Marilyn Mckillop Wells Bücher

This ethnographic narrative presents the life of a Garifuna family, descendants of the "Black Carib" settled on Roatan Island in 1797. In 1980, medical anthropologist Marilyn McKillop Wells embarked on an "improbable journey" to uncover the "real" Garifuna. Welcomed by the Diego family, she recorded their life events and perspectives on polygyny, Afro-indigenous identity, and ancestor-worship. The narrative unfolds chronologically, beginning with "The Old Ways," where vignettes introduce family progenitors Margaret and Cervantes Diego. Readers witness their courtship, Cervantes's second marriage, his death, and the family's mourning rituals, culminating in their return to British Honduras and the children's development. In "Living There," Wells meets the Diego children, particularly the protagonist, Tas, and learns about their daily life, including food, manners, and family dynamics. Part III, "The Ancestor Party," details a postmortem ritual for honored ancestors. This work enriches narrative anthropology and feminist ethnography, echoing the traditions of Zora Neale Hurston. Wells's intimate portrayal of the Garifuna family appeals to anthropologists, Caribbeanists, Latin Americanists, students, and general readers alike.