Co-creating an Amerindian Heritage Research Exhibition with Caribbean and European Museums

Author: Tibisay Sankatsing Nava – Leiden University, Netherlands

Co-authors:
Arlene Alvarez – Museo Arqueológico Regional Altos de Chavón
Corinne Hofman – Leiden University

NEXUS1492 (Leiden University) is co-creating a collaborative exhibition on indigenous heritage in the Caribbean. The pan-Caribbean exhibition Caribbean Ties, which fosters partnerships, bridges research and collections and is driven by people in the region, is one of the major public endeavors of the ERC-Synergy NEXUS1492 project and more than 10 regional partners in the Caribbean and in Europe.

The exhibition and accompanying public engagement programme is titled “Caribbean Ties: A shared Amerindian past, a common present and an inclusive future”, and emphasizes continuity and change across the Caribbean and uses indigenous heritage to help build an inclusive Caribbean society. This project will launch in at least 10 sites across the Caribbean simultaneously: each partner is participating in the co-development of a common story that will be presented in each location. At the same time, partners co-create a locally relevant component with their local target audience.

NEXUS 1492 is an ERC Synergy research project that contributes to rewriting Caribbean pre-colonial history from the perspective of the Amerindian. Through archaeology, archaeometry, geochemistry, heritage and network science research, NEXUS 1492 explores how the indigenous past can be positively incorporated in cultural heritage across the diverse region of the Caribbean.

In this talk we explore the development of this public engagement with science project from two key perspectives: lessons learned in co-creating research-based exhibitions with diverse partners, comparing best practices in public engagement across the Caribbean and the co-development of a relevant and sustainable international public engagement programme in a diverse landscape of islands, cultures and languages.

The author has not yet submitted a copy of the full paper.

Presentation type: Individual paper
Theme: Stories
Area of interest: Comparing science communication across cultures