die (wee- (Siting Gelfuce\ Cultural sites NEX NOGAS ‘Sustaining a home in a deterritorialized world Karen Fog Olwig Antropologists nthe past, veh a tendency to repard people as ‘her sete in ioe enmmuniis ora migeting and therefore fivolved in rosescs of moving and rleating in. bew places. Inpresed by the growing importance of tal nthe moder wera thay ae, however, beginning to ei the ide hat eed ie 32 prtcular plaes necessary ss “normal sae of beng reat deal Ut tention therefore now bein recta the ultra and sci flgicence of moving in space ad the transbaonal commutes ‘Meh my teat from fhe Inthe excitement about foregrounding rnovement and aoadocl relations we must be earefl,homerer, not to oneremplisize the qlobl and tansiont character of Pama ie tthe lots, On the ss oft stay of 4 Wes Indian coment 1 ‘hal argue that the strong propensity to migrate found amon West Indians covnterblanced by an equally song developed notion ef tttachmeat to place. tn order to understand Wes Inian He Is therefore nessa to sudy th tle of oth xed places apd chanae and ever-expanding global etworks of elton. swage thats ‘fl eonceptimsuchstaes maybe found nthe nian of cull ‘Stes cultural sitions which have daveloped in the intereato Ship between global sn tcl es, These ell ses aan thet Significance tecnee they ae ieatibed with partir paces, atthe Sime time a they aconndate te slcbal endons of He which have long characterized the West Ine. Re suggested that ‘ara tes may beat foal pons anhepotopia studs of ‘he mare genera lobol an local cdtion of human extnce CULTURAL SITINGS Cod eested the earth oF people to got 0 fr, oto sayin one pace‘This idea of ovement as rlpomly ordained foundation of human lite was exposed by Mir Browne an chery woman fom the West Indian sland of Nev whom I intervcwed in the American Vig "sands in 980 Shed ved on Nevis for snot of het He, mera sss market woman sling agecaleral produce onthe elghorng ‘land of St. Kit Several other raters and ses hed evel te England doting the 180 and ha helped soppot her seen chives When the olds, daughter tarned 17, Sf Browne purchased 4 tcket for hes to goto Su. Croix wo tha she might make 9 eter living for heself= ad forthe set of he family back on Net The ‘daughter son tepan to send veitanes to her mothe, end soe Years ltr, whe she had marred Virgin Misnder, she tained {permanent immigyant vier fr her tther which woul asbie Mr. Browne to obain American immigrant visas fr the youes shilren. When T met Mis Browoe she had just succeded locating al of her children ote Virgin lands Several of them we ‘hoping to goon to mainland United Sats Having accomplished het nisin, Mrs Browne was planning to ren fo Nevis tole tere het own house which was feited nex! fo her ster Sbe eypecte, however to go buck and forth between Nevis andthe Vitsn and, ‘explaining. “is natal fr peop to ove around “This cane story presents ayo sand ind of folk widen which has not asta Been associated with the som of exple whe dave teen the tational objet of study by anthropos. The Image of the “native” prevalent inthe antheopoloa itetature hes teen one of sted persone whose ives can be concptalifd ip ‘eems of eultral wholes of sated val and meaning Wich fold within closely linked web of negated ssa latins Th his ne of thinking, to move, unless part of teglar nomadic pattern, hat ‘implied uprootednes apd beat he oso rm elt founda, This emphasis on rotedness hasbeen extn in teen! wags hich have argued tat movement, fom being an ntrapton ‘dinar. seed ie conte oral condition of if ors rest ea of people (Appadura 1985 981: Rosldo 1988; Clford 1092 ‘Malki 1982). ‘Ths Cifras suggested that “vel” should be trough to the forefoot In ethnographic analysand “estes” be viwed as sits of dveling and travel” (1092 03) He therefore Proposes that “iavelingin-dveling” and. “dling inteevetng Should constitute ental tpi nell studs. In sina tt, ‘Appadaral sees the world a shaaceriaed by tate of deter lution "in which money. commie and persons unending hase ‘ach other around the woeld (19 18d), Whale thi statepecraten Chaturad sites 19 sens ofdpacement, he very experience of placement isseen by ito fuel “te imeginave Tesourees of red, lel experiencer (God: 199). In his open one of he mot leant subjects of ethno- [pape stay toy, therefore s the imagined words whi ace Eonstructed when “local historical trajectories flow into complicated, ‘casatona structs 208) — anthropology snot oer nfo an nagined ward self, Joging forwarder rbd and able reat fe hve los etn hak ‘8 must Ist to Cliford,Apyadual. ad Mis Browne fom Nevis {nd begin to vec our tenon tote ltrelstioship of moving nd weling in world of lel infrconnctons. In his chapet Thal dics sich a aba etwork of aca lations and aoc Cita noe oh noi hi en Be sean Sone sence wih News onset ofthe Bi Laced Mand which today has become poltaly independent together ‘ith the and of St Kit, "The ld work upon which his ana based has been cad ct in four diferent lations Nevin the central reference point in the transnational network of Nevsne swell ar tree migration stinntions: New Haven (Connect!) where Nevsans emigrated chvng the pt ots ory, Led (Enpag),wich tev ‘gent aumber Gf Neisins dig the 180s and 1960, and the US ‘iran lads woh have femained an important desta since the 8s, Even thogh he Hd work of neces) was rounded it ‘pec locations tok place within a non dral cltural space Rated tothe network of tes wih connected