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

On this episode of the Dis  fi A Fi Mi History Podcast, host and guest Kadeem Leslie dive into vision, ownership, and financial empowerment through the lens of Caribbean family history, heritage, and the enduring impacts of colonialism. Kadeem shares his inspiring journey from humble beginnings in Jamaica to becoming a real estate investor, entrepreneur, and author of Full Money. He explains practical principles like the Full Debt Formula and the three pillars of wealth: business, real estate, and investments. Listeners will discover essential mindset shifts, actionable steps for building generational wealth, and insights drawn from global t...

Host Wendy Aris sits down with Ana Chavier Caamañor, founder of Tradition Café, to explore how family history, Caribbean history, migration, and food shape identity and heritage. Through oral histories and chosen communities, Ana shares stories that connect Caribbean cultures and spark curiosity about our shared past. This episode highlights the power of traditions — from recipes and music to respecting elders — showing how these elements preserve cultural heritage and invite listeners to learn, ask questions, and celebrate diverse family genealogies and histories within the Caribbean diaspora.   Bio: Ana Chavier Caamaño is a f...

Host Wendy Aris speaks with Jamil Ninsoo (DouglaBwoy,) about tracing his Afro‑Indo‑Jamaican family history through powerful methods such as oral history, archival research, newspapers, and DNA analysis. Their discussion delves into the impact of colonialism on Caribbean historiography, revealing gaps and silences while illustrating the resilience of cultural retention and heritage across generations. They explore how everyday records and family genealogy help reconnect descendants with their identity and roots. The conversation also highlights Jamil’s children’s book, ABCs for the Jamerican Child, and encourages listeners to start their own family history research. This episode emphasizes the importan...

Host Wendy Aris and Gabrielle Garrard of Caribbean Mystics dive deep into the complex history and colonial legacy of the Virgin Islands. This episode explores Caribbean history, spiritual traditions, and how U.S. territorial status influences identity, culture, and self-determination. Through storytelling, the conversation addresses language loss, gentrification, and diaspora connections, emphasizing the importance of family history and heritage in rebuilding Caribbean cultural resilience. Listeners will gain practical steps for preserving culture, engaging in genealogy, and participating in community action to protect and honor the rich Caribbean heritage for future generations.   Bio: Gabrielle Q...

Season 8, Episode 1 of the Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast delves into significant themes within Caribbean history, focusing on Black Barbadian migration to Canada. Featuring Dr. Christopher Stuart-Taylor and his book Flying Fish in the Great White North, this episode explores how colonialism, kinship ties, and education shaped these deliberate migratory journeys. These movements deeply impacted family genealogy, reshaped heritage, and forged new identities of belonging within the diaspora. Listeners will gain insight into how migration histories, preserved in archives, letters, and family memories, continue to inform our understanding of resilience and identity. The episode invites reflection...

Welcome to the Dis A fi mi History Podcast. In this season preview, host Wendy Aris outlines Season 8's episodes and themes, including migration and Canadian policy with Dr. Christopher Stewart Taylor; U.S. territorial status and Virgin Islands history with Gabrielle Gorard; Indo-Caribbean indentureship and family history with Janelle Nixu; first-generation migration, women's storytelling, the church as an institution, money and mental health, Roatan and Black identity, and the role of genetics and genealogy in Caribbean research. Season 8 promises layered, intentional conversations that connect personal family histories with larger Caribbean historical and contemporary issues.  </p...

Host Wendy Aris engages with Michael A. Henry in a captivating conversation about Indo-Jamaican migration, memory, and identity within the broader context of Caribbean history and colonialism. They delve into documenting family genealogy using oral histories and archival research, shedding light on the legacy of indenture and the cultural traditions that shape identity today. Listeners will explore the historical impact of colonialism on Indo-Jamaican communities through discussions of terms like “coolie,” discoveries from ship and contract records, and the enduring influence of heritage in Caribbean culture. Practical research tips and resources are shared to inspire listeners to reco...

In this episode of Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, Wendy Aris interviews Matthew Taylor about his book Black Redcoats, exploring a pivotal yet often overlooked chapter in Caribbean history and colonialism. They discuss how formerly enslaved men who joined the British Colonial Marines during the War of 1812 transformed military service into pathways to freedom, land ownership, and community building. This conversation highlights vital themes in family genealogy and heritage, focusing on Black resistance, mobility, and agency across regions like Trinidad, Nova Scotia, and the Chesapeake. Listeners will learn about the formation, roles, and lasting legacy of...

In this episode of Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris dives into Caribbean history and heritage through the lens of Jamaican self-taught artist Stafford Schliefer. They explore his decades-long career, unique movement-based painting style, and how his art reflects and preserves Jamaican cultural identity and family heritage. Their conversation covers Stafford's artistic journey from depicting vibrant market scenes to abstract expression, ongoing cultural projects like Pocomania, and how art serves as a powerful tool for remembering Caribbean history and the legacies of colonialism. Tune in for an insightful discussion that...

Explore the vital role of Maroon women in Caribbean history, family genealogy, and cultural resistance. Host Wendy Aris speaks with Dr. Tinde van Andel about Maroon communities in Suriname and French Guiana, uncovering their family histories and resilience in the face of colonialism.   They discuss women’s central contributions to agriculture and survival, focusing on the transatlantic transfer and preservation of rice varieties — a symbol of freedom, identity, and living heritage passed across generations. This episode highlights oral memory through songs, rituals, and naming practices that safeguard ancestral knowledge, emphasizing how understanding family and plant histo...

