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

Wendy Aris

Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast Hosted by Wendy Aris A space where Caribbean history, family history, and heritage come to life. This podcast explores the legacies of colonialism and uncovers the often-overlooked stories that shaped the Caribbean and its people. Whether you're tracing your ancestral roots, exploring regional identity, or simply curious about the past that informs the present, Dis A Fi Mi History offers meaningful insights and resources for anyone interested in Caribbean genealogy and historical storytelling. Join host Wendy Aris as she speaks with historians, archivists, cultural practitioners, and everyday people who are piecing together the threads of their family and national histories.

  1. 2d ago

    Beyond the Resort: Rediscovering Caribbean History and Community

    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. This conversation highlights sustainable travel, the positive local economic impact, and why understanding historical legacies is essential for connecting deeply with the Caribbean's people and places. BIO Natalie Preddie is of mixed race, award-winning Canadian travel journalist, author and BIPOC advocate with bylines in international publications including Globe & Mail, Travel & Leisure and The Washington Post. I have co-authored two travel books: Dance Adventures & Lonely Planet's Epic Runs of North America. I share travel tips with national television audiences on and am the host of NEW travel series, GET LOST with Natalie Preddie. I am the mother of three beautiful little boys who love to explore the world with me. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn551tLMv0c_OtVf19jjuCA Follow my travel adventures: IG: @ _nattyp FB: AdventuresOfNattyP Links Beyond The Resortbeyondtheresort.tv Natty P Onlinenattyponline.com Breakfast Televisionyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLoQK2ZSABo2_VKQKRuKGL_ktdedclt-En&si=uQ6UKfTBi3lguzMZ _@NattyPtwitter.com/_NattyP @_nattypinstagram.com/_nattyp Substacknpreddie.substack.com      Caribbean Podcasts https://blog.feedspot.com/caribbean_podcasts/   History Podcasts For Historians https://blog.feedspot.com/history_podcasts_for_historians/  Follow: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berkshirehalleppingpress/  Book The Emotions of Researching your Family Tree: https://a.co/d/0jiaxXxi    Genealogy Workbook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NRHG3M3  Prayer Journal: https://a.co/d/bfSdIl0  Devotional Journal: https://a.co/d/8K3C8Hk  Support The Podcast https://ko-fi.com/disafimihistory/tip  Great Research Resource https://www.ancestorsofparadise.com/  Clothes https://effystyle.goaffpro.com/  Reservations for Barbados https://diaspora-discoveries.com/reservations  Opus Clip: https://www.opus.pro/?via=74ffcf  Cultural Roots: https://www.skool.com/cultural-roots-reconnection-8301/about?ref=62a97470644b496897d06254e6796add    Recorded at Waterfront Studios https://www.youtube.com/@UCZKx-1qpaaxMQOEsMhHlevg https://www.waterfront.studio/home Insta: https://www.instagram.com/waterfront.studio/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/waterfrontstudio905/ Linden: linkedin.com/company/waterfrontstudio416   Theme Music "Africa" is modern ethnic track with fresh chords, African vocal, orchestra. License Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed) #Travel #NataliePreddie #history #culturalheritage #disafimihistory #caribbeanhistory #heritage #CaribbeanTravel #Tourism #EcoTourism # #Caribbeanhistorypodcast #blackhistory #podcastinterview #CaribbeanTravel #Travel #Atlanticworld #barbados #Jamaica #bahamas #Beyondtheresort #slaveryhistory #sustainable travel #ancestralroots #community-led tourism #localeconomicimpact