inal Nevins Tesdng in these separate lection, Thus a great deal of the Nevis” dally ie was oriented toward actives and concerns of ‘leva to people an places in aber points inthe sob newark, fivng me te feling that Nevis care kept expe me i Swaps seemed tote her {warn Thi ven sped to sopecs of Iierelaed to nstacons sally associa with sted way of i, toch as posession of land and home. By vein thes ations Seaton which have Seen molded ban interplay of perceptions ef Presence and sence, Tbleve itis posible to nda way of mal {hg and understanding, Nevsan cultere. Before ting toward 20 ants of the present day Nevin commen 1 sal eanine the Astor conetin which emerged. This wil lp provide a means ‘of comprehending te parclr form the commusity has fen and the role of pice within(A) Karen Fog Olwig A HISTORY OF DETERRITORIALIZATION poet porns ete ee teh Wane [oporafonst pape Esp Ac tal ha aoe Frmmion nts a ocr eae ‘nen an Supe, On Norse cane pcan en Srivated spenders, nd poten mse ee ‘et tocatan ose cata nea ote Chem a Soon oc Re core inne mesh pope ae ea ove. hatte hal cw ot pol af Nets aneay eho ‘present on the island itself pes ue Tal te «mia fo vw drt primary a4 ‘matter of physical remeval from a territory. The most fundamental Ey of deritinon cpr by tec, enn ‘itn scent anh ee we oie Ta ‘ths neve beh o Revi welsh Ci, itso ott poner ol pce ee ttlons. As I have shown shewhere (Olnig Ihab De] te Alii oer i al mew tsi fiat wish eed tem aaa et itor wih no enty apa rom ta of Seg het oes Fro. bes end ssa om se ee Tonal soce he Atte cone ae emcee en eh ‘bse of sal anal ent among ee couse ested wm that Wich cmerted in cones ih Seiseme rig he tvs toes ee fst ose a oes ek eee te ‘ise forte Sno dtc ningun ot ae Cudeoral sites 21 ‘uring avery, ves therefore can be steno hae ved dl ie. ‘Win the pansion society. where they sent most of thee tine Pefomang stremious aod menial hor for te mastery they munca chtel labor wih no tentiy of thir ow, Watin the {har spre tne, Rowever they Bevae persons with at enty ie thairowa ight Ts was rood in the places inthe marin of he Fanta society where they were rect carve ot aie forthe heir over ar the aoltion of savey in 1834 the feed anemgted co acu land whee they cul sede and this ez in daily soci Frac the srt fife which had prvi source of deny and Fadependeace forthe inthe hole plantation seit. To Taty anbbean sects, incudng Nev, severe cals wer placed it the way of thn soqistion of bd (Oni 1995), an the ean pated remained nls raed al sal lo ala. any of them locsed nthe same marginal res were ney Bada hit ion lots during avery. On thee posal ous were Bil may Spe meroor vinette of wood or male andthe etait for eutation was usa Tite wo aie sabestence Eivtion Mos ofthese smal andholers therefore, ha opp tet thelr aming wy wage bor o sbtecopoing rangements fn the plntaton: "An ineaiglyaactve alternative forthe nanciated bese migration ff he lan, THs was no intended $S' permanent onceandfral solution tothe problems whieh the ogi of Atria descent nd experince hand Ht Sts pereied asa temporary reocnion wich would enable them {orem with he nesewaryrsoures to esablah an exonomieally Independent Ife on find of thrown. The migrants often et close ‘elates behind inudg spoues,fpring and poens to whom {bey expeaed 0 return having acamulae the ecesny esas Many id ot seed in hit a never moved back. Tho) never ‘eles usualy maintained contact wk thet amon Nev nd set remitanesto them whenever posible “The economic and socal deterioration which the emancipated experienced on tel naive nd was augmented, for many. y he ‘tural estrangement tht ok plane a aos of its misonary Scie which begun ding the 178k The sot of Chitin whieh Ars propagned by Method minis in parca, was sly Tented to an fecogy of espectaity which bad developed among therking idle dase i Grst Bla. This ropes evolved22 Karen Fog Otwig Se Zired She Te ayy ahh wo ely Sion etheiaty te tnbund ce aeons enwdrsrte any tw mrerdtaerieas ase SOE torts of te fly ern ees eee peal roe pauain fa ae ar xrown propery een ph) acdsee ea Sn brent ter nate conta te Siegen pitas to en oe bce pope ice ad wa testes Get see SS ea ey ane nh es nes ‘hos who wee ose woe ety eat to onte te pope hme saoumes ea gee Spin ncaty ep Ton Neva por Eee among te rpecile ren of oes eyes» pos ay pos ot Sins ene ef nhc ee ae Sakina, noes tn ae to oferlaered hepato har Pontes Nevin fi were ot net nor were thy Nessa ne tx'marsge Hwa ey aif oe ony aa ‘ovornie means (oda Rabe of thelr ov an they tended fo Sa Sitpunas mame sense as ase ‘Pye trete ale Booger fMtherheaded acca faiy based on oly matineny noe le en‘ oe ian at a re su im sng es Knee Tc bot in Sag nh ssa ae Pes a ithe devloment fhe Asn Crihean co ie ern muro ano Pon eit Shiptna ep td cares ad wet oc ns es cose reenact cane ee vicame acon Tis esa pe one oe Min nef me es spares neat cs ‘rac of cay The psec eos Bt eit eatin fs “cee de es ss ts mar fees Raber tion eter soar Serio tune seo egg cerca ‘Seton mlictin nme oe en "few yeas ate naps pre of ieaon Id become fly tabished among the einancipeted on Nevin, Sing wit nny habe rns Sa Mak Culneral sites 23° citer (1) physicaly mesent on Nevis buthoping to emigrate in onder ip prove the socal and economists ot thi Tarly ‘Soa poy acquire the wherewithal fo bul home and establish ‘iumiy of tht ow or 2) pail absent fom dhe sland, but * naling es with tes famay on Nevis go vesting far amount "init recone