In this episode of the Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris delves into Caribbean history and heritage through an insightful conversation with Professor Karl Offen on the Miskito Kingdom. They explore how colonialism shaped the historical split between the Sambo and Tawira groups, examining the influences of colonial powers, missionaries, race, geography, and language on Miskito identities and movements across northeastern Nicaragua and Honduras. Professor Offen discusses the rich archival sources underpinning his research, alongside the significant role of Moravian missionaries. The episode highlights how the Miskito people have preserved their cultural traditions and...

Host Wendy Aris reflects on an extraordinary 2025 for the Dis A Fi Mi History podcast, celebrating 100 episodes with over 10,000 downloads and listeners spanning 125 countries. Charting on multiple Apple Podcasts history charts, this milestone episode honors the podcast's focus on Caribbean history, family genealogy, and the enduring impact of colonialism. Wendy thanks all guests and listeners for their support and highlights vital lessons drawn from family history research, heritage preservation, and uncovering untold stories. Looking ahead to 2026, Dis A Fi Mi History will continue exploring Caribbean cultural identity through genealogy, DNA research, and historical storytelling, inviting listeners to...

In this insightful episode, host Wendy Aris dives into Caribbean history and family genealogy with Dr. Christopher Stuart Taylor as they discuss his book 'Flying Fish in the Great White North.' Together, they explore the migration of Black Barbadians to Canada, highlighting migration laws, community-building, family impacts, and identity formation among the Caribbean diaspora. This conversation uncovers overlooked stories of resilience and heritage that shaped the Caribbean diasporic experience in the Great White North, making it a valuable resource for listeners interested in colonialism, Caribbean history, and family heritage.   BIO: C...

In this episode of  Dis A fi mi explores Caribbean history and colonialism with Mr. Shayron Tower, founder of the Corn Islands Virtual Library. They delve into the island's rich family history, Kukra origins, British colonial influences, and Afro-Caribbean culture. The discussion highlights evolving languages, local economies such as fishing and tourism, and political changes that shaped the community. A central focus is on preserving Corn Island's heritage through digital archives, schools, festivals, and an ambitious family genealogy project. This episode emphasizes the importance of documenting oral histories and cultural artifacts to safeguard community memory. Listeners are i...

In this episode, host Wendy Aris speaks with historian Ryan Mann-Hamilton about the often-overlooked 19th-century migration of free African Americans from the United States to Samaná, Hispaniola. They explore why these individuals left, how they settled, and the rich cultural, linguistic, and genealogical legacies they created. Delving into crucial aspects of colonialism and Caribbean history, this conversation sheds light on family history and heritage that continue to influence the region today. They discuss archival challenges, the role of faith and the AME Church, inter-Caribbean connections, and why recovering these stories matters for identity, Atlantic-Caribbean history, and family g...

In this captivating episode of Dis a Fi Mi History Podcast, host Wendy Aris delves into the complex history of slave marriage and resistance in the British West Indies with Professor Cecilia A. Green. They explore how colonialism and legal frameworks in the Caribbean profoundly shaped intimate family life under slavery.  Professor Green unpacks the legal contradictions and fears colonial powers held regarding slave unions, and the critical role missionaries played in this context. The discussion reveals how enslaved people resiliently created and maintained family and kinship ties despite systemic denial of their rights. These efforts not o...

Host Wendy Aras dives into Caribbean history and colonialism with Dr. Kumar Mahabir in this compelling episode exploring the East Indians of Belize. They trace three waves of migration and examine the communities' unique industries, cultural markers such as food and dance, and rich heritage preserved through museums and folk tales. The conversation sheds light on family genealogy and oral history as vital tools in reclaiming and preserving Indo-Belizean identity. Community organizations play a significant role in maintaining cultural resilience, and the episode encourages diaspora engagement through research, visits, and cultural exchange. Listeners will gain...

Host Wendy Aris and guest Jacquie Stewart delve into Caribbean history, specifically focusing on Jamaican genealogy and the impact of colonialism on family identity. This episode explores the powerful role of storytelling in reclaiming heritage and understanding migration patterns through DNA testing and archival research. They discuss the ethical, social, and emotional challenges faced during genealogy research, offering insightful advice for beginners and cautioning against common pitfalls like unreliable online family trees. With recommended resources and encouraging listeners to preserve both personal and collective histories, this episode is a valuable guide to navigating Caribbean family history and...

Welcome to the Dis A fi mi History Podcast, where we explore Caribbean history through the lens of DNA testing and family genealogy. In this episode, we discuss how genetic research is helping Caribbean people reclaim lost roots erased by colonialism and the slave trade. Through real-life stories and explanations of autosomal, Y-DNA, and mtDNA tests, we reveal connections to Indigenous Taino, African ethnic groups, and South Asian ancestors, highlighting the power of family genealogy to reshape identity and heritage. We examine the emotional journey of discovering ancestral roots, the significance of modern DNA databases, and why...

In this episode of Dis A fi mi History, Brian Birch of Griot's Table explores how food acts as a powerful storyteller in Caribbean history, family genealogy, and cultural heritage. Using the "Eat, Feel, Dream" framework, he shares how dishes carry deep memories of migration and the legacy of colonialism across diasporic communities. Brian also highlights how food events blend music and art to create immersive experiences that honor tradition while fostering innovation. The episode delves into the role of food as a bridge between generations, helping to preserve and celebrate family history and identity. Through collaboration...