Slavery in Africa existed for hundreds of years before it was abolished in the late 19th century. Yet, we know little about how enslaved individuals, especially those who never left Africa, talked about their experiences. Collecting never before published or translated narratives of Africans from southeastern Ghana, Sandra E. Greene explores how these writings reveal the thoughts, emotions, and memories of those who experienced slavery and the slave trade. Greene considers how local norms and the circumstances behind the recording of the narratives influenced their content and impact. This unprecedented study affords unique insights into how ordinary West Africans understood and talked about their lives during a time of change and upheaval.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
"These rare examples... compellingly reveal the chaos left behind. Greene sensitively reveals the human experiences of warfare, scattering of communities, and capture of the survivors that wracked the Gold Coast region." -- Joseph C. Miller, University of Virginia "Greene's analysis is as valuable as the documents themselves." -- Martin Klein, University of Toronto
Sprache
Verlagsort
Zielgruppe
Illustrationen
9 b&w illustrations, 4 maps
ISBN-13
978-0-253-35607-9 (9780253356079)
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Schweitzer Klassifikation
Acknowledgments; A Note on the Translations; A Note on Ewe Orthography Introduction Part 1. Aaron Kuku: The Life History of a Former Slave 1. Enslavement Remembered; 2. The Life History of Aaron Kuku Part 2. The Biographies of Lydia Yawo and Yosef Famfantor: Life in Slavery/Life after Abolition 3. To Stay or Go: Exploring the Decisions of the Formerly Enslaved; 4. Come Over and Help Us! The Life Journey of Lydia Yawo, a Freed Slave; 5. Yosef Famfantor Part 3. Paul Sands's Diary: Living with the Past/Constructing the Present and the Future 6. Open Secrets and Sequestered Stories: A Diary about Family, Slavery, and Self in Southeastern Ghana; 7. The Diary of Paul Sands: Excerpts Part 4. A Kidnapping at Atorkor: The Making of a Community Memory 8. Our Citizens, Our Kin Enslaved; 9. Oral Traditions about Individuals Enslaved Conclusion Notes; Bibliography; Index