ther. hoping eventual to return. Ony the rel lyfe. who had la fact suceeded in retrning fom migratory TEA abroad with sfiient economic means to bu} exo land Tite a resocabl home and leads comfortable Me hd become ewitoied on heir home Band. The context within Which ‘SkicaCariobea cultural values and socal practoes tended 0 fecome expresed was theefore not the fea! community. The ote’ domination of the colonial plantation society wel ito tis entury hss mest thi the place where thr communi” was (Founded renained too resricted for the development of such ‘Erntoriaed community, The Nevisan community developed and [ew during ts time within nonlocal spac of networks of reatons ‘Etending between Neviian on and off ead. Asthisconemunity ‘omitted el, began to aba ie of som, and ody ean fe seen to be asovited with cilfral vues of prext import Nevins sch at hoe values expressed by Nin Browne sited above Fan smpurtant key to the sues f th community, neverineless, ies nthe act that despite deteriorated character stil bas tetra ee whee touches daw It ths atl is Waly and Ineating by Being prounded sn laces on Nevis, which are asncnted ATi the family of te migrant, These ples have therefore come Inport ultra sit in he globe Nein commu sl ere daca two cet lasts lected in these paces which ave “nabed Nevis 1 expt soloeeonamie resources outsde the ined society, wile maintaining song cultural tes with the home ‘and They ae th nstiution a fal and and he fay house FAMILY LAND. Nevis soften deserted as one ofthe Caribbean islands where the Pluntocracy mained ts rp othe Society lng after enuncpa- ton (ares 950 Frac 1966 Hall 1971). This boxe ot by oe Sotics which leaye an impssin-gf ta isan entirely dominated ty large pantson 928 eiht-fne year afer the abolition of livery the Leewohd lsd Ble Bok xed alyeghyv0 land Doldings on Nevis. Alle therte Pore than 10 eres tie and fity-ciht (or 71 per cont) of Uhm exceeded 10 aces (Leerlands Bue Bok 192: np). his ia pcre ignores, however the'many sll lots which had been aoquired by the Aca Caribbean popustion since emancipation. The Nevis Blue Book of 1816 contune some information on these plots andthe ral erenge they invlred, reports that na less than 2429 pecan were “clu! othe teaarer as roeholders of Land ia 1876, but cay re ound to be in possession of Lot of two Acres and pearas” (1876: 126) These smaller had disappeared entirely ‘Hom the colonial reports in 1323, probably becase o propery tat ‘ts pido ote below 2 seen. These landholders were therefore of to concen to the colonial aathorises The ivishity ofthe sal landholders inthe records may also Be due to the fact tht by the twentieth entry mich of thir Ind had Become fail, for fof owacrip where land isnot owned by iii Igal pers. ‘Tere wer, therfore no proper landowners 50 speak (0 report tothe colonial authors, “The basic pine behind family land i the holging in common ‘opie of land by a group of people who are descendants ofthe ‘ignalpachaser of the property" Fanily land has never been @ legally renee form of landownership on Nevis ad Nevis Seem io ave operated with creral diferent ideas aut bom people ana clan aly and. This elected in he fw wills made by people who decided to put it weting the principles by which they trish the land tobe shared by their descendants (Reco of Neve Wis 1880- vol. 1-8). Is the widest deiiion, all recarizd sdsscendants fhe original owner have an el ight tothe property Ta some css, however, enn rsrctions ea be soen fo hve Been noted. Scveai wll stpuste for example, tat women ae exposed to move otheirhushands nad upon mariage, ut ae fee to Fetura ‘ould they become widows. One wil sates, however, hat spouses (ale or female can fe brought tothe lsd only wah the expat onsent of al implying that both marred soos and daughters have Sht to stay ifthe others approve ofthe mitch, A thid wil erp Sizes that ony tone who. e willing t “workin harmony” and ot become “unreasonable” retain thir right fn the lan. A rin purpose of family land thoreore seams tobe to provide place for the amily to ve together peace “The most fundamental prisiple behind fly laud iit inalen sity. "This inherent in thie form of oleetve owereip case 2 ong as land sel in eommon bythe fy sch there 90 individual owner who bas the auto To sll. Many of the wil however, explicitly state thatthe land cannot he old, but mst Clubueral sites 25 rein in he fay, A wl fo 1853 tus ht the and which Te inherited by 4 daughter must not be “sold or alienated ut Temain oer awl bse” A wl om 1925 aquest» hoe {potio a son bist orasigs forever and iets that feat thers, ret Another wl oe 1558 states hat the bei oly ve “fe incre nthe id which eo he handed down om {eralon To generation equ” The faliaaity of fay hand Sfereore creates for he entire family a place on Nevis were they "This place, however. hasbeen for many suite itn, One stould at get hemes tha several geri of crags fd up of ge fares crowd ogee 00 sel ary ancl ings Arte peat many Nevins chee to emigale~ leat teopraiy inorder to improve tr own econom stsaton and that ofthe flaves left behind. Since a eabm in fry land bequred through descent and ranained through god relations Sih the relatives Ting om fhe lind. righ in amy land sot Test through migation, unm the migrant selects he fail on Noviwil aay. Fay land this conten bot a concete pce tn Nevis to which migrants havea igh to retro and an terse {> remerber the amy on Nevis an to