the Turks and Caicos Islands
$150 International Delegates (institutional fee of $250 which will allow institutions to bring 2 or more delegates at one fixed price)
$ 75 Local Individual (For all of conference)
$ 30 Local Individual – (single day entry)
$ 10 Local Students (Fee per day) - the conference will offer at least 25 free places on each day for secondary school/community College students
Accomodation
Delegates will be staying at the Comfort Suites Hotel in the heart of Grace Bay. Transfer to the conference venue will be by bus.
The cost per room is $108 per night (including taxes), whether there is single or double occupancy.
Provisional Timetable
Day 1
Theme – Slave History of the Bahamian Archipelago
This will allow local organisations (Turks and Caicos National Museum, Turks and Caicos National Trust, Department of Culture, National archive of the Bahamas, Bahamas National Museum etc) to present their recent work. It will also allow researchers to see where our weaknesses are and where we require assistance. It might generate archival research, archaeological investigation etc, for researchers who want to move into this region.
8.00 Breakfast
9.00 Coffee/Tea at Lecture Room
9.30 Welcome presentation by the Governor
9.45 Welcome Presentation by the Chief Minister
10.00 Keynote Speaker 1 (45 minute presentation, 15 minute Q/A)
11.00-11.30 Coffee
11.30 Presentation 1
12.00 Presentation 2
12.30 – 2.00 Lunch
2.00 Presentation 3
2.30 Presentation 4
3.00 Presentation 5
3.30-4.00 Tea Break
4.00-5.00 Plenary Session. Floor is opened for a debate on the Theme. Chaired by Keynote speaker
Day 2
Theme - Presentation of Slave History
The papers on this day will look at how Museums, publishers, authors, etc present research to the wider audience)
8.00 Breakfast
9.00 Coffee/Tea at Lecture Room
9.30 Welcome
10.00 Keynote Speaker 2 (45 minute presentation, 15 minute Q/A)
11.00-11.30 Coffee
11.30 Presentation 1
12.00 Presentation 2
12.30 – 2.00 Lunch
2.00 Presentation 3
2.30 Presentation 4
3.00 Presentation 5
3.30-4.00 Tea Break
4.00-5.00 Plenary Session. Floor is opened for a debate on the Theme. Chaired by Keynote speaker
Day 3
Theme - Recent Research in the Caribbean
The papers on this day will look at Recent Research in the Caribbean or in Africa, USA or Europe if it involves the History of the Caribbean
8.00 Breakfast
9.00 Coffee/Tea at Lecture Room
9.30 Welcome
10.00 Keynote Speaker 3 (45 minute presentation, 15 minute Q/A)
11.00-11.30 Coffee
11.30 Presentation 1
12.00 Presentation 2
12.30 – 2.00 Lunch
2.00 Presentation 3
2.30 Presentation 4
3.00 Presentation 5
3.30-4.00 Tea Break
4.00-5.00 Plenary Session. Floor is opened for a debate on the Theme. Chaired by Keynote speaker
7.30 Concluding reception
Day 4
Post Conference Tours
Tour 1 Providenciales and North Caicos
(led by National Trust)
9.00 Delegates picked up from Hotel
9.15 Arrive at Cheshire Hall – Tour of Cheshire Hall
10.30 Leave Cheshire Hall
10.45 Arrive at Leeward Marina for boat to North Caicos
11.15 Boats stop at Fort St George – presentation on Boat about Fort
12.00 Arrive at North Caicos
12.30-2.00pm Lunch
2.00 Taken to Wades Green
3.30 Leave Wades Green back to ferry
4.00 Back to Provo
4.45 arrive back at Marina
5.00 Arrive Back at Hotel
Tour 2 Grand Turk
(led by Museum)
9.00 Leave Hotel
9.30 Flight to Grand Turk
10.00 Arrive Grand Turk
10.15 Tour of Museum
11.15 Tour of Museum Research Facilities
12.00-1.30 Lunch
1.30 Tour of Island, visiting sites related to slave History
3.30 Arrive at Airport
4.15 Arrive in Provo
4.30 Arrive Back at Hotel
All tours must be booked in advance, before arriving at conference.
Publication
All papers presented will be published as part of a special Conference Publication. Papers will be required a month prior to the conference so that the publication will be available at the time of the conference.
For Information contact
Nigel Sadler
museum@tciway.tc
or phone
(649) 946 2161
Booking
For booking information contact the Museum. Bookings can be made by credit card, cheques or cash.
A Conference Leaflet is also available- If you want one sent to you please contact the Museum or press the links below. If you just wish to complete a booking form only open the booking form pdf as it is much slower
http://www.tcmuseum.org/pdf/SlaveryLR.pdf (whole pdf)
http://www.tcmuseum.org/pdf/SlaveryBookForm.pdf (booking form only)
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