In recent years, some Western European nations have initiated steps to return collections, often acquired through unequal power dynamics, looting, or other forms of involuntary dispossession, including items forcibly donated, sold, or obtained during “collecting expeditions”.
These collections include numerous material culture items and heritage objects originating from the Caribbean.
This special issue examines the theme of repatriation in the context of the Caribbean region, focusing on collections currently housed in Western Europe.
Case studies will explore the relationship between these collections and countries such as The Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom.
For Caribbean communities, the return and/or (digital) accessibility of these diasporic colonial collections facilitates the reclamation of space within broader historical contexts, heritage, and memory landscapes.
Given the interconnected nature of the region, the repatriation of colonial collections—and their digital access—holds significance for a wider area encompassing the Circum-Caribbean (French, Spanish, English, Dutch/Danish/US territories), including the US (formerly Danish) Virgin Islands, the Caribbean coasts of Latin and Central America, and the continental Caribbean (Belize, Guyana, French Guiana).
Guest Editor: Shani Roper- University of the West Indies Museum.
