About Me:

I am a Jamaican naturalized US citizen. I am an artist/educator/writer/researcher of Amerindian cultures, especially those of the Caribbean and North America's Powhatan Confederacy. I also have created a folkloric comic strip and written stories associated with the history of Africans in Jamaica. My wife, a Pamunkey/Tauxenent member of the historic Powhatan Confederacy, and I travel the powwow circuit promoting our indigenous artwear and storytelling. Our websites are powhatanmuseum.com and anansistories.com

Occupation:

Artist/writer, retired from the DC Public Schools.

Education:

I attended primary and secondary schools in Kingston, Jamaica. My BFA (Design & Art history) and MFA (Design) degrees are from Howard University, Washington, DC

Contact Information:

yamaye1@yahoo.com
Also:1519 Monroe St., NW
Washington, DC 20010

Research Interests:

My main interests are in the Taino and Carib cultures as well as our folkloric Anansi the Spiderman stories. My last research grant was in 1992 when I traveled to Puerto Rico, Jamaica, Antigua and Dominica to examine the indigenous retentions there. In Dominica I interviewed the Carib chief, Irvince Auguiste and other tribal members. A segment of those interviews are on the Carib/Taino page of our Powhatan Museum website.

Publications:

Anansesem folkloric comic strip by Jamaica's Gleaner Newspaper. Yamaye Mike's blogspot. "Anansi and the Cut Cake Tree", "Ticky-Ticky's Search for Kewku Anansi", "How Anansi Came to the Americas" (all three in current production for 2016)

Affiliation:

Member of the United Confederation of Taino People (UTCP)

Link:

http://powhatanmuseum.com

My Website:

http://anansistories.com