wah to he cetenbered ty them Ths in be actomplsted by sending regular economic Stppor Tan fndtercoe consis portant acpi in {Se pba fly soto “Tirole of family Indi apparent in interviews that eared out wither migrants Kaoweds of having fail oo Nevis at Important fo them, even haughty had bern away from he ind formny yar andi all Heibod woul never tue here Te ‘One waar sho war hrm Nevin 385, hd ef the nd ot {young woman ir to go To Seki, then Crago, and aly Leeds Are she hod ned for more than 30 yeas when nervewed het ini She had oly boca back to Nev fice sine svn for Egan. yet she won ut sare of having fly land om Nev nd her ih to seen i sould she wish to do so. Her ser had teeny muved tuck tothe lao fom England and was now payne ‘hove on then The land tht we have om Nevis family end... Angone who bbs ean go and bull hese there th land not died. Te andi fom our grande, an he sai hal sas mt fo be sg ot wo for he generations My stra al he recip, and26 Karen Fog Olwig ecnube he and belongs wo he fay tocadse se Kept lve contact with the site. In contrast, another ‘Nevis interviewed in Leeds had had the unpleasant experience of Teaming tht more distant relive ving onthe and a acl ‘When grew up. the family just owned the land together, no rents sre paid fie. no tees, and diferent relives worked ike 1 Tad uncles who worked eforent pce of he ln ap they Dl the howe on. Now tates are pas on and the deed is ¥ory important heard roman se, Who jast came ack fom ist so the Bland, dat cousin of ours sold some of he and which Fighly belongs to ou forebearrs Tei arly fn ad owned by ‘he fail together, 50 Be bad ne ight to do this, “This cousin night not have the mora ight sll the land, Knowing ‘atthe land wes regarded as fay Ind 0 be Held in eommon it pert, Legal, however there Is noting to prvest him fom Selig ance he hsp the tates onthe land. Furthermore 1s gland realy have moral sieht fo compain about the Sle of the lund. ince they hae aed to emai contact wit the member of the family whois ving 09 and looking afer the land they have ‘erence, lon contact the an "The naib igh in fal land can be sen tobe, tox cerisin ‘extent, counterlanced bythe ty inerent in thi ight to provide the necessary supprt and help to main the fay land. Ful Tap sould therefore not Be interpreted as an ecooomie resource ‘which people have In a pice of property that they might expat Inhenever they wih to dow. isrther cata ite which oer Potential homelsnd and source of demieation for hone who honor eae fortis se, Ths sppzent ina wil fom 170, where & Woman i taking the dase step of disiaecng be son Beeause be Nis abused his ight othe land gnorng She does this by gving him an inheritance of one sili {ato havea son... who snow in San Domingo He wa ia that island neal thy years GO yous) and he has never writen me 2 Tne much mere fo send 1'd (one penay forme) T have the plestore of eng one shiling (1) nti my st wl hi. (Recon of Nevis Ws, 1880-sa 1-3) Sach wil an the storie tld about them, make abundantly cle tha those migrants who do nt vrais lay to th aly on Nevis fun the severe rk of Being dsiaherited and thereby, in elect ‘neothmumnted fom Nevis FAMILY HOUSE The village where I concentrated my feld wore on Nevis ding the Ite ad orgnally been lsted on small pees of family land exttoasavine which extended fom Mount Neve through the pla ‘lon felde tomar he cont. Beponing with he 1930 th ng ws (padualy abandoned, as vilapre moved to 4 more cena) inland Toeason om an improved road whete defunt estate land was beng sold bythe government In parse of 3 fw aces cach Mach of he ‘ld fal land ow covered with bush, and the exact oston of the individual os which are pial quarter or half acre pees, Somewbat uncertain to many vilges A similar development has verre elsewhere on the nd, where the goverment ha sb GGvied este land Sad so4! Ko 1 the oon population, Tatsy many Navisians are tevfoe ling om plots of land tha they ave purchased themselves. esque spparent however, tat some of the ‘eae concerning family land are being tanferred to these newer lund possessions which are, sity speaking, individually owned vate opr Th ply ear i er date the lad “rhe family home om Nevis, wher the chien have grown up. i ‘an important focal point in the gob amy networks. Vitaly al ‘tthe migrants tht Interviewed send regular exonomie ppm 12 ‘Revs. if heir parents ae sl ive and ing there. Its beloved ‘rafal dry beyond dacssion, to look after te parents, who ave Strggled so uch to fear al their cilden. Most ofthe Nevisans Tat lteriewed in England bd just barely suceeded in seading & Pound orto oi of thet fst wages when they are in Engle, Fring fered the lowest paid and os menial jobs. Te Nevins it the Virgin Islands experienced similar problems, ot jas beste they were earsing relatively low minum wages, bu la Because they were lng ia highly elated tous economy. Mest of the Ingrnts had lt dive fom thee parents’ hase, hevingweeeved the economic funds f travel fom heir parent and grest number leven let smal hen behing inthe eae of sandmothes. Th maker them grey iba (other pares for iliag them theopportunity to improve ther Hie sbrond, Even after they have ‘ozone store extalshed an managed to “send fr" che eden, they take great pans to Send suppor because of hs indebredness. ‘Ar worn on Nevis expsined ‘My ster on St. Thoms sends two boxes ws, men The fort [x boat] going fom te Virgin sind to News. She is realy feading