Ever since first encountering Henry Glassie's work on vernacular architecture, I have had a special interest in that aspect of material culture. Those who share this focus will appreciate Adom Philogene Heron and Marica Honychurch's Still Standing: The Ti Kais of Dominica, which deals with a distinctive type of residential structure (Ti Kais) that evolved on the island of Dominica after Great Britain outlawed slavery in its territories in the 1830s. The writing of Philogene Heron and the photographs of Honychurch provide an enjoyable read/view and document an aspect of material culture that is fading, but still very much alive.
Not to be confused with the Dominican Republic (located on the island of Hispaniola), Dominica is a small English-speaking island nation located in the Caribbean north of Venezuela. Originally colonialized by the French, its governance fell into the hands of Great Britain following the Seven Years’ War (known as...
