The Chinese in the Caribbean

The history of the Caribbean is a history of migrations. The peoples of the region came as conquerors and planters, slaves and indentured laborers from all parts of the globe. Each group contributed to the social fabric, culture, and commerce of the region. The Chinese diaspora has spread Chinese people and culture around the world, including to the Caribbean, where Chinese exist both as distinct ethnic groups within Caribbean societies and as shapers of unique Caribbean cultures. This book describes not merely the arrival and experience of Chinese in the Caribbean but also the ways in which Chinese have adapted to and altered the region. Included are the histories of Chinese people in Cuba, Jamaica, Panama, and the British West Indies, their arrival as indentured laborers, the discrimination they suffered and overcame, their slow rise to economic independence and success, their contribution to art, theater, cuisine, and literature, their roles in the region's national revolutions, their place in post-colonial politics, and the subsequent remigrations of individuals, families, and entire communities to North America.