to my mother bevate she tok cave of my sere hile, when se was on SL. Thomas slne without them. and ‘ow she showing her gratiie 1 her mother by sending things to her Shes thanking her ts as insportan for migrants send money to he fry home ‘on Nevis, beeause this Bome offers place with which they cin identify and to which they can return at any ine: Indeed, a great ‘many of those who had emigrated tothe Virgin Tans ding the 108s had ved foremny yan wth the real poss that hey might eid 0 go tack to family home Having entered the Americ femioryon temporary vss dependent upon the posession of ful time employment they would be fore to leave shoul they fl 19 remain employed. Wien all of thee vias were tally converted to permanent vss, some Neva had led in the Vig Islas fenas many a8 twenty years Even tore who have experienced fw legal problems, however, often experience iffxtiesadiunting 6 bia the Westen migration destinations and pad He place of residence as merely locaton where they ze working, Nt place ‘where they are living and eeating a home fr themsaves For thom ‘he fly home on Nevis emai of emedonal, cual, and social ipo Tn order further to secre the continued exsence of the family howe its common fora lest one ofthe ehitren, often ome ofthe youngest daughter, sty behind wih the peas to care foe thom In ther od ge and look ent forth fanly proper. This autring fd caring forthe family home i seen by many as ening the ‘lings who sty behind to home the legal its the parent ‘sate: One Nevis explained, "thre the feling that those who Stay at home, wh the others re out lea, wl thnk that they fe ened othe tnd" Te eating tat i al ean or hase ina family house that oe ca inert is strong on Neve that ny ‘Nevis are unde the inpresson tht thee in at a 10 hat effet One layer relited, fr example tht he had been contacted by-a couple nko wise to get legal le to property med by 8 ceased peron whom fhey hed token ave of They expected to st the property, eventhough he deceased had nat fa the property and wasn relive of theirs “Se hose wh have devoted their ie to caring forthe parents sly have been dependent upon economic support from the other bling, some Nevins are of the opinion tha the famly ome ‘ould instead go to the migrants who have provided the fan on ‘News wth the aerial means of ving. One Nevisanexpained hat fe vecened his pen’ howse and te pot of land cn which ws lt beste he sent esonomic suppor fo hs parents when be was England. In most cases, however the provides of bth the econo fens of ifs andthe acal creo the parents and thir bowsehold Ie believed tohave stake, and hence ght the Rowse. Teas (en expressed by Nevslats by saying that those who "busied the evens’ would by ented tothe house A Nevsan inthe Vig Fans explained The place should have belonged tomy ster. because she was the onions at home, when my mother died. But singe she was (09 Young fo Bury ay mother, and dit ve te money. my brosher End I cid th and so we should righifly Mave the fond. ut we sl eave tin our site's ame giving them Jn many cases. a hove f nt deded to one person, however, but fovea tal the siren, hit way Becaming fray propery tobe Flan common, Thisestablshment of famly bors elated tothe ese to Keep the home in the Taal as he case withthe aly Jind” One Nevsian who Is involved in zal werk in conection th the sdistering of property on Nev claimed tat the amy ome se ody stained mach ofthe ignfcsnce wick fray and reviwsly ad asthe source of fay un aril property wally petsns mot othe hows n wc the patent ie, Tae wil may sate tal the bose in which they Hed Shoal ot he sol ut ef for he eilren. acucing thse abroa, that fey always have some tozenun to... Waeteas ido not Find stony ess abou aly lan ing hep ia the family, there sre sone iesb abou the pateats house Reg kept inthe fami “The central role ofthe family me in the ely network i eflested inthe prize soles an the magn, they ae able to provide feacrous suppor forthe family Rome. AS migrants improve their aon ststion abroad they ten to nance sonata sd se improvements om the house et. Those improvements fave ake the foom of expanding the bung or even ebuding the ald wordenU Karen tog Utmg structure in blocks: eauipping the house ith raaning water inside Tathroows, clei and telephone, and fuming wih 2 wide srry of Western material goods suhag rao and televison rele. sor gor lsc stove aad modern fritre Many ofthe migrants ‘working on Carsten islands meaty, sich the Virgin Ind, also send bots of fod and elohing to the amy ome. Hf migrants Se nt thouph tobe providing adequately forthe ome ths wil rough her tention by other ander ning i the ate ga ton destination. Oae woman living in Leds leamed for example, fiom Nevin fiends there tht eis inher vie om Nevis vere gosiingsboot he moter not oni brought a thei atenon when her mother contracted diabetes and ado ask neighbors o sre her medi io thelr etgeraton. As a result of tus gop the woman iment made are that Ber ‘nother received enouph money to porchase a eligerton, even ‘hough se relly didnot have say caso spare, She explained I we didn’ sond the money, we wouldve & al name inthe ge and Tam happy tht the vilgers se tht ey paces have §Stedroom nose With eos, tephone ands fds! For the family home on Nei, the migrants naturally ive come to onsttute a estentlecoaomie matsay, nd withot thee supper lite woul be very difelt on theists Small faring nevetshas offered sustimble