The Know Your Caribbean Podcast

The difference between Slavery in the USA and the Caribbean

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 14:14:45 GMT

In this episode of the Know Your Caribbean podcast, host Fiona Compton explores the history and structure of slavery in the Caribbean and the United States. Drawing from Caribbean historical perspectives, the conversation examines how plantation economies, colonial systems, and resistance shaped life across the region. From the scale of plantation societies to the cultural survival and rebellion of enslaved Africans, the episode unpacks how different colonial environments produced distinct historical experiences—while still being connected through the wider system of the transatlantic slave trade.

Through clear historical context and reflection, Fiona Compton of Know Your Caribbean invites listeners to think more deeply about how these histories shaped the societies we live in today, and why understanding them matters for conversations about identity, memory, and justice in the present.

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90 Seconds into Oblivion - The Mount Pelée Eruption in Martinique

Thu, 19 Feb 2026 13:31:26 GMT

In this episode, we dive into the devastating 1902 eruption of Mount Pelée on the Caribbean island of Martinique—a disaster that obliterated the thriving city of Saint-Pierre in minutes. Through eyewitness accounts and historical insight, we explore how warning signs were missed, how a deadly pyroclastic surge changed volcanic science forever, and why this eruption remains one of the most catastrophic in recorded history.

Hosted by Fiona Compto, founder of Know Your Caribbean

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The First Moko Jumbie

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 15:40:28 GMT

In this episode we explore the first written record of a Moko Jumbie - a stilt walker - in the Caribbean. Through the exploration of the record we cover the arrival of 3 Slave ships from 3 different parts of Africa, life of the Kalinago and Garifuna people as their land is slowly yet violently being taken away, African music and masquerade, and how 440 African children were separated from their families and sent to Saint Vincent.

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Obeah, Murder, and Prostitution in the Post Emancipation Caribbean

Fri, 16 May 2025 12:36:07 GMT

In 1840's Saint Lucia the tides have turned for Black women on the island. Abandoning the plantations that enslaved them, they took to the streets as sex workers taking agency over their bodies. White priests ventured not into the depths of the countryside to indoctrinate the Christian faith, and so in the enclaves of the countryside, African spirituality prevails. Here we uncover an obsessive man who seeks the help of an Obeah man to conquer an infatuation, which leads to murder.

Mid episode music by the people of Oleon, Deanery Saint Lucia, near Mabouya Valley

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Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, Jab Jab, and African influence on Carnival

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 19:11:23 GMT

Drawing on the observances from writer Charles Day, we look at the beautiful traditions of Trinidad and Tobago Carnival, in the 1850's and how illegal slave trading assisted in African cultural preservation in Carnival, and so much more.

Link to Charles Day's book - Five Years Residence in the West Indies : https://archive.org/details/fiveyearsreside02daygoog/page/n269/mode/2up?view=theater

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Jumbies, Indentured Labour, and Wizards of Saint Vincent

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 21:39:22 GMT

Continuing of our interpretation of Charles Day's book - Five Years in the West Indies, we head to Saint Vincent to hear a detailed description of an Igbo stilt walker, jumbles, life of indentured labourers and much more about Caribbean customs we still have today,

See Below for further reading notes :

https://thevincentian.com/a-brief-historical-overview-of-the-portuguese-in-st-vincent-and-the-grenad-p20809-133.htm#:~:text=Between%201845%20and%201850%2C%20about,only%20one%20or%20two%20years.

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Wuk up and Landownership - life in 1850's Barbados

Fri, 06 Sep 2024 18:13:10 GMT

Reading excerpts of Charles Day's book - Five years the West Indies, this highly racist account of life in the Caribbean unintentionally captures the beauty of Black people in the Caribbean.

Show notes for references:

Buckra - buckra

NOUNbuckra, buckras

derogatory US, West Indian

A white person, especially a man.

