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The Jewish Diaspora in St Eustatius and Barbados W&M ScholarWorks Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects 2013 "A Medley of Contradictions": The Jewish Diaspora in St Eustatius and Barbados Derek Robert Miller College of William & Mary - Arts & Sciences Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd Part of the Caribbean Languages and Societies Commons, History of Religion Commons, Jewish Studies Commons, and the Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons Recommended Citation Miller, Derek Robert, ""A Medley of Contradictions": The Jewish Diaspora in St Eustatius and Barbados" (2013). Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects. Paper 1539623614. https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.21220/s2-c1t3-w516 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, & Master Projects at W&M ScholarWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations, Theses, and Masters Projects by an authorized administrator of W&M ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact [email protected]. “A Medley of Contradictions”: The Jewish Diaspora in St. Eustatius and Barbados Derek Robert Miller Forest, VA Master of Arts, College of William and Mary, 2008 Bachelor of Arts, University of Virginia, 2006 Bachelor of Arts, University of Virginia, 2006 A Dissertation presented to the Graduate Faculty of the College of William and Mary in Candidacy for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Anthropology The College of William and Mary May 2013 © 2013, Derek Robert Miller APPROVAL PAGE This Dissertation is submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Derek Robert Miller Approved by the Committee, April 201 jnimittee Chair / Associate Professor Frederick H. Smith, Anthropology The College of William and Mary Professor Brad Weiss, Anthropology The College of William and Mary Research Professor Mariey Brown III, Anthropology The Collegeof William and Mary AssiStanVprcKessor Neil Norman, Anthropology TheCollege of William and Mary International Committee for Archaeological Heritage Management ABSTRACT During the 17th and 18th century a number of Jews settled on the English island of Barbados and the Dutch island of St. Eustatius. The Jews on both islands erected synagogues and a number of key structures essential for a practicing religious community. Although they had strong connections that spanned across geo-political boundaries, the synagogue compounds on each island became key places for the creation and maintenance of a Jewish community. I argue that these synagogue compounds represented diasporic places that must be understood through a tri-partite model that explores the relationships between the Jewish community and its hostland, other dispersed Jewish communities, and the homeland. Furthermore, during the early modern period, these compounds were “heterotopias” within the colonial landscape. Heterotopias, as places of alternative ordering, speak to the constructions of social and cultural difference. For the Jews, the synagogue compounds provided them a chance to create a place founded on their cultural values and ideals within the Christian controlled spaces of both islands. Alternatively, for the Christian communities on the islands, the synagogue compounds highlighted how the Jewish community had different loyalties and values than they did. In exploring the ways that these places served as heterotopias, and for how long they were sites of alternative ordering, this dissertation demonstrates the fundamental role that places play in the formation and maintenance of diasporic communities and the dynamic relationship between spaces, places, and identities in the early modern period. TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements ii Dedications iv List of Tables v List of Figures vi Chapter 1. Introduction 1 Chapter 2. Diasporic Approaches 7 Chapter 3. Site Selection and Methodology 43 Chapter 4. History and Social Structure 73 Chapter 5. Relationship with the Hostland 102 Chapter 6. Relationship with other Communities in the Diaspora 180 Chapter 7. Relationship with the Homeland(s) 251 Chapter 8. “A Medley of Contradictions" 291 Bibliography 302 i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS It is my experience that no one truly writes a dissertation alone. While the lonely nights of typing in the dark may suggest isolation, the entire process was anything but isolating. Indeed, looking back upon the full experience, the number of people to thank is truly awe inspiring. In fact, I am tad frightened to write this acknowledgment page for fear that someone may be forgotten. Therefore, if your name does not appear here, you are no less appreciated. It is simply a forgetful mind making the gravest mistake of all. Any international project brings a diverse set of individuals together from all walks of life. On both islands, much of the excavations were done as part of archaeological field schools. To the students who provided the endless enthusiasm and