    26 min

  2. Jun 7

    When Patois Speaks Justice: Language, Power and the Caribbean

    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 Jamaican linguist, educator, and scholar whose work explores the intersection of language, identity, and communication. His academic journey led him to investigate how judges in Jamaican courtrooms interpret and translate the speech of witnesses who speak Jamaican Creole, a subject that became the focus of his PhD dissertation and reflects his longstanding interest in language and social justice. Since relocating to Canada in 2008, Professor Forrester has been a passionate advocate for Jamaican language and culture. At York University, he developed and launched two courses dedicated to Jamaican Creole, helping to bring scholarly attention to one of the Caribbean's most vibrant linguistic traditions. In addition to his work at York, he has taught academic writing at Seneca College and Sheridan College, where he encourages students to express their ideas clearly, critically, and creatively through writing. A dedicated educator and mentor, Professor Forrester is committed to fostering a deeper understanding of language as a tool for communication, cultural preservation, and empowerment. His work continues to inspire conversations about the value of Jamaican Creole, the complexities of translation and interpretation, and the role of language in shaping personal and collective identity. Website: https://www.cliveforrester.com/   History Podcasts For Historians https://blog.feedspot.com/history_podcasts_for_historians/  Follow: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berkshirehalleppingpress/  Morning Journal Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CXMTL3NV  Genealogy Workbook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NRHG3M3  Prayer Journal: https://a.co/d/bfSdIl0  Devotional Journal: https://a.co/d/8K3C8Hk  Support The Podcast https://ko-fi.com/disafimihistory/tip  Great Research Resource https://www.ancestorsofparadise.com/  Clothes https://effystyle.goaffpro.com/  Reservations for Barbados https://diaspora-discoveries.com/reservations  Opus Clip: https://www.opus.pro/?via=74ffcf  Cultural Roots: https://www.skool.com/cultural-roots-reconnection-8301/about?ref=62a97470644b496897d06254e6796add    This episode was recorded at Waterfront Studio Link: https://www.waterfront.studio/home  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waterfront.studio/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/waterfrontstudio905/    Recorded Music Theme Music "Africa" is modern ethnic track with fresh chords, African vocal, orchestra. License Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed) #WhenPatoisSpeaksJustice #DisAFiMiHistoryPodcast #JamaicanPatois #JamaicanCreole #LanguageAndPower #LanguageJustice #CaribbeanHistory #CaribbeanCulture #CaribbeanVoices #LinguisticJustice #Sociolinguistics #CreoleStudies #LanguageRights #LinguisticDiversity #LanguageMatters #EducationAndLanguage #CulturalStudies #CaribbeanScholarship #PublicHistory #KnowledgeSharing

    36 min

  3. Season 9 Trailer

    Season 9: Memory Archives — Caribbean Voices Remembered

    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, resist, and preserve our past for the present and future.   Book: Book The Emotions of Researching your Family Tree: https://a.co/d/0jiaxXxi #MemoryArchive #CulturalPreservation #OralTradition #StorytellingMatters #LanguagePreservation #HeritageMatters #CaribbeanHeritage #LivingHistory #PreservingOurStories #VoicesOfTheCaribbean

