Dominica's lime industry: Agriculture and identity in the early twentieth century

Abstract

This article examines the lime industry on the island of Dominica and the role it, as the dominant economic activity in the early twentieth century, played in the negotiation of identity. Economic narratives are used to explore this negotiation as the industry, and the island's prosperity, rose and fell. Examining the cycle of narratives provides insight into the creation of unity among agricultural producers that encouraged development of the lime industry. The industry arose from the suffering brought to the island by the collapse of sugar, and allowed the island a period of glory until the cycle returned to suffering.

Keywords:

• identity
• economic narratives
• Dominica
• agriculture
• limes

Acknowledgements

This research was made possible by a University of Florida Center for Latin American Studies Travel Research Grant.