income, and waged employment reins Tiated asa poorly remonerated on Nev, Te absent elatives ae an integral part ofthe amily homes on Nevis, and they are of reyatded as members ef he Bout, even whe thy ae eed at great cstane from Neva, For the clon inthe fam home, bien relatives serve as important role models who ate add land perceived to be ding well abroad a Long as they send generous Supporto th family home Tis nar ected aa survey of Nevin school chidcen which Teaved out athe eaiy 1880s I show that the vast majority of elem, pressed bythe semitanos set by relatives droad andthe very med esac posits on Nev ‘were hoping to emigrate to steas of greater opportunity “To a earsn erent. the sbundasce of Wester material goods on Nevis har ented an even grater avarenes of the poverty of the loca sot as compared ith the wealthy Western socio. Nevisans however, are nor nesta alienated by Western mate caliure, because they appropiate fo their own cultural needs. By ‘Surounding themselves wih Western goods, Nevsans spear fo De identifying strongly with Westra consumer ealtre 1 woul sree however hat thisinterprettionis nly partly coset. The fac that Novilans are concred tobe seen wearing industrial ade clothing from the Wes and prefer eating imported canned or fazen foods Teel produce, should alsa be seen the light ofthe fact fat thse foul have Serve, for the mor part, fom rates sbrosd. They the. in otber words, outward sins of a welhfunctoning family etwork where restves abroad have been sucessful and yemained fpporlve of tec fumly on Nevis, Conspicuous consumption of ‘Western material goods should therefore alo be viewed is a Way Of asuering the ctrl valoe of the deteritoraied Nevin For the migrants, providing economic support for the fnily home con Nevie tec way of siting a ce on NEMS Wh WC Tey ean ienty and where they wil always be welcome. AS thi ome i modernized though te migrant remitances und changes through tne it becomes more and tore of an imagined place. "Taowgh the migrants, and the migrant foreign-born eden, may {pps he moder mente which her emitancos have helped finance, they neverthsen wth End some semblance of the land tt the have left Ths the evs which he rans associate with, the family home of ther chidhood. For hs reason some homes on Nevis wbere inpartd fods trom the West are the stand ord, ‘a the day, maintain «smal provision garden and stock of animals, in par ott the family can ive sent relatives" ate of home ‘then they vst, During the pst twenty year, however, the role tot preserving some of the old wags on Nevs which migrants ean remember wih saison ter chidhood has ben taken over by ‘local festa led Culurams, At this festival which is ele every ‘Aupss. music dance, cooking, handcrafs and other exeesive alr forms of pre-196Ds ile if are displayed nd exebated at Shows and competions Caitirama has teen exzemaly popalar Song migrints end many wl plan ery o News o cance Sith At Cultursma the ene land of Nevis ire Being Tamed into one bie nostalgia home tobe vised and celebrated by everbody "This hasbeen of paticalar significance o those whose ales have let the itn 39 any year ago that they no longer ve personal tie to-s parca family home on Neve. Mont af the migrants in New Hven, Connection are ia that stuaton. Due to a change in American inigratian ropulutions, migration to New Haven ‘eaten aout 192, and most of tose hat I nterlewed there Were Sond or third genration American. While many of them Tees34 Raven rog Uimig. Uemscies as Anierians and have lost interest Nev. a seifcant umber sel clas their fil roots on Nev They have teanzed taylan. complete wit Tal tees rooted in an Sestor oc Nevis, nd hold fai ous oth vio pats of ihe United Sates where members ofthe tan lie and ot News. Reuons on Nevs we typical el in connection with Cullrama so thatthe can member ea el ome on tr acetal land, ‘ten though hey na longer havea fly home thee of hr ove Many Nevaions goto erat pas Lo matin» home on tsi ‘and of bith, however Ths some of tote who have suceeded in ‘aming 2 ood income abyend and helping ther shildon get estab ldned on ther oa there have chosen fo bl her eticeent home ‘on Nevin ths may, the fara elas rots on Nevis an ‘eeomes retested there One elderly Nevsan couple whom Tinterviewedin Leeds wasin the proses of Ging his They had ult ‘shouse on Nev snd were boping ost there within af yeas Showing mea pcre ofthe house which they had ised ung 1m Ne thre yar previo the wile si {have my mi on my ite lag, plan ogo bask to setde there. We have fas home bas Beak Red. which as completed shout hee years ago. A house witha spi roe built tt ence blocks We have no asd the house ne wes ble tnd we wil nt reat tot, beetse people il mashup. And then we aomay rent ot to people who wil ot move when we want Yo ose ing tat they have nowhere 19g. So We ast eave snd wating fo ts to retum, Even for many of the Nevisan migrants an their descendants who have been retved from the immediate coneeras of Heo the sand, having soseeded in creating a now efor themelves obo, Nevis continues o playa important role a a home to anchor Like Mrs Browne, who Was quoted ath Peianiag of thi chap, they ae reaffirming home bas on the ind ot ist fo hemes, at tts for any of her hlden who woul ike to go thet, TOWARD AN ANTHROPOLOGY OF CULTURAL SITES ‘The imterrelaionshp between pce and space has become an Important topic within anthropology ding te ast ew yes 1 