Articles by Joseph Sony Jean
This article examines how cultural heritage is negotiated in disaster contexts. One month after t... more This article examines how cultural heritage is negotiated in disaster contexts. One month after the earthquake on August 14, 2021 in Haiti, we surveyed damaged heritage sites and spoke with residents in the South and Grande-Anse departments about their experiences and perceptions. Via this research, we found a lack of disaster preparedness and few existing response mechanisms for managing cultural heritage amidst disaster. This article argues for more attention to heritage theory and practice in relation to disaster. It also shares concrete information about our research and its outcomes to create a dialogue between research needs and actual research results. Local voices are fundamental to the planning and decision-making necessary to sustain the future of Haiti’s cultural heritage. Heritage studies in the Caribbean need to formulate and theorize more cogent critical questions about heritage – in particular, about how it is envisioned in urgent times.
This article combines ethnographic and anthropological research with archaeology to explore the s... more This article combines ethnographic and anthropological research with archaeology to explore the significance of archaeological sites as historical elements and their continuous reinterpretation in Haiti. By examining the connection of people with traces of colonial plantations, caves, and Indigenous rock art, this study contextualizes archaeology and heritage within the current social context. The research reveals archaeological sites are characterized by contemporary traces of uses by individuals today. These traces are associated with stories tied to renegotiations of meaning to places, and their contestation, construction of belonging, and memories are among the elements that make sense of heritage-making. The study emphasizes the importance of place meaning and heritage, offering valuable perspectives for future archaeological investigations and contributing to broader discourses on material history in the Caribbean. Keywords Caribbean Archaeology • Heritage Studies • Haiti Rezime Atik sa a baze sou rechèch akeyolojik avèk travay etnografik ak antwopolojik pou eksplore siyifikasyon sit akeyolojik yo kòm eleman istorik moun kontinye ap reentèprete ann Ayiti. Lè n egzamine koneksyon moun etabli ak mazi abitasyon yo, gwòt ak atizay wòch endyen yo, etid sa a raple nou travay sou akeyoloji ak eritaj sipoze marande ak kontèks sosyal aktyèl la. Rechèch la revele gen kèk moun ki itilize sit akeyolojik jounen jodi a. Tras sa yo asosye ak istwa gen rapò ak (re)negosyasyon
Landscape Research, 2021
Historically, the cultural landscape of northern Haiti has been severely impacted by Amerindian, ... more Historically, the cultural landscape of northern Haiti has been severely impacted by Amerindian, Spanish, and African cultures. Historical accounts often consider only the transformations that left visible imprints in the environment, neglecting or overlooking other social changes. This research provides a new set of data, built upon results from mainly archaeological surveys. A landscape biographical approach is applied to capture the historic development of the Fort-Liberté region, Haiti. The discussion shows that the history of the region can be understood as a landscape palimpsest resulting from complex relations between different cultural groups over time.
Landscape Research, 2021
Historically, the cultural landscape of northern Haiti has been severely impacted by Amerindian, ... more Historically, the cultural landscape of northern Haiti has been severely impacted by Amerindian, Spanish, and African cultures. Historical accounts often consider only the transformations that left visible imprints in the environment, neglecting or overlooking other social changes. This research provides a new set of data, built upon results from mainly archaeological surveys. A landscape biographical approach is applied to capture the historic development of the Fort-Liberté region, Haiti. The discussion shows that the history of the region can be understood as a landscape palimpsest resulting from complex relations between different cultural groups over time.
International Journal of Historical Archaeology, 2020
This paper presents the first archaeometrical data on colonial glazed wares (taches noires) impor... more This paper presents the first archaeometrical data on colonial glazed wares (taches noires) imported in Haiti (Fort Liberté). The analysis evidenced the exclusive presence of Italian taches noires products, dated before 1820 and related to the colonial era. The presence of English wares next to colonial materials demonstrated continuity in the use of landscape after the Independence and the establishment of international trade relationships between the state of Haiti and the British Empire. Results are an important step forward in the understanding of production and movement of the Taches noires ware, which were exported globally between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Hispaniola 0 k m 600 N The role of pre-contact indigenous peoples in shaping contemporary multi-e... more Hispaniola 0 k m 600 N The role of pre-contact indigenous peoples in shaping contemporary multi-ethnic society in Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), and elsewhere in the Caribbean, has been downplayed by traditional narratives of colonialism. Archaeological surveys in the northern Dominican Republic and open-area excavations at three (pre-)Contact-era Amerindian settlements, combined with historical sources and ethnographic surveys, show that this view needs revising. Indigenous knowledge of the landscape was key to the success of early Europeans in gaining control of the area, but also survives quite clearly in many aspects of contemporary culture and daily life that have, until now, been largely overlooked.
Heritage, 2020
Haitian archaeological heritage is expressed through multiple traces of Amerindian cultures, ensl... more Haitian archaeological heritage is expressed through multiple traces of Amerindian cultures, enslaved African legacies, ruins of old colonial plantations and fortresses, and post-Haitian independence. Despite the existence of legal institutions engaged in the protection of this heritage, Haitian archaeological sites are becoming more threatened because of looting, appropriation of spaces, and lands management, as well as natural hazards. This paper aims to explore the current state of archaeological heritage with the broader context of the politics of heritage in Haiti. We analyzed the conditions of archaeological sites from the northern region and addressed their place in official heritage practices. The results of this study revealed that most of the archaeological sites that reflect the complexity of Haitian history are not given much attention in the politics of heritage that prioritize the nationalistic and emblematic character of historic traces. This study highlighted the importance of a new approach that prioritizes multiple voices to address heritage matters for the future.
La Mémoire de l'Esclavage. Traces mémorielles de l'esclavage et des traites dans l'espace atlantique (edited by L. Aje and N. Gachon), 2018
Papers by Joseph Sony Jean
Ceramica 4.0: Nuove Esperienze e tecnologie per la comunicazione, catalogazione e musealizzazione della ceramica, 2019
Books by Joseph Sony Jean
Brill, 2024
What is the role of local Caribbean individuals and communities in creating and perpetuating arch... more What is the role of local Caribbean individuals and communities in creating and perpetuating archaeological heritage? How has archaeological knowledge been integrated into education plans in different countries? This book aims to fill a gap in both archaeological scholarship and popular knowledge by providing a platform for local Caribbean voices to speak about the archaeological heritage of their region. To achieve this, each chapter of the book focuses on identifying and developing strategies that academics, heritage practitioners, and non-scholars from the insular Caribbean can adopt to stimulate a necessary dialogue on how archaeological heritage is used and produced on various academic, political, and social levels.
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Articles by Joseph Sony Jean
Papers by Joseph Sony Jean
Books by Joseph Sony Jean