We often use the past tense to talk about cultural identity. Diaspora instead speaks in terms of movement. “Movement defines human beings,” one of many speakers in this documentary states, and he’s correct. It is a central drive in almost every human to explore, to immigrate, to seek change or space to write one’s own story. Diaspora begins with Columbus and Marco Polo’s desire for a shortcut to the Orient before focusing on the beginning of modern Caribbean culture.
We learn about the creation of Taíno culture, the importation of enslaved people from Africa, and the parallel struggles of natives and captives in the New World that resulted in the unique cultures and ethnicities in the Caribbean today. Multiple experts, artists, and writers lend their voices to this study of culture in the Caribbean through time, showing us how song and dance can be survival.
Diaspora is an ambitious project that is a bit overambitious in its scope. It claims to speak for the whole of the Caribbean at several points, but its main focus is the Dominican Republic. This is a fine focus, it’s just the billing as something more broad makes some points fall flat or feel unsubstantiated in this short documentary. Its focus on culture and notable cultural changes through time create a fascinating kaleidoscope of sounds and images. Many experts give their voice to this film, but the documentary’s lackadaisical format means some only speak for a sentence or two. For this reason, Diaspora will hold more casual interest for patrons who enjoy infotainment documentaries.
As a crash course or an introduction to Caribbean history and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, Diaspora is an excellent choice for college classrooms. Its shorter runtime means most class periods could include the full film. While there are some shortfalls, Diaspora is an intriguing study of Caribbean culture that is easily accessible and poetically poignant at times. Highly Recommended.
Where does this title belong on public library shelves?
Diaspora belongs on Caribbean, history, and cultural documentary shelves.
What type of college instructor could use this title?
Those teaching about Trans-Atlantic trade in the 16-1800s, exploring Caribbean culture, and those seeking higher-level Spanish language listening materials will get substantial use from this documentary.