Origin

Mid 18th century from Ibibio and Efik (m)bakara ‘European, master’.

Music via

on YouTube.

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The Story of the Soucouyant and the Loogaroo

Tue, 31 Oct 2023 14:31:48 GMT

She fall sunder many names, from the Boo Hag in the Carolinas, the Old Higue or Ole Haig in Guyana, Asema in Suriname, Soucouyant in Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Grenada, Trinidad, Martinique, Guadeloupe and more, even Louisiana. But who is she? Let's hear some stories about the elusive Soucouyant, closing off the episode with a a powerful story of resistance

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Junkanoo Jam Session Part Two - The Bahamas

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 08:55:37 GMT

In our second instalment of the Junkanoo Jam series, we take a look at Junkanoo in the Bahamas.(see Jamaican Junkanoo in part 1) The largest Junkanoo parade in the world, glitzy, glamorous, large and in charge. But what are the fundamentally African roots of Junkanoo in The Bahamas? Let's see where underneath the gold and glitter are sparks of resistance.

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Obeah, Mermaids and Magic

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 14:25:21 GMT

Touching on many topics, from how descendants of enslaved Africans in the Caribbean worshipped Mami Wata/ Mama Dlo, danced the 'Calenda' and Bele, and how rain was conjured out of nowhere in the heights of droughts.

Excerpts from the book 'Obeah and Witchcraft in the West Indies' by Hesketh J Bell.

Featured Kalinda music by : Red Drum Drumming - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMwyhjknOAk

Bele Music from Martinique by : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IslellMtIz8&t=464s

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Life in a Slave Market in New Orleans

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 08:55:52 GMT

A podcast minis ode, extending from our love story series, where enslaved people came from the Caribbean to New Orleans, what was it like in the slave markets. Some things you may never imagine being heard or said.

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Junkanoo Jam Session Part One - Jamaica

Thu, 01 Dec 2022 20:13:27 GMT

Junkanoo is an African centred festival found across many areas in the Caribbean, Central America and even parts of the USA. Found specifically during Christmas time, like much of our masquerade it is rooted in resistance, African spiritual and cultural practice and anti-colonial intent. Dying in some areas and flourishing in others. For part one of our Junkanoo Jam Sessions we head to the root of Junkanoo - Jamaica. Here we uncover the history and spiritual significance of a dying Jamaican Christmas time culture.

Kenneth Bilby Essay:

https://brill.com/view/journals/nwig/84/3-4/article-p179_1.xml?language=en

Featured Junkanoo music:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owJ_iy_79d8

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Bad Gyal Stories - Women in Resistance Post Emancipation

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 23:26:50 GMT

Celebrating the unknown and uncelebrated histories of women and resistance in the Caribbean. Emancipation and the apprenticeship period was not a 'lighter' version of enslavement for many as we were made to believe. How did Caribbean women resist? Find out here.

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Resistance and Revenge in the Caribbean

Sat, 01 Oct 2022 22:27:21 GMT

Contrary to popular belief, acts of resistance occurred across the Caribbean during the era of slavery. This episode features 4 stories of revenge from two Caribbean islands, an insight into enslaved African spiritual beliefs, and how revenge was a bittersweet response to slavery.

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The History of Black Mermaids in the Caribbean and Southern USA

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 09:32:26 GMT

A mini episode to introduce the discussion of Black Mermaids and African Spirituality in the Caribbean

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What was Carnival like over 100 years ago

Mon, 12 Sep 2022 09:28:09 GMT

What was Carnival like in Martinique in 1887? Or Cuba in 1899? Puerto Rico in 1903? Or Dominica in 1909? What traditions still live on today? What did our ancestors eat, sing, what costumes did they wear?

Learn Carnival's significance in political and social anti colonial resistance. That and so much more !

