The invaluable nature of these records is steeped in cultural and legal purposes as well as in reparatory justice. Culture is typically defined as the way of life of a people, which can be classed as either material (tangible) or non-material (intangible). Culture is also known to be dynamic, ever-changing, and evolving. Oral histories are critical in ensuring that culture is passed on or remembered. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) asserts that safeguarding cultural heritage and making it accessible to communities is essential for fostering resilience for present and future generations (IFLA, 2019, p. 6).

Documentary heritage (e.g., letters, newspapers, and even wills and inventories) makes up our cultural heritage and is instrumental in providing concrete evidence of cultural practices that have survived and those that have been lost along the way. Language and names are some of the most prominent examples. An advertisement in the 25 January 1825 issue of the Barbadian newspaper noted the following: 

“FOR SALE, 17 Barbadian Negroes & a House in Maiden-lane, of the Estate of the late Mrs. Elizabeth Henery” (Dummett, 1825). 

This simple statement brings to light the culture of the colonial slave society of Barbados, in which black individuals were referred to in official documents as “negroes” but, even more importantly, were identified as property. Today, this term is deemed derogatory and inappropriate not just for publication but in everyday language and conversation.

Historical issues of the local newspaper, the Barbados Advocate, also reflect cultural shifts in highlighting the everyday Barbadian of the past. For instance, a feature was published in September 1950 about a mauby man and woman in the capital of Bridgetown. These vendors sold the popular local beverage to the thirsty passers-by on the warm day in question (Fight The Heat With Mauby, 1950, p. 5). Why is this feature valuable? Today, mauby is still a staple and local delicacy, but unlike the 1950s, mauby men and women are no more. Rather, it is customary to purchase mauby syrup by the bottle from the supermarket and make the drink at home. While showcasing the connections between present-day Barbadians and those of the past, it also hints at the undermining of local vendors by larger commercial establishments (mostly foreign-owned). These archival documents are therefore integral in remembering the legacy of these vendors and their historical place in our culture, which would be lost to present and future generations without such features. 

In both cases, these records reflected their importance in understanding the cultural change of our societies. These stories, whether painful or light-spirited, help us, as Barbadians, to understand where our society has evolved from and how it shapes our cultural identity. 

Documentary heritage is also paramount for the execution of scholarly work on Barbados (and, by extension, the Caribbean). The tendency to categorise the Caribbean alongside Latin America in academic research neglects the critical distinctions between these regions, each possessing unique historical and cultural experiences that deserve discrete study. Moreover, it is essential to build on and expand research focused on individual states within the region in order to ensure more accurate and representative scholarship. As previously mentioned, the Barbados Archives houses many primary source documents covering a range of topics and issues. These include the Diocesan records, many of which are handwritten on well-weathered paper, outlining details related to the most influential religious institution of the colonial period: the Anglican Church. A proposed report from 1841 for the Saint Mary’s Asylum for the relief of sick and destitute individuals indicates that this charitable institution was established in Bridgetown to serve meals and provide housing for such individuals (Proposed report St. Mary’s Asylum, 1841). These records provide critical evidence not only for research into the church but also for the evolution of social care in Barbados. Certainly, academics across all fields (including, but not limited to, heritage, education, law, medicine, engineering, technology, and science) can benefit from the wide repository (UNESCO, 2016, p. 3). 

The value of these records extends to family research and legal matters. Familial documents such as wills, land records, and personal letters can provide much-needed closure. These contain information needed to settle disputes over property, which is one of the primary motives for those seeking assistance with family history research. On the other hand, these documents open individuals to a whole new world, helping them connect with their ancestors by tracing their family line and affording Barbadians the opportunity to feel a true sense of identity.

Further to this, ancestral tourism, or genealogy tourism, is a growing industry, which Barbados can certainly capitalise on through its documentary heritage (Ashraniyan, 2019). This form of tourism involves travellers visiting the homelands of their ancestors and is often a deeply emotional journey as persons reconcile with the lives and experiences of those who came before them (Stephenson, 2002). Throughout its colonial past, Barbados served as both a destination for migratory groups (Europeans, enslaved Africans, and indentured workers) and a place from which groups migrated in great numbers. Relative to the latter, many in the 19th and 20th centuries emigrated to regions such as Panama, Cuba, and North America for employment opportunities, resulting in a vast Barbadian diaspora spanning continents (Conniff, 1987; Marshall, 2016, pp. 7–17). The opportunity exists for these descendants to travel to Barbados to engage with sacred spaces (local communities and burial sites) but this cannot be realised in its entirety without first-hand or personal accounts documented in archival records. These records are therefore fundamental for the potential diversification of the island’s tourism industry.

Reparatory justice is perhaps the most pertinent example of the need to safeguard the documentary heritage of Barbados. The Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) Ten Point Plan for Reparatory Justice (n.d.) purports that European governments have “refused to acknowledge” the crimes committed against the enslaved in the region and “perpetuated suffering upon the emancipated” (CARICOM, n.d.). Refusal to acknowledge cannot and should not continue in light of the evidence contained in the archival records of former colonies such as Barbados. These records tell a story of the horrific reality of African enslavement and European colonisation. Handwritten slave registers, 1813–1834, clearly display names, ages, and occupations of just a few thousand of those who were held in bondage in Barbados (Ancestry.com).

Meanwhile, colonial newspapers provide glaring examples of the treatment afforded to the black population. For example, a runaway notice written by Mr. J. Welch and published in the Barbados Mercury and Bridgetown Gazette in 1808 revealed the following:

“Taken up…living in the Parish of St. Joseph, an African NEGRO MAN, about five feet high, with his two fore teeth filed; appears to have lately had a severe flogging; can give no account of himself…Any person proving the property and paying expenses, may have him by applying to JOHN WELCH” (Welch, 1808, p. 4).

This harrowing account of an enslaved man, and the matter-of-fact tone in which his assault and bondage are recorded, provides compelling evidence of the brutal conditions endured by the enslaved. For the pursuit of justice to be meaningful and to yield tangible redress, the preservation of our documentary heritage must be treated as a critical priority.