Colonialism and Revolution in Cochin

At the center of the historic spice trade, the port of Cochin, India has experienced multiple periods of foreign rule since the 1500’s, seeing major influences from Dutch, Portuguese, and British traders. Spring 2015 voyagers got the chance to explore the legacy of these cultural influences while the MV Explorer was docked in Cochin. Evan Booth of the University of Wisconsin-Madison reflects on Cochin’s colonial past and the cycles of colonization and revolution that voyagers have witnessed both in India and in many other countries throughout the voyage.