Hosted by founder of Know Your Caribbean - Fiona Compton

Additional music - Dominica Creole Festival

Martinique Carnival

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GANGSTA STORIES - The Suriname Maroons

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 11:05:38 GMT

In this episode we discuss the gangsta stories of one of the largest Maroon strongholds to ever exist. 20,000 strong, holding on to ancient African traditions, we show love and tell the stories of the complex legacy of the Maroons of Suriname, some of the most gangsta rebels in Caribbean history.

Featuring our guest Nii Tetteh, the chocolate voice from the Motherland

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Love Stories of Our Enslaved Ancestors

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 01:12:29 GMT

An epic Love Story of Madison Washington and his wife Susan. Madison escapes slavery in Virginia, travels over 1000 miles to freedom, only to return into the belly of the beast to save his wife. In an unbelievable twist of fate, this story is by all means unforgettable.

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The Maroons of Dominica

Thu, 09 Dec 2021 00:00:00 GMT

An insight into the history of the Maroons of Dominica, a country with the last Kalinago stronghold, home to Maroon country that was larger than the entire island of Barbados. Stories of resistance and rebellion against enslavement, and the complex dynamics of societies in the Caribbean .

Featured music - The Kalinago National Anthem, as features in the Miss Kalinago pageant 2016, Dominica, performed by the Dominica Kalinago community.

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Christianity and Slavery - The role of the Church in the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade - Part 2

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 16:41:35 GMT

An insight into the complex role of the Church with the Trans Atlantic Slave trade. Its recruitment, and impact in Africa and the Caribbean. Guest from Ghana Nii Tetteh gives insight into Christianity West Africa whilst we dissect the nuances of the very complicated history we have with the Chrstian Fatih.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NXN4pIblLI - Link to our featured music from Trinidad !

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Christianity and the Caribbean - Unknown truth of slavery and the Church

Fri, 24 Sep 2021 18:57:30 GMT

The church, one of the largest and most powerful institutions in the world. The church has shaped this planet from schooling, to economics and of course the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade. From validating slavery, petitioning for abolition but also being grafters and slave owners themselves.

In this episode learn about the writer of the famous gospel 'Amazing Grace' was a slave trader how Dominica's African slave economy was founded by a Black Christian, how Barbados plantations bolstered the Church of England, and how a 27yr old Deacon was the leader of one of the largest slave revolts in history.

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Stories our Indigenous People from the Caribbean

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 08:08:06 GMT

In history books the stories of our Indigenous people have been often whittled down to scattered accounts of food they ate, stone axes and genocide by Europeans. But what about love? Revenge? Honour? Valour? What about friendship and betrayal, incredible skill, and real gangsta action by the people who walked the Caribbean soil for centuries before murderous Columbus and his crew foot?

Find out some unforgettable stories that are so epic they should timeless films. Stories that are uniquely from the Caribbean but speaks to the heart of our humanity.

Caribbean music segment - Paranda Music from our Garifuna people courtesy of the Warasa Drum School - Belize

Link to Alexandre Moreau de Jonnes book can be found here https://archive.org/details/adventuresinwars00morerich/page/112/mode/2up?view=theater

Read more about the survival of the Kalinago people here : https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/caribs-dominica-land-rights-and-ethnic-consciousness

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The Know Your Caribbean Podcast Trailer

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 13:30:00 GMT

Bringing our Caribbean History to life! here to teach you things the school books won't, from our indigenous people, our Indo-Caribbean culture, African heritage and so much more. Our history is beautiful and dynamic and far from boring...

So get to know yourself through Know Your Caribbean

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Gangsta Ghanaian Stories of Caribbean Resistance

Fri, 25 Jun 2021 13:24:51 GMT

Kicking off our first episode with everyone's favourite - Gangsta Stories. We Bring 3 incredible and very different stories from three different Caribbean nations with one common thread - all of these freedom fighters hail from Ghana.

Learn about the dynamics of the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade, and how wars in Africa became alive and well in the Caribbean.

With special guest Nii Tetteh

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