Abstract
The functional clay vessels created in the labor communities of the Caribbean are a powerful reminder of the core purpose of the ceramic enterprise: to facilitate the health and sustenance of human society. Despite the long years of slavery and indentured servitude, traditional potters in the Commonwealth Caribbean have retained ceramic technologies from Africa, India, and Europe, and an examination of their work yields fascinating insights into the evolution of Creole culture. Pottery communities in St. Lucia, Antigua, Nevis, Jamaica, Barbados, and Trinidad demonstrate the resilience of traditional culture, yet struggle today for survival within an environment of mass market tourism and rapid modernization. (Author abstract)