Author Description

"This study covers 300 years of St. Johnian history from the plantation economy of the early 1700s through the peasant economy of the late 1800s inclusive of the present tourist-based economy. The author employs archival records as well as field data, arguing that most anthropologists have shied away from supporting their interpretation with historical research... her treatment of the impact of tourism is outstanding, demonstrating that the establishment of a national park on the island has been a mixed blessing.... A significant contribution to ethnology."--Choice "Olwig presents two refreshing perspectives on life in a Caribbean community: the development of an Afro-American way of life and an appreciation of the dignified ways in which St. Johnians use an ideology of exchange to help them shape a distinctive sense of themselves. This is a well-balanced, rich, and very solid contribution to Caribbean studies, creatively combining history and ethnography."--Richard Price, Johns Hopkins University Dr. Olwig teaches anthropology at the University of Copenhagen.