    7 min

  4. May 31

    Storytelling as Archive: Preserving Caribbean History with Kesha Christie

    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 has long been one of the most powerful ways to preserve memory and family history. From yard stories to stage performances, from elders’ voices to contemporary digital platforms, these narratives carry history, identity, and ancestral knowledge in ways that traditional colonial archives often cannot. In this episode, we’re joined by Kesha Christie, founder of Talkin’ Tales and host of the podcast Walk Good—a space where stories of Caribbean culture, community, and lived experience are shared, preserved, and reimagined. Through her work, Kesha continues the legacy of Caribbean oral storytelling, transforming it into a living, breathing archive—one that exists not just in memory, but in performance, connection, and voice. Join us as we explore storytelling as a form of archival memory, the role of oral tradition in preserving Caribbean histories and heritage, and how platforms like Walk Good are shaping the future of how our stories are told and remembered.  Bio: Kesha Christie is a Caribbean storyteller, performer, and cultural practitioner dedicated to preserving and sharing the richness of oral traditions across the diaspora. She is the founder of Talkin’ Tales, a storytelling platform that brings Caribbean narratives to life through performance, education, and community engagement. As the host of the podcast Walk Good, Kesha creates a space where stories of culture, community, and lived experience are shared, preserved, and reimagined for contemporary audiences. Her work continues the legacy of Caribbean oral storytelling, transforming it into a living archive that connects past and present through voice, memory, and performance. Through her storytelling, Kesha centers the power of narrative as a tool for cultural preservation, identity formation, and collective healing—ensuring that Caribbean stories are not only remembered, but felt and carried forward across generations.   Links: https://open.spotify.com/show/11O6b2F7EIifzG0YmNzMKk https://talkintales.ca/ https://www.storytellers-conteurs.ca/en/storytellers-directory/Kesha-Christie.html https://prologue.org/artist/talkin-tales/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5a28jq91KGy5qf922Mzglg   Books https://www.amazon.ca/stores/Kesha-Christie/author/B0BJBVT8VZ?ref=ap_rdr&shoppingPortalEnabled=true   History Podcasts For Historians https://blog.feedspot.com/history_podcasts_for_historians/  Follow: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berkshirehalleppingpress/  Morning Journal Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CXMTL3NV  Genealogy Workbook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NRHG3M3  Prayer Journal: https://a.co/d/bfSdIl0  Devotional Journal: https://a.co/d/8K3C8Hk  Support The Podcast https://ko-fi.com/disafimihistory/tip  Great Research Resource https://www.ancestorsofparadise.com/  Clothes https://effystyle.goaffpro.com/  Reservations for Barbados https://diaspora-discoveries.com/reservations  Opus Clip: https://www.opus.pro/?via=74ffcf  Cultural Roots: https://www.skool.com/cultural-roots-reconnection-8301/about?ref=62a97470644b496897d06254e6796add    This episode was recorded at White Studios Link: https://www.whitmedia.ca/  https://www.instagram.com/whitmediastudios/ https://www.facebook.com/p/WhitMedia-Co-100063592850069/ https://www.threads.com/@whitmediastudios     Reorded Theme Music "Africa" is modern ethnic track with fresh chords, African vocal, orchestra. License Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed)   #oralstorytelling #oraltradition #culturalpreservation #digitalstorytelling #ancestralknowledge #walkgood #takintales #heritage #identity #jamaicancreole #CaribbeanStudies #OralHistory #CulturalHeritage #Storytelling #DiasporaStudies #DecolonizingKnowledge #KnowledgeSystems #CommunityEngagement #MemoryArchive #CulturalPreservation #OralTradition #StorytellingMatters #LanguagePreservation #HeritageMatters #CaribbeanHeritage #LivingHistory #PreservingOurStories #VoicesOfTheCaribbean

    27 min

  5. May 24

    Caribbean Genetics and Heritage: A Conversation with Dr. Carika Walden

    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 representation in genomic research to empower family planning and improve health outcomes in the Caribbean.   Listeners will gain valuable knowledge on testing options, data privacy, and the proactive use of genetics in wellness. Resources and links mentioned are available in the show notes to support further exploration.   BIO: Dr. Carika Weldon, PhD, MRSB, FIBMS, is a Bermudian biochemist and Founder & CEO of CariGenetics, the world’s first Caribbean-based genomics company. Prior to this she was a Lecturer at De Montfort University and founded the Bermuda Principles Foundation. Dr. Weldon worked as the Oxford Nanopore Project Manager at the Oxford Genomics Centre at the University of Oxford, UK. In April 2020, called by the Bermuda Government, she was appointed as the Science Advisor to the Premier and Laboratory Director of the government’s COVID-19 lab, which she created. Dr. Weldon was granted a Queen’s Certificate & Badge of Honour for this work.   Links: https://carigenetics.com/before-you/ https://carigenetics.com/know4sure/ https://carigenetics.com/family4sure/ https://carigenetics.com/food4you/ https://carigenetics.com/fitness4you/ https://carigenetics.com/skincare4you/ https://carigenetics.com/personallyyou/ https://carigenetics.com/4twenty/ https://carigenetics.com/vividlyyou/ https://carigenetics.com/myriskscore/ https://carigenetics.com/meds4you/ https://carigenetics.com/mybioage/ https://carigenetics.com/mywellness/ https://carigenetics.com/gut2know/   History Podcasts For Historians https://blog.feedspot.com/history_podcasts_for_historians/  Follow: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berkshirehalleppingpress/  Morning Journal Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CXMTL3NV  Genealogy Workbook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NRHG3M3  Prayer Journal: https://a.co/d/bfSdIl0  Devotional Journal: https://a.co/d/8K3C8Hk  Support The Podcast https://ko-fi.com/disafimihistory/tip  Great Research Resource https://www.ancestorsofparadise.com/  Clothes https://effystyle.goaffpro.com/  Reservations for Barbados https://diaspora-discoveries.com/reservations  Opus Clip: https://www.opus.pro/?via=74ffcf  Cultural Roots: https://www.skool.com/cultural-roots-reconnection-8301/about?ref=62a97470644b496897d06254e6796add  Theme Music "Africa" is modern ethnic track with fresh chords, African vocal, orchestra. License Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed) #ancestry #testinggenomic #researchCaribbean #communitiesfamily #planninghealthcareacces #DNA #genetics #DNAtesting #familyheridity #heridity #lineage #YDNA #MDNA