hs ‘been argued that the time-wora antropoogical aon of Viewing ssiture in terms of separate, spatally contiguous eases, each laced in heir own eto teas litle resemblance othe mobile culturally comples les tat people canbe seen 10 ea today. Iiran-Caribtean culture ia srking example of some o the f= fies that arse when a terstorally based concept of culture is Employed The name Afian Carbean fel pointe diferent lirections the Area continent rom whence the ven came, some ‘them altos SOO yeas ago, ad the Caribbean ise weve the ‘fan slaves were brought afer the area had Been emi of ‘hoi! popelation. While thew referents pin to two places st hve eon of grat spnifierne inthe batory of the Mica CCanbbean people. they in no way demarcate the primary contest ‘shin which Attcan-Carbbeuneature fas developed, partcualy Ukrng the past 10 yar. Tis conten as been fst one Which ‘rama be sented witha parca. bounded teritry. Rather is primary characteristic has heen hati emerge inthe mari ofthe {Grr corresponding to the Cantbean platnton societies, Jater to expand outed thee leo Io touch down i faraway fa portelr Ioctions sme of heir met iportant soll elation Tove extended far beyond these lcaions, and they ean be ce 0 ave denied curly wih distant places ‘Despite the fact hat Afrcn-Caibeon ie sid and ifs in rauny ast would be » mike, however, to wiew ia character” Eedby dajonon and unnence By focsing onthe stallions tien generations of people hive developed and sustained a the Sametime as they hive mained a presence in ther local ishnd sosay it possible to detect the existence of institutions of some permanence. These fettions have accommodated the lost nd Boll conditions of fe presented to Afsen-Carnbean people and Provided sinifeant and ale pont ultra tdentfcaton T ave frre examine! fami land an the Tay howe, which have beck seen to recone the contsdctory condone of ie presented by Imotliy in deterred word These contradtion re those ft being silly preset inspect aie, wile beng pat at ttaslcal communities rooted in distentplice of eying po nthe ome, yet being dependent upon economic and socal rxouees ‘emote destination. "This Went tnian cate study woul sem o have implications for csinograpti esearch in general eventhough iconceras a spcie people wih aisory which parculryBetwist and beten the obal and the lca. Mt anthropsngs hive operated with otion of vulture se something which i akared by people Ling in fercular areas end which therefore present v0 fieldwork set34 Karen Fog Utwig. cotespanding to these areas. According it has been posible fora thorough and sense eld worker to experience the culture of ‘ertingrovp of people by Iving With them partispaing in cbse Sngand dscisng with tht ther ves Ina worl! where moving sh Evoling are in consent interplay, se ce ot experienced merely by being preset in them, but alo y leaving them bebind. Ths, infact, lls the etymologies derivation of the word ste, which ert rom the past partipe of sere, meaning "oleve place, Tay (Webuter'1968: 814). Bong situated imple beige or pce, {0 that ony tht woh has ben eft and place can be ed If anthropologists tadtionaly have studied rooted peoples, the antinopolgist has not been not rote. Thus the sight that Se, ao implies displacement has been an integral pare af the anor Poogin eld work experince. The eld work method of puripant Siervation as involved a coastant interplay between being part of life and stepping ut of , observing ft and reflecting upon Displacement has also been seen at am important spect of "nati ‘ature inthe concept of inaity, developed by Vitor Turner (1982 [ioe 197 (ino) Merete at of emporacy stepping ie of foe's neal seeocaltual ootext of ies regarded sa portant pare of the niesdepasage which serve t sharpen the cultural Empetene of he patipans The ula sitigs of abtropolegis and nina however ae of sites diferent order to those ofthe nbabitets of the sé work! bf ethnosapes apd traveler depicted by Appadurs snd hod ‘Astbropoogats and sual Unieals refuen fom thee reflective tseoce having sharpened tel undestanding of culture as wel ‘ordered eny uderine bya Inteprated and srtred sytem of ‘ales and meanings. The displaced do not experience temporary Sheences ony ta be conf the mel dered strate of nora life Theis 3 more or less permanant experience of not being in sit at thoy negotiate x ea of expences inn detested ‘word. Their sph ead to the elf construction places Sch as homelands, which are awed fom lea swell a global Penpecthe ‘Soar many of the empiial examples evoked to diss theoretic spproaches 0 detrstorized cultae ave See found io erature {nd bis Few anthronnogie have eared out reverch on the ‘aural constuction of such deteitorlized ives, and for ghod reasons ~ i dificult for the anthropologists 1o get at the nates Point ofview, when the natives" univere made up of wide varity ‘St resourees of worldwide denon, and when tien embeded a particular places where anthropological eld work maybe atid ou De way to sole ths problem may betostuay transient pce, sch emote or isports which redesigned to accommodate teasent rope at diseased by Citford (192), or bar male, evoked by ‘Apradl (1901) in his analy of the Sy “Bonay Bas" Sack Inales offer partulr spots where he anaropoogist cua participate inand observe the maps inch eople nthe move create sos and Catral conten or, inthe words of Appadur, imagined words Sth acitate meaning interetion ‘Appadur' approach