Cultures of Central America & the Caribbean
Examples and Suggestions

Based on feedback from previous GLC students, we have found that a list of examples and suggestions of topics and resources such as books and films can help you choose topics and resources that will help you in this course.  Click here to view the current list. 

This listing is by no means exhaustive, nor is any of it required –it his here only to spark your own thoughts and ideas.

The SCC Library staff can help you find these works and MANY others (including other media such as encyclopedias and web sources) that might interest you and be useful for this course.

NOTE:

Topics

·       European cultural roots

·       African cultural roots

·       The role of slavery in forming modern culture

·       The role of colonialism in forming modern culture

·       Mayan, islander, and other native cultural roots

·       The role of religion in modern culture

·       How the environment affects culture

·       Mythology and culture

·       Languages and the cultural influences of language

·       The literary record of cultural beliefs and practices

·       Architecture and cultural influences

·       Politics and culture

·       The philosophical aspects of cultural beliefs

·       The historical influences of modern culture

·       Piracy in the Caribbean (historic and/or modern)

·       The artistic expression of local culture

Books

Nonfiction

·       Belize : Land of the Free by the Carib Sea
by Thor Janson

·       Tropical Houses: Living in Nature in Jamaica , Sri Lanka , Java, Bali , and the Coasts of Mexico and Belize
by Tim Street-Porter

·       Birdwatching With Bubba: A Guidebook to Birds of Belize
by Elbert Greer

·       A Field Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Adjacent Areas : Belize , Guatemala , and El Salvador , Third Edition
by Ernest Preston Edwards (Author), Edward Murrell Butler (Illustrator)

·       The Rough Guide to Belize : Includes Tikal and the Bay Islands ( Belize (Rough Guides)) -- by Peter Eltringham, Rough Guides

·       Mesoamerica 's Ancient Cities: Aerial Views of Pre-Columbian Ruins in Mexico , Guatemala , Belize , and Honduras
by William M. Ferguson, Richard E. W. Adams

·       Insight Guide Guatemala , Belize , Yucatan (Insight Guides)
by Hum Hennessy, Insight Guides

·       Belize : Adventures in Nature
by Richard Mahler

·       Salt: White Gold of the Ancient Maya (Maya Studies)
by Heather Irene McKillop, et al

·       Rainforest Remedies: 100 Healing Herbs of Belize 2nd Enlarged Edition
by Dr. Michael Balick, et al

·       Jaguar: One Man's Battle to Establish the World's First Jaguar Preserve by Alan Rabinowitz

·       Hidden Belize (The Hidden Series)
by Stacy Ritz

·       Our Man in Belize : A Memoir
by Richard Timothy Conroy

·       Sastun : One Woman's Apprenticeship with a Maya Healer and Their Efforts to Save the Vani
by Rosita Arvigo

·       Time Among the Maya: Travels in Belize , Guatemala , and Mexico
by Ronald Wright

·       Hands of the Maya: Villagers at Work and Play
by Rachel Crandell

·       African Roots/ American Cultures
by Sheila S. Walker (Editor), Lisa Sanchez Gonzalez (Translator)

·       Nicaragua : A Guide to the People, Politics and Culture (In Focus Guides)
by Hazel Plunkett, Nick Caistor

·       Culture and Customs of Costa Rica
by Chalene Helmuth

·       The Ticos: Culture and Social Change in Costa Rica
by Mavis Hiltunen Biesanz, et al

·       When I Was Puerto Rican
by Esmeralda Santiago

·       The Making of Belize : Globalization in the AMargins
by Anne Sutherland

·       Dictionary of Maya Heiroglyphs
by John Montgomery

·       A Field Guide to the Amphibian and Reptiles of the Maya World
by Julian G. Lee

Fiction

·        Belize
by Carlos Ledson Miller

·       Panama
by Carlos Ledson Miller

·       Snapshots of Belize : An Anthology of Short Fiction
Belizean Writers Series

Films

·       National Geographic's Tropical Kingdom of Belize

·       Globe Trekker: Yucatan , Belize and Guatemala - La Ruta Maya

·       Belize :A Tropical Kingdom

·       Ruta Maya Experience: Belize , Yucatan & Guatemala

NOTE: some of the literary works cited under “books” may also be available as film adaptations, audio books, or dramatic readings

Music

·       Caribbean and Pan African music

·       Reggae music

·       Caribbean Steeldrums: 20 Famous Tropical Melodies- Calypso, Sam ba -- Steelasophical

·       Caribbean Party
~ Various Artists - International - Caribbean & Cuba , Putumayo Presents (Series)

·       Gathering
~ Caribbean Jazz Project

·       Calypso: Vintage Songs From the Caribbean
~ Various Artists

·       Putumayo Presents: French Caribbean
~ Various Artists

  PDLs  

·       Annotated photo journal of important places (or people, or movements, etc)

·       Illustrated timeline, using photos and other materials from places visited

·       Annotated photo or video montage that shows traditional culture juxtaposed with modern culture

·       An important person/group, event, movement as expressed in book, film, as experience on tour and how they interact to form a whole perception or experience

·       Illustrated poster presentation of the use of English (and/or Spanish and/or native American languages) in modern Belize

·       Web pages that illustrate a theme based on the course contents/tour

·       Annotated CD collection of musical pieces related to regions visited or Caribbean rim culture or appropriate themes (such as struggle vs. cultural imperialism)

The SCC Library staff can help you find these works and MANY others (including other media such as encyclopedias and web sources) that might interest you and be useful for this course.

 This page updated 04/01/07.