Dis a Fi Mi History Podcast: Explore Caribbean Ancestry & Culture

How far back can DNA and genealogy take you? In this episode of Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, we explore the fascinating history of the Sotomayor family in Puerto Rico, tracing ancestral connections back to the late 1500s through the combination of genetic genealogy, archival research, and historical records.

Professor Antonio Sotomayor explains how Y-DNA testing, TMRCA (Time to Most...

What happens when Caribbean voices and community histories are left out of mainstream historical narratives? In this episode of Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, the hosts speak with the founders of Counter Narratives Gyonne Zafira & Nagila Muller, an organization working to challenge historical erasure and preserve the stories, experiences, and knowledge of Caribbean communities.

Th...

How can DNA testing, artificial intelligence, and genealogical bioinformatics uncover family secrets hidden for generations? In this episode of Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris is joined by Arun Konanur, a genetic genealogist and creator of patented genealogical bioinformatics tools, to explore how advanced DNA analysis is transforming family history research.

Discover h...

How did Black hair become a symbol of race, identity, power, and resistance? In this episode of Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris sits down with Dr. Shaunasea Brown to explore the complex history of Black hair from the era of transatlantic slavery to the present day.

Discover how European beauty standards shaped ideas of "good" and "bad" hair, influencing generations...

What can Caymanian bush medicine teach us about history, healing, and cultural identity? In this episode of Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris welcomes Hannah Reed Ford, founder of Bush Girl Medicine, to explore the rich tradition of Caymanian herbal medicine and the ancestral knowledge passed down through generations.

Discover how medicinal plants have supported the healt...

The 1790s marked a turning point in Caribbean history, as revolutionary ideas swept across the Atlantic world and transformed the lives of free and enslaved people throughout the Greater Caribbean. In this episode of the Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, Professor Klooster explores how the French Revolution, the Declaration of the Rights of Man, Spanish colonial reforms, and British abolitionis...

How does Caribbean music preserve history, identity, and cultural memory? Can a song tell the story of a people as powerfully as a history book?

In this episode of Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris welcomes Darren Shillingford for an engaging conversation about how Caribbean music serves as a living archive—preserving the history, traditions, resilience, and identity of Caribbean people across generations.

From the...

How did a small island in the English Channel become deeply connected to the Caribbean through the salt cod trade? What role did Jersey merchants play in the transatlantic economy, and how did salt cod become a staple food throughout the Caribbean?

In this episode of Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris welcomes photographer, researcher, and maritime historian Martin Toft to...

How can food tell the story of a people? What can Caribbean cuisine reveal about migration, colonialism, family history, and identity across the diaspora?

In this episode of Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris sits down with Hema Ramsingh of The Moreish Podcast for a rich conversation about Caribbean food culture, storytelling, genealogy, and the...

How did colonial laws shape slavery, race, and justice in the Caribbean—and why do their legacies still matter today?

In this thought-provoking episode of Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris explores the enduring impact of colonial law, slavery, and the legal systems that established and maintained racial inequality throughout the Caribbean and the African diaspora.

What happens when our memories, photographs, documents, and digital lives slowly disappear? How can we ensure that future generations inherit not just our records, but our stories?

In this episode of Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris sits down with historian Tom Mullaney to discuss his thought-provoking book, How We Disappear, and the many ways history can be lost—n...

What can archives tell us about the lives of enslaved Africans—and what have they left unsaid?

In this compelling episode of Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris welcomes Associate Professor Kathrine Gerbner to discuss her groundbreaking new book, Archival Irruptions. Together, they explore how Caribbean archives, missionary records, and colonial documents both reveal ...

In this episode Dr. Amanda T. Perry discusses her research on how early nineteenth-century Haiti used the language of indigeneity to define nationhood after the revolution. The conversation explores how formerly enslaved Africans, Taíno memory, and political claims to territory shaped the new state's identity and citizenship.

Topics include the Declaration of Independence, racial and social divisions, exclusions of French colonists...

In this episode we speak with Paula Ogun Hector, creator of Tapestry of Black Britons, about uncovering and preserving the long, diverse history of people of African and Caribbean descent in Britain. We explore how art, community storytelling and archival research reveal contributions stretching from Roman Britain to the present.

Through tapestry, workshops and exhibitions Paula shows how reclaiming these stories builds belonging, ...

In this episode of Dis a Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris interviews travel journalist and TV host Natalie Preddie to explore Caribbean history beyond the typical resort experience. They delve into the rich heritage and family genealogy of the islands, uncovering stories shaped by colonialism and community resilience. Explore how community-led tourism offers travelers a meaningful connection to Caribbean culture and history.

...

In this episode of Dis A fi mi History, Professor Clive Forrester explores how English and Creole coexist in the Caribbean and how language shapes power, identity, and access to justice.

We discuss language advocacy, bilingual education, courtroom interpretation, and cultural movements that uplift Creole languages as tools for social justice and community empowerment.

Bio:

Professor Clive Forrester is a Jam...

Dis A fi mi History Season 9 explores memory, archives, and cultural preservation across the Caribbean and its diaspora. Episodes examine language, music, archives, genealogy, spirituality, and the stories that shape identity.

Featuring conversations with scholars and community storytellers—from linguistic forensics and ancestral healing to archival silences and genetic genealogy—this season highlights how we remember, ...

Welcome back to Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast—where we center Caribbean histories, voices, and the many ways our stories are preserved across generations, including family genealogy and heritage.

Today’s episode reminds us that not all archives are written—some are spoken, performed, and passed down through voice, serving as a vital mode of preserving Caribbean history and culture.

Across the Caribbean, storytelling...

In this insightful episode of the Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris delves into genetics and healthcare access within Caribbean communities with Dr. Carika Waldon of Cary Genetics. They explore how genetic testing, including ancestry analysis and pharmacogenetics, intersects with Caribbean history, family genealogy, and heritage. Dr. Waldon shares her personal journey and highlights the importance of regional representat...