    57 min

  6. May 20

    Chutney & Coolie: Queer Masculinities and Indo‑Caribbean Sound

    On this episode of the Dis A fi mi History Podcast, Dr. Ryan  Persadie explores Indo‑Caribbean identity through music, family memory, and the legacy of indentureship. The conversation centers on Chutney and Soca as sites where masculinity, queerness, language, and migration histories are performed, contested, and reimagined. Through personal stories, intergenerational memories, and cultural analysis, the episode shows how music and dance preserve marginalized histories, unsettle archival silences, and offer practices of joy, resistance, and belonging across generations and geographies. Bio: Dr. Ryan Persadie is a scholar, writer, and Course Instructor at the University of Toronto whose work explores Indo-Caribbean identities, masculinity, diaspora, performance, sexuality, and cultural memory. Holding a PhD, his research examines the intersections of chutney music, genealogy, colonial history, and Indo-Caribbean subjectivities, with a focus on how communities negotiate belonging, identity, and representation across the Caribbean and its diasporas. Through his scholarship and teaching, Dr. Persadie contributes important perspectives on Indo-Caribbean cultural expression, postcolonial studies, and the evolving meanings of identity within Caribbean society. Link: https://www.academia.edu/44790043/_Meh_Just_Realize_Is_Ah_Coolie_Bai_Indo_Caribbean_Masculinities_Chutney_Genealogies_and_Qoolie_Subjectivities Facebook: Ryan Persadie  Twitter: @ ryanpersadie  Instagram: @ tifa.wine    #IndoCaribbean #ChutneyMusic #CaribbeanHistory #DisAFiMiHistory #RyanPersadie #CoolieBai  #DiasporaStudies  #CaribbeanIdentity #IndoCaribbeanHistory #CulturalMemory #CaribbeanPodcast #PostcolonialStudies #CaribbeanCulture #Qoolie #ChutneyCulture

    1h 2m

  7. May 10

    Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Histories: Religion and Survival in the Early Caribbean

    In this episode of the Dis A fi mi History Podcast, host and guest Professor Kristen Block explore the lives of ordinary people in the early Caribbean—maroons, sailors, Quakers, and enslaved individuals—revealing how religion, empire, and survival shaped their worlds. Using archival records and personal stories, the conversation considers identity, resistance, family, and the complex ties between church and state, showing how everyday experiences challenge elite narratives and continue to echo into the present.   BIO: Kristen Block is an Associate Professor of History at the University of Tennessee (Knoxville). A historian of the Atlantic World, her research has focused geographically on the Caribbean–arguably the epicenter of colonial competition in the early modern Americas. Religion and slavery were two cornerstones of early modern life and thus figure prominently in her teaching and writing about the colonial Americas, where Africans, Europeans, and Native Americans fought and collaborated with one another to shape social norms.   Link: https://www.amazon.ca/Ordinary-Lives-Early-Caribbean-Competition/dp/0820338680   History Podcasts For Historians https://blog.feedspot.com/history_podcasts_for_historians/  Follow: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berkshirehalleppingpress/  Morning Journal Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CXMTL3NV  Genealogy Workbook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NRHG3M3  Prayer Journal: https://a.co/d/bfSdIl0  Devotional Journal: https://a.co/d/8K3C8Hk  Support The Podcast https://ko-fi.com/disafimihistory/tip  Great Research Resource https://www.ancestorsofparadise.com/  Clothes https://effystyle.goaffpro.com/  Reservations for Barbados https://diaspora-discoveries.com/reservations  Opus Clip: https://www.opus.pro/?via=74ffcf  Cultural Roots: https://www.skool.com/cultural-roots-reconnection-8301/about?ref=62a97470644b496897d06254e6796add  Theme Music "Africa" is modern ethnic track with fresh chords, African vocal, orchestra. License Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed) #Religioushistory #caribbean #oralstorytelling #oralhistory #culturalheritage #migration #identitypreservation #history #podcast #caribbeanpodcast #caribbeandiaspora #education #blackhistory #caribbeanhistory #heritage #culturalheritage

