Connie Bell (DTA)

Introduction - Background to the Finding What is Ours Project interrogating the archives of the Sloane Lab

This symposium forms part of our ongoing work interrogating the impact of European cultural and heritage practices imposed on us through chattel, colonial and neo-colonial enslavement.

Bio: Connie Bell is a co-founder of Decolonising the Archive (DTA). She is a leading Memory Worker and Cultural Producer, specialising in the field of performing migrated archives. Ms Bell holds a Masters in Applied Theatre and Community Development and a M.A. in Narrative Therapy & BA in Education. She has over 15 years of working globally in Cultural Therapy and Production. Her work as a theatre practitioner and therapist explores themes of memory, culture and identity across a range of artistic media. As well as her Independent practice, she has worked with several institutions of note including the National Theatre, University College London, the British Museum, University of the West Indies, the National Archives, Leeds University, Reading University and the Caribbean Institute of Mental Health and Substance Abuse.

Dr. Damian Cohall

Presentation - Unlocking Traditional Knowledge and Science Linked to West African Herbal Practices in a Decolonised Space

In this presentation, Dr. Damian Cohall highlights the relevance of West African indigenous knowledge linked to ancestral herbal practices - addressing factors that impacted the retention of knowledge and practices within the colonised space.

Workshop - Ancestral Legacy to Common day Herbal Practices

Describing ancestral practice embedded in folklore, this workshop provides practical exercises enabling participants to utilise traditional technologies including observations, household remedies, folklore tales and herbal knowledge to address common ailments affecting people of African heritage.

Bio: Dr. Damian Cohall is the Dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at The University of The West Indies. He is a Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology with research interests in Ethnopharmacology and Pharmacognosy. Dr. Cohall is also the author of 'Medicinal Plants of Barbados'. He is a member of the editorial boards of Frontiers in Pharmacology and the West Indian Medical Journal. He continues to educate and sensitize society about the rich legacy of traditional herbal practices in the Anglophone Caribbean.

Esther Xosei

Presentation - Afrika Reparations, Restitution & Access to Information

In this presentation, Esther contextualises the issues we will be engaging with throughout the course of the symposium within the frame of historical and contemporary reparations activism and ongoing work surrounding the restitution of cultural artefacts held in European museums.

Bio: Esther Xosei is a leading UK Reparations campaigner, Jurisconsult, Community Advocate & Educator. She is an 'ourstorian' of the International Social Movement for Afrikan Reparations (ISMAR), of which she has been a key part. ISMAR is global, grassroots, people-led, and composed of various individuals, groups, organisations, campaigns, and strategies, all working towards reparatory justice. ISMAR played a pivotal role in establishing the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Afrikan Reparations (APPGAR) in 2021.

Professor Stanley Griffin

Presentations - “A Voyage in Search of Our Self: Using Sloane’s Documentation to Reveal Our Un/Documented”

“Documenting Our Self: Identifying, Preserving and Showcasing Our Community Evidences”

This session explores the importance of documenting our own communities, preserving our cultural heritage, and sharing our stories with the world.

Bio: Dr. Stanley Griffin is an archivist, cultural analyst, and historian. Currently a professor of Humanities and Education at the University of the West Indies , Dr. Griffin holds a PhD in Cultural Studies (with High Commendation) from the Cave Hill Barbados Campus of The University of the West Indies, and an MSc in Archives and Records Management (Int’l) from the University of Dundee, Scotland. His research interests include multiculturalism in Antigua and the Eastern Caribbean, the cultural dynamics of intra-Caribbean migrations, archives in the constructs of Caribbean culture, and community archives in the Caribbean.

Dr. Nadeja Webb

Presentation - Iterative Ruptures: Dynamic Partnerships at Work

What might dynamic collaborations between communities and institutional actors entail? This presentation outlines the foundations of the We Live Language lab, reflects on centring Black women cultural workers in the university classroom, and exploring community engagement with archives.

Bio: Dr. Webb leads the We Live Language (WLL) Lab, which is grounded in the writing and spoken word of Afro-diasporic Black Women poets, authors, and philosophers. WLL probes the relationship between language and power. At Johns Hopkins University, she works closely with Professor Jessica Marie Johnson (History) on community-engaged projects focused on the experiences and well-being of marginalized and minority communities. Dr Webb is an ACLS Postdoctoral Fellow, Assistant Director at LifexCode Black Data and the Black Digital Humanities, Center for Digital Humanities, Krieger School of Arts & Sciences

Dr. Kirt Henry

Presentation - Towards an “Accelerated Decolonisation”: Examining the ACIJ/JMB and its Role

This presentation reflects on how institutions can, through holistic vision and policy, can be designed to achieve an 'accelerated decolonisation' by challenging the structural and epistemic legacies of colonialism. In particular, the presentation focuses on the role of the (African Cultural Institute of Jamaica) ACIJ and (Jamaica Memory Bank)JMB in Jamaica’s decolonial project by strategically utilizing the narratives and creative expressions of local communities as a grassroots methodology to shape its educational programming and outreach activities across the island.

Bio: Dr. Henry is a Jamaican-born thinker, curator, researcher, writer, and advocate for the research, documentation, and preservation of Jamaica’s culture. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Heritage Studies from The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Cultural Studies from the Institute of Caribbean Studies (UWI, Mona). He serves as the Director of the African Caribbean Institute of Jamaica/Jamaica Memory Bank (ACIJ/JMB), a Division of the Institute of Jamaica.