Archaeology, indigenous and local knowledge, and climate change in the Caribbean: select case studies among the Kalinago, Macushi and Maroon communities in the Windward Islands and the Guianas

Richards, A.C.; White, C.; Daggers, L.; Soke-Fonkel, T.; Edwards, A.; Sutherland, A.; Auguiste, A.

doi:doi:10.17863/CAM.109237

Within the geographic space known as the Caribbean, vulnerability to and because of
climate-induced hazards is commonplace. Contributing to this are the various geophysical
features and historical land use issues which define the region, some of which have contributed
to how traditional communities are both impacted by and respond to the changing climate.
These hazards are experienced through rising sea levels, coastal inundation and storm surges,
and increasingly severe and erratic weather events, impacting, for example, wet and dry
seasons, water and food security, and infrastructure. Although the region's vulnerability has
increased, climatic challenges are not a 21st century phenomena. Its first inhabitants several
millennia ago experienced climate-induced and other natural hazards, requiring ongoing
adaptation to constantly changing environments. Our traditional communities have had long
relationships with their natural environment and so play...Show more

Within the geographic space known as the Caribbean, vulnerability to and because of
climate-induced hazards is commonplace. Contributing to this are the various geophysical
features and historical land use issues which define the region, some of which have contributed
to how traditional communities are both impacted by and respond to the changing climate.
These hazards are experienced through rising sea levels, coastal inundation and storm surges,
and increasingly severe and erratic weather events, impacting, for example, wet and dry
seasons, water and food security, and infrastructure. Although the region's vulnerability has
increased, climatic challenges are not a 21st century phenomena. Its first inhabitants several
millennia ago experienced climate-induced and other natural hazards, requiring ongoing
adaptation to constantly changing environments. Our traditional communities have had long
relationships with their natural environment and so play a critical role in studying this humanenvironment
dynamic through a long-term perspective. Not only are they exposed to these
hazards contributing to vulnerability at the community level, but their heritage is also exposed.
Through their traditional knowledge and archaeological data from their ancient villages,
knowledge is passed down today as a guide for climate action and providing essential indicators
for past and future resilience.

This paper examines how the changing climate intersects with archaeology, Indigenous
and local knowledge in relation to ongoing and future climate action and narratives in
the Caribbean. This is approached through a focus on case studies among the Kalinago of
Dominica and Saint Vincent, the Macushi from Guyana, and Maroon communities from
Suriname, highlighting how traditional knowledge and archaeological research can provide
valuable data concerning past climate adaptation and a better understanding of Indigenous
and local responses. This paper emanates from a knowledge-exchange event held in Aruba in
November 2022, which brought together communities, researchers, and students to discuss
the role that archaeology and traditional knowledge can play in the region’s response to the
changing climate.

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Archaeology, indigenous and local knowledge, and climate change in the Caribbean: select case studies among the Kalinago, Macushi and Maroon communities in the Windward Islands and the Guianas