    49 min

  8. May 3

    Saving Cayman Islands Heritage: Stories, Secrets, and the Heritage Guide

    Host Wendy Aris engages with Alyssa Green, founder of the Cayman Heritage Guide, in a deep dive into preserving Caribbean history and family genealogy through community efforts in the Cayman Islands. They explore the rich oral storytelling tradition, the impacts of colonialism, and the essential roles of women and language in shaping Caymanian identity. This episode highlights the challenges of safeguarding cultural heritage amid modern changes while turning community memory into a living archive. Listeners will gain valuable insights on why accessible heritage work matters for family history enthusiasts and those interested in Caribbean heritage preservation.   Bio: Alyssa Green is a Caymanian cultural storyteller, creative, and founder of Cayman Heritage Guide, a platform dedicated to documenting and sharing the rich cultural history of the Cayman Islands. Through her work, she highlights the everyday spaces, traditions, and stories that often exist beyond formal archives, helping to preserve Caymanian identity in a rapidly changing environment. Born and raised in Grand Cayman, Alyssa’s connection to the land and community informs her approach to storytelling—one that centers lived experience, local knowledge, and the importance of remembering. Her work reflects a growing need to safeguard cultural heritage, especially as development and environmental change continue to impact historical sites and traditions across the islands. In addition to her heritage-focused work, Alyssa is also a multidisciplinary creative with a background in fashion media and visual storytelling, bringing a contemporary lens to how history is documented and shared. Through Cayman Heritage Guide, she is creating a living archive—one that connects people not only to place, but to memory, ancestry, and the stories that shape Caymanian identity across generations.   Links: https://www.facebook.com/people/Cayman-Heritage-Guide/61566334754391/  https://www.youtube.com/@caymanheritageguide/featured  https://www.instagram.com/caymanheritageguide/   History Podcasts For Historians https://blog.feedspot.com/history_podcasts_for_historians/  Follow: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/berkshirehalleppingpress/  Morning Journal Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CXMTL3NV  Genealogy Workbook: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09NRHG3M3  Prayer Journal: https://a.co/d/bfSdIl0  Devotional Journal: https://a.co/d/8K3C8Hk  Support The Podcast https://ko-fi.com/disafimihistory/tip  Great Research Resource https://www.ancestorsofparadise.com/  Clothes https://effystyle.goaffpro.com/  Reservations for Barbados https://diaspora-discoveries.com/reservations  Opus Clip: https://www.opus.pro/?via=74ffcf  Cultural Roots: https://www.skool.com/cultural-roots-reconnection-8301/about?ref=62a97470644b496897d06254e6796add  Theme Music "Africa" is modern ethnic track with fresh chords, African vocal, orchestra. License Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed) #CaymanIslandshistory #caymanisland #oralstorytelling #oralhistory #culturalheritage #migration #identitypreservation #history #podcast #caribbeanpodcast #caribbeandiaspora #education #blackhistory #caribbeanhistory #heritage #culturalheritage

    40 min
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Dis A Fi Mi History Podcast Hosted by Wendy Aris A space where Caribbean history, family history, and heritage come to life. This podcast explores the legacies of colonialism and uncovers the often-overlooked stories that shaped the Caribbean and its people. Whether you're tracing your ancestral roots, exploring regional identity, or simply curious about the past that informs the present, Dis A Fi Mi History offers meaningful insights and resources for anyone interested in Caribbean genealogy and historical storytelling. Join host Wendy Aris as she speaks with historians, archivists, cultural practitioners, and everyday people who are piecing together the threads of their family and national histories.

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