As uninterested as I usually am about all things African, or cultural for that matter, this picture changed my mind. When I look at this picture, the one thing that stirs inside me is surprisingly not the fact that there are women who are being enslaved(in this case by Portuguese). Sure this picture is a great example of the inhumanity of the Transatlantic Slave trade, especially to women, and also showing no visible mercy to children, as these women are obviously carrying babies on their backs. However, we already know that the slave trade was a brutal business. We obviously have seen the horrific pictures of slaves stuffed inside of a ship. But what we don’t ever contemplate is this theory that “Europeans and other slave trading intruders to pre-colonial Africa saw Africans as being primitive and without order or intellect”, yet we hear it all the time. Of course, judging by the evidence they provided (pictures, literature, and the like) of their encounters with various African natives (for lack of better terminology at the moment), the theory is valid. But what strikes me about this picture is that they’re making Africans do something they would normally do, minus the chains and whips and guns. They’re gathering to provide in a way they know how. However, instead of gathering to provide for their family, the Portuguese are using the Africans to gather THEIR OWN resources to provide for the enslavers. This, to me, is evidence that these people obviously knew that there was potential in the African society and that they were well capable of surviving where they were, or they would not have had them gathering goods as they are in this picture. I cannot let go of the idea (or argument) that maybe the Enslavers were not so ignorant of the potential of the African pre-colonial society after all. Maybe my point makes no sense, and I may be missing some important fact here, but it truly strikes the question in me, if they had not been previously performing this gathering –survival activity, the Portuguese would not know to force them to continue it (and they obviously did), so what is it about the African way of life they can't seem to accept? They obviously trust the method enough to benefit from it.
By reading the blog and observing the picture along with it I am able to view both sides of the field. What i mean by this is I am able to view the picture and see how the women were brutally treated and organized during the slave trade. On the other hand, from the students blog and information learned in class I learned that there was always a form of slavery in Africa. What this image shows is the cruelty and mishandling which was added into slavery during the slave trade by the portuguese.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the type of dress of the women pictured is a normalcy in some tribes, such that of the Himba of northern Namibia, in the context of the picture it takes their exploitation a step further for those unaccustomed to such practices. It makes the women look weak and vulnerable, as does the small children some of them carry on their backs. The older woman collapsing near the middle gives testimony to the harsh conditions they were forced to labor in, and because they are all shackled together, they physically, as well as mentally, depend on each other for support.
ReplyDeleteI believe you brought up a great point regarding the fact that these Europeans are pictured having the enslaved Africans using their native methods of gathering. This does, in fact, somewhat negate the fact that they (the Africans) were perceived as being uncivilized. Also, I would comment on the fact that the women are all chained while the one man in this picture is free.
ReplyDelete@ dthibs - I see the same thing you see as well. It's a really clear picture of the brutality. I just forced myself to find something unobvious or not often considered so as to make it more interesting. People hear the excuse "the enslavers saw the Africans as uneducated and uncivilized" and automatically accept it, and it holds truth, but I had to ask, "Does every picture suggest that?" Thanks for the insight, I appreciate it.
ReplyDelete@jldicken - The traditional dress is something I was uneducated on and missed, but that is an excellent point. It could be seen as highly exploitative to the weakness of women, and begs a comparison of the conditions of men given the same situation. Thanks for the information, it's appreciated and very helpful.
@Nikki - That is something to consider, and it would truly be interesting if males were somehow treated better than females. To me, it defies today's cultural logic. However, if we are referring to the male in the front to the right of the coffle, I believe he is Portuguese enslaver. Thanks, for your direct comment to my argument, and also for your feedback. I appreciate it.
I think the image shows the enslaver here to be black -- though he might be employed by or paid by the Portuguese.
ReplyDeleteI am also interested in your use of the word native -- you say you lack a better word now, but why not say people?
I like your observation, though, that the labor of the captives is transforming something daily and familiar into something much more sinister and exploitative. Nice move!
@ Dr. Murphy - Possibly and most likely he might be black, it would be my guess Portuguese were wearing shoes at the time, but he isn't. For some reason synonyms escaped me. I immediately thought, "Ok they're natives to Africa, is this wrong word usage?" However, your question, though simple in wording really triggers me to think about it. What is it about the way I have been conditioned to see Africa that I feel the need to use some exotic word to describe them? Here I am suspect of little less than this falsified "Westernized view" we are privy to.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the input!
Since the beginning of dated time groups of humans have competed over earthly commodities. There is a trend in history within various groups of people who desire expansion and progression for their nation and seek it by traveling abroad to discover new opportunities. What was discovered in Africa was a race of able-bodied, skilled people and a land rich with resources. Is your question whether the enslaver was intimidated by Africa? Yes. I believe it one-hundred percent. The trend is that those who explore and discover typically encounter more primitive peoples who have yet to exploit their wealth, thus the greater nation does does it for themselves. What I would rather ask is whether Africa stood a chance against foreign intruders? How did African people combat this social monster called imperialism? Or, were they so “without intellect” that the practice of slavery was inconceivable and it’s prevention even more unfathomable. They lost what they did not protect and with it lost their dignity, community, and potential.
ReplyDeleteThis portrait depicts a line of people that stretches far beyond eyes view and only one man is leading them all. In the farthest plain of the image we see a flag and we are reminded of the greater European empire. I sense an umbrella of fear and confusion over the African continent; not knowing how to escape or wage war. Could they have been capable of overthrowing the patriarchy? Where was the African Moses?
@ Taylor - You are obviously more educated on the subject than myself, and because of that I am glad you decided to respond to my post. Though your entire comment is an excellent speculation, what stands out to me the most is when you say "The trend is that those who explore and discover typically encounter more primitive peoples who have yet to exploit their wealth, thus the greater nation does does it for themselves." To me, it really goes with my theory that they saw the potential. Yet it really opens my eyes to the fact that maybe we see people as primitive because we feel they don't know what to do with their resources. This happens even until now, and it brings my mind back to the conflict diamonds, and the response your words would have aroused during that time. It is entirely true. We always feel we have to SHOW other civilizations "how to do it", in regards to how to use their resources, etc.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for shedding light, i really do appreciate it.
You did a wonderful job analyzing the photo and the points you made really got me thinking. The picture you posted is very powerful, it not only is an example of the terrible treatment of the slave trade on women, it is also a symbol of the colonial mentality. The statement this picture provides is that to their enslavers, the African peoples were considered to be primitive and savage, however there was potential to teach them to behave like the colonists. This picture clearly shows the mental slavery that went along with the slave trade.Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ava, I really tried hard to pull out unobvious points that were otherwise unthought of.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback, makes me feel special =)