hae tintin, however, I anhropolo- gists merely remote ther loealie eld work from he sable viage {G'the transient envitonent of the hotel or bar. they wil primal focus onthe more shored and iy cnterts of moderne and therfore rik exaggerating Is transest and “uprocte carter. hve apne that West indians onthe move ae nt primis oriented toward thei place of residence, They ae ale avved in es appar ft, Dut more peemanant nena relitos extendas to poopie in Siferen pars ofthe word wath whom they have sated Soil ss for longer peiods of time: Furthermore, bie people ten sn be seen to develo an atachneat fo spesic place whch plays ¢ ‘lal oles a common sure of ident ia ther lol network of ‘eations but whi may not be tee plac of residence, Toul ie tosageest that if we unre the more aborous path ofatempting to cry out eld work wi the transloca networks of relation exting between mobile people we may be able to detest Sociocultural contexts of greater permaneace and sestenance, These teats muy he wen fe setae ty atten which te then to Thmelands in muck mere concrete was than through the imagined worlds erected bythe reatve resource of fertany. Tew institutions an be viewed 25 “alta site" in the sence tht they ae crested ‘trough an interplay between dweling and traveling, presence and shrenes loclizngand globalizing. The Nevsan cae sty sigess that sntropolgis should not expect fo ing localized, integrated and sei-cotained cll tie tere they may ery ot tht field work, Nor, however, should they ‘ee dsjunction mobility, eid and mated wari a te only Parameters fife sodas lotatze word Important feumeworke Ut if and sources of ideneaion shou rather e sous in the falta sites which have emerged ia the intersies between foal ‘nd lotalconions of Ie. These sts encompass ané embody tho multiple and contadtory spheres of lela wash people are involod today. This i reflected in the maps in which they alowfor “rveling in dvling” as wells “dwelingsin-aneing” Such tuiural ie are hal unique o Nets or the West Ines, fr that matter, and anthropologist therefore might do well fo make such Stes fos of std in ftare earch of the increasingly ansoce Nonlin which we ve ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This analysis based on sy book, Global Cult, snd Iden. Coninty and Change nthe Afro. Canbban Community of eis (Olwig 1994) woul ie to dunk Kirst Hasty and ersten Peregnard for her wel comments NorES fs Simla Race boo Care Aipns (RESy Cees Migration patees i peerl a daced by Thomstiope (i ‘etal in Besson (387.1995). meee “ * he Super ced sich cul Zr peta Res «Ream diet he re “se 3 he gadon epee deed ae Olvg GN Tsp of Newaan sho enw anaes ip G7, REFERENCES Printed sources ‘Cooporatve Studies n Sociy and History 21. 36-01, (Pon ia hop Nts ad Get «Taal the Pret, Sana Fe: Stool of Ameria Research Pea AE nen en (07 A Pee Carbah der ee ac nae (ch Yond a Ben —"i9s) “Land, Kishi a Community inthe Pos Enancain ‘Gultban: A Regional View fhe Leeds Rae For Ota a) Sigh ad eine PoE Cabot Cra Tate (1982) “Teveing Carn" inLawence Grose, Cry ‘Nebion an Pal Teor (8) Cunal Sudr New Yor Rage Cudural sites 37 Ce er ee et eo LPs eee ae FS uy Dk nd of Na Dome “a en ain Bm eaten Eaaatacugige eae ‘Vi trom tbe Dash Wet lads tn Stephan Paimié{e8) Sloe "Cdr an Ressincsv the Per Enercon Cabean, Lease Es 4rd ome Ltn Loge SSSR yea 1S a cg Fl Ran Ea eae REA re bo Mine eat sre datas csee Fite ETSI SEES Cte gi, Wak Use Ege eg TR Yoo th Cm ca eae38 Kaven Fog Obwig Archival records Leer ons fe Book (129) Nev Archies a Alexander Haiton ‘hacen Chae, Neve NE lt Hc Noe Aso Alder Hanon Meum il of Rr a (80) vo 1-8, Cour Hose, Charen, Nevis 2 Imagining a place in the Andes In the borderland of lived, invented, and analyzed culture Karsten Peerregaard “The growing body of suis concerming deteitriaied cultures eats as had certain methodol smpiations frat Polos! knowledge and researc pace The am of thi chapter to dscus some ofthese Indeed, our notion of ealture bas shifted from that of distinct Messe practiced by a testy bousded rogp of people tos compound desig of dierent forms fies ved ty people in separate word which ries qustions concerning not only our se of the sonceps of pace, comma, ad ent it ho ou understanding of people's awa use of them (Salis 1985 Tuer 1953), When studying migrant, calles, efugoes, and daspoic cexnmunitis (Ferguson 1992; Safa 1991, Rowse 1991 Chiferd 494: Malkki 192; Hall 199) antropologists most sontemplats 4 variety of perspectives on cltere and identity and examine not ‘nly Row these fteract with each other but aso ow they relate fo te ethnographic representation. By applying. muliperpesie tproach, the anthropologist dicovers thatthe view fom far is taken by man diferent actors, making fic odie pei ‘what antropoogia Knowledge "Accordingly the rethinking cf ‘ur noone of etre and pace also imple 9 revision of what we perceive athe authority to pace etuaograpny, of who we consier Tobe the desmers and the innovators of ealfture, and of how we ‘etine the diference between culture as lived hfe, vented ‘onstruct, and an analyod object. "The say of ele wr fahrinted device has ben adéesed by anteropologist i Glereat Ways. Some examine cuter eal oorecal and concep! implications thatthe new ew on cure tas for anhropologital knowledge, Hobsbawm and Ranger (i984) ‘examine the mention of tration sea soca pracie i soeietie ndergoing chang. They sonloge that by esabshing continuity