“In Front of the World”: Translating Beatriz Nascimento

This collection translates some of the work of the influential Black Brazilian thinker and activist Beatriz Nascimento (1942–1995) for the first time into English, in collaboration with her only daughter, Bethânia Gomes. Historian, poet, theorist and organiser, Beatriz Nascimento was a key figure in Brazil’s Black Movement until her untimely death in 1995. She dangerously wrote at the height of Brazil’s Military Dictatorship (1964–1985), and theorised extensively on the Black condition in Brazil; the unique experience of Black women; and quilombos—Brazilian maroon societies that she imagined as spaces of both historical and contemporary fugitivity. Following Alex Ratts, this introduction outlines her contribution to radical geography, in particular Black geographies, territoriality and embodiment. It also positions Nascimento within the trans‐Atlantic Black radical tradition. We present two of Nascimento’s essays in translation here. The first, “The Concept of Quilombo and Black Cultural Resistance”, introduces a crucial strand of her scholarly work, on the history and socio‐political significance of quilombos (maroon communities). The second, “For a (New) Existential and Physical Territory”, shows Nascimento in a different mood: philosophical, reflective and iconoclastic. In addition, two of her poems—“Dream” and “Sun and Blue”—are also translated here for the first time.     

Obsidian sources and distribution systems in Island Southeast Asia: new results and implications from geochemical research using LA-ICPMS

This paper discusses new evidence of long-distance interaction networks in Island Southeast Asia obtained from geochemical analyses using SEM-EDXA and LA-ICPMS of 101 obsidian samples from 25 locations including seven obsidian sources and 19 archaeological sites. Given that there are obsidian sources distributed throughout much of Island Southeast Asia, the potential for obsidian studies to provide greater understanding of patterns of mobility and exchange in the Pre-Neolithic and Neolithic periods would seem to be considerable. This potential, however, remains largely unrealised as obsidian sourcing has hitherto only been carried out intermittently in Island Southeast Asia using PIXE-PIGME, XRF and other methods.     

Some shore features in South‐East Ireland

The Peoples and Politics of the Far East: Travels and Studies in the British, French, Spanish, and Portuguese Colonies, Siberia, China, Japan, Korea, Siam, and Malaya. By Henry Norman. With 60 Illustrations and 4 Maps. Pp. xvi + 608. London: T. Fisher Unwin, 1895. Price 1 Guinea.

The Story of Africa and Its Explorers. By Robert Brown, M.A., Ph.D., etc. Vol. IV. Europe in Africa—Colonies and Colonists—The Scramble for an Empire—A Continent under Companies. With 200 . original Illustrations. London : Cassell and Co., Limited, 1895. Pp. 300 and Index to the four volumes. Price Is. 6d.

A travers l'Afrique Australe. Par Jules Leclercq. Paris: Plon, 1895. Pp. 312.

The Diversions of a Prime Minister. By Basil Thomson. Edinburgh : Black‐wood and Sons, 1894. Pp. viii + 407. With a Map and numerous Illustrations. Price 15s.

Mes Grandes Chasses dans L'Afrique Centrale. By Edouard Foa, Explorateur. Paris: Firmin‐Didot, 1895. Gr. 8vo, pp. 340. 76 Figs.

Korea—Eine Sommerreise nach dem Lande der Morgenruhe, 1894. Von Ernst von Hesse‐Wartegg. Dresden and Leipzig : Carl Eeissner, 1895. Pp. iv + 220.

La République d'Haïti : Son Présent, Son Avenir Économique. Par Paul Vibeht. Paris : Berger‐Levrault &; Cie., 1895. Pp. 360. Price 5 frs.

The Story of the L.M.S., 1795–1895. By C. Silvester Horne, M.A. With Maps and many Illustrations. London : Snow &; Co., 1894. Pp. 444. Price 2s. 6d

Letters and Sketches from the New Hebrides. By Maggie Wiiitecross Paton. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1894. Pp.382. Illustrations and Map. Price 6s.

Supplement au Volume V. du T'oung‐Pao. Die Lander des Islam nach chinesischen Quellen. Von Prof. Dr. Friedrich Hirtii. Leyden : E. J. Brill, 1894. Pp. 64.

Instructions to Observers of the Indian Meteorological Department. By J. Eliot, M.A., F.E. Met. Soc., Meteorological Reporter to the Government of India. Calcutta: Office of the Superintendent of Government Printing, 1894. Pp. iv + 103. Price 3 Rupees.

Stanford's Compendium of Geography and Travel (new issue). Africa: Vol. I., North Africa. By A. H. Keane, F.R.G.S. London: Edward Stanford, 1895. 8 Maps, and 77 Illustrations. Pp. 624. Price 15s.

The Great Dominion. Studies of Canada. By George R. Parkin, M.A., Hon. LL.D., University of New Brunswick. With Maps. London : Macmillan &; Co., 1895. Pp. viii + 251.

Outlines of English Industrial History. By W. Cunningham, D.D., and Ellen A. M'Arthur. Cambridge : University Press, 1895. Pp. xii+274.

Egypt. Handbook for Travellers. Edited by Karl Baedeker. Part First: Lower Egypt and the Peninsula of Sinai. With 14 Maps, 7 Views, and 7 Vignettes. Third Edition, revised and augmented. Leipsic: Karl Baedeker, 1895. Pp. 280 and Index. Price 12s.

Leitfaden der Qeographie für höhere Lehranstalten. Von Dr. E. Lanqenbeck, Oberlehrer am protestantischen Gymnasium zu Strassburg. Leipzig : Wilhelm Engelmann, 1894. 2 Teile. Pp. viii + 125 and vi + 340. Price 2 M. 10 Pf.; boards, 2 M. 40 Pf.

L'Afrique : Anthologie Géographique. Par Noël Garnier. Paris : Delagrave, 1894. Pp. 566. Price 4 Frs.

D'Alger à Tanger. Par Marius Bernard. 120 Illustrations, par A. Chapon. Paris : Henri Laurens, n.d. Pp. 388. Price 10 Frs.; bound, 13 Frs.

Bibliotheca Geographica, herausgegeben von der Gesellschaft für Erdkunde zu Berlin. Bearbeitet von Otto Baschin unter Mitwirkung von Dr. Ernst Wagner. Band i. Jahrgang 1891 und 1892. Berlin : W. H. Kühl, 1895. Pp. 506.     

Obsidian sources and distribution systems in Island Southeast Asia: a review of previous research

This paper summarises research on obsidian findings across the region of Island Southeast Asia (ISEA), from the first reporting of obsidian on Sumatra as a result of cave excavations in the early 1900s through to the latest published discoveries in 2009. These results are the background for the first region-wide research project focussing on obsidian characterisation and its role in prehistoric inter-island exchange. It is commonly held that distribution of obsidian in ISEA was only localised and inter-island transportation limited. The review, however, suggests that this hypothesis derives from an incomplete knowledge of obsidian distribution in the region rather than typifying prehistoric social patterns. Obsidian sourcing has been carried out only intermittently in ISEA since the 1970s and has generally been focussed only at the single site level, thus explaining this very partial understanding.