BRIDGETOWN/PHILIPSBURG:--- Last week on Barbados, the International Association for Caribbean Archaeology (IACA) opened it's 28th Congress, which was hosted by the Barbados Museum and Historical Society. This IACA Congress, which meets every two years, is the primer gathering of Caribbean Archaeology specialists, generally hosting about 250 delegates from over 30 countries. The 2015 IACA Congress was hosted by St. Maarten-Saint Martin. The theme for this year's congress was quite relevant for our times, as 'Re-Examining Self', looking towards perspectives of regional heritage research and how it must be conducted in cooperation with the local communities who are being researched.
The Opening ceremony was presided by the Barbados Congress chair Kevin Farmer, the Barbados Museum President Sir Trevor Carmichael, the Barbados Museum Director Alissandra Cummins, and the President of IACA, Dr. Jay Haviser of St. Maarten. With supporting words later at the opening reception, by the Barbados Minister of Culture and Sport, Honorable John King. One of the additional themes noted in Dr. Haviser's speech was a need for greater attention to the impacts of Climate Change on heritage research, including the destruction of heritage sites, and the direct effects on local populations.
During the week-long congress, 120 research papers were presented, including on French St. Martin by Christophe Henocq, as well as a paper by Haviser about the post-Irma recovery on St. Maarten, and also other papers were presented for the islands of Curacao, Bonaire, Saba, and St. Eustatius. During the official IACA business meeting, the next IACA Congress was confirmed to be held at Matanzas, Cuba, in July 2021.