energy, none of this would be possible without you and I only hope that you got a little bit back for everything you gave me. On the island of St. Eustatius, Gay Soetekouw, Paul and Olga Schats, Scotty, Fletcher, Bandit, Kay Boyd, Cedric Lifrock, and Mennoh all gave much needed support. On Barbados, Patrick Watson and Ya-Ya both solved numerous problems that made my stay on the island both possible and enjoyable. Michael Stoner provided much of the foundation for all archaeological work done at theNidhe Israel synagogue compound. Jacob Smith proved to be the finest budding archaeologist I have had the pleasure to work with. Paul Altman’s dedication to the Jewish past on Barbados is unmatched and I greatly appreciate him providing the opportunity for me to add my small part to the story. Karl Watson’s love of Barbados is incredible and his passion alone is enough reason to explore Barbados’ history. To Celso Brewster, your steady presence, great humor, and sage advice shaped not only this project but much of life. And of course to Sidney Shapiro, who joined me on two islands and added endless amounts of information and wit to the whole research process. The archaeological work on both islands was funded by the Explorers Club Washington D.C. group and the Department of Anthropology at the College of William and Mary. Furthermore, the work was supported by the St. Eustatius Center for Archaeological Research and the Nidhe Israel Museum. Archival research was made possible through the Bernard and Audre Rapaport Fellowship at the American Jewish Archives in Cincinnati and the Touro National Heritage Trust Fellowship through the John Carter Brown Library in Providence. To the staff at both, thank you. The Department of Anthropology at the College of William and Mary also helped fund this project. I would like to acknowledge the tremendous help and support that came from both Tom Trovato and Kerry Murphy. A special thanks also goes to Bernard Bell and Mel Blake in Providence. Both provided wonderful opportunities for me to present my work to both the Newport and Providence Jewish communities. These were experiences that I will never forget. Academically, I will certainly fail to recognize everybody who made this project possible. To George Greenia, your energy and excitement that you still maintain after so many years in academia is incredible and inspirational. I owe thanks to Marc Raphael for answering numerous ignorant questions. Jerry Handler’s knowledge of Barbados and incredibly sharp mind continually challenged me throughout the entire process and thus made this dissertation infinitely better. Chase Wallace, Julia Kaziewicz, Ed Pompeian, and Alex Dub§ all read portions of this dissertation. I am sorry that you will not get that part of your life back but greatly appreciate your comments and feedback. Jaclyn Kuizon helped with deciphering many of the tombstone inscriptions. From St. Eustatius to dissertation committee, Grant Gilmore has been a steadying hand and a guiding force. Marley Brown, Neil Norman, and Brad Weiss all provided the needed intellectual support and questions that kept an often lazy mind thinking. Fred Smith was the ideal chair for this dissertation. He provided the perfect balance of support alongside freedom allowing for ideas to flourish while highlighting the potential potholes ahead. Of course, the dissertation is ultimately a personal journey and would simply not be possible without the support of family and friends. My family gave me the continued support despite the occasional dropping off of the radar that writing and research sometimes requires. To Abbey Beckwith, it is hard to imagine what it is like to be engaged to an academic when you are not one. I know that I would not want to walk in your shoes but I am sure glad you do. It is truly awe­ inspiring to think of all the support that I have been given and I only hope that this dissertation shows that it was not all totally in vain. Of course, they could only help so much, and all mistakes are most certainly my own. To Abbey C. Beckwith LIST OF TABLES 1. Pipe Stem bore diameters through time from Trench 1 49 2. Pipe stem bore diameters through time for Test Unit 2 49 3. Origins of the recently confirmed burghers on the island of St. Eustatius in 1781 (Barka 1989:13). Dutch burghers were probably included within another document. 112 4. Inscription languages on Jewish tombstones on St. Eustatius 131 5. Jewish slave ownership as reflected in surviving wills 151 6. “Tax Return on Land and Slaves” (Brandow 1983:95) 153 7. Percentage of smoking pipes out of total number of artifacts found in each layer uncovered in the drainage ditch next to the synagogue pathway. 166 8. 1781 inventory of British owned goods consigned to the warehouse of the trading firm Noble and Lindos (Before the Most Noble 1786) 217 9. List of Goods and Merchants who had consigned said goods to Elias Lindo that were then sent them to the Noble and Lindos Firm on St. Eustatius to be sold (Before the Most Noble 1786).
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