USI – Glossary Of Terms

African traders appointed to deal with European traders

A folk song or style of singing of West Indian origin having a lively rhythm and words which are usually made up by the singer

The ability to hold or contain

Brazilian fight dance developed by enslaved Africans in Brazil

A good transported in a ship, aeroplane or vehicle

Indigenous people who inhabited the Caribbean islands and parts of the neighbouring mainland

the islands off the east coast of North, Central and South America that were called the West Indies by Columbus

Exaggeration of the actions, parts or features of someone or something usually for comic or satirical effect

initially a festival preceding the Catholic season of Lent (a period of fasting from Ash Wednesday to Easter weekend); now refers to general annual festivities, usually with a procession and extravagant costumes, and often symbolically remembering an event in the past

To do or undertake with great charm or appeal

a populist reform movement of the 1830s-40s, which set out a manifesto called ‘The People’s Charter’ aimed at increasing the rights of the working classes

a form of slavery, introduced by Europeans, in which the enslaved person is treated as a piece of property belonging to his or her owner and has no rights; this status is for life and their children automatically have the same status; chattel derives from the word for cattle

The employment of children under an age determined by law or custom

The protections or privileges of personal power given to people under the law

communities with advanced systems of social development

Separate or distinct part of an article or document

used to describe a group of animals and prisoners or enslaved people chained together in a line commonly used by slavers in the 18th century

To occupy the same place in space or time

relating to or characteristic of a colony or colonies

a process of one country taking over another in order to exploit it

a territory partially or completely controlled by another country (often called the mother country or motherland) and settled by those people

A derogatory term that was used to describe people of or belonging to a racial group having darker skin complexion than others. The term is a Eurocentric one which presupposes a position of ‘Whiteness’ and is no longer acceptable for use today.

to preserve in memory by a celebration or ceremony

A fee paid to an agent to perform a service

an article of trade, especially a raw material or product

short for the House of Commons, the elected chamber of the UK Parliament

A social system in which property and goods are owned in common

recompense, intended to make amends, often with a payment

Against; an opposition argument, person or position

Agreement in form, manner or character

A meaning suggested by a word or expression in addition to its exact meaning

to overcome, defeat or subjugate opposition

The act of making people aware of facts or feelings

A person who buys and uses up goods

Living or occurring at the same time period

The parts of something written or spoken that are near a certain word or group and help explain its meaning

open to dispute or argument

An often long or heated discussion about something which there is a great difference of opinion

punishment by the infliction of physical pain, especially flogging

In another or opposite direction

a person of mixed European and African descent; a language with different European and African influences; Creole culture formed by Africans in the Americas combining beliefs of different ethnic groups and adding in European and Christian ideas: Creole culture has evolved over time and is still important throughout the African Diaspora

an identity based on religious or spiritual beliefs, language, and family values; cultures are inherent their applications can be neither inferior nor superior to each other and are continually evolving for individuals and communities