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History Work and Research Based Learning StudiesModule: American/African Slavery
Title:
Slave Diary-The Slave Diary of Azaan Rahim TakataKareem FarragFebruary – 1
st
March 2007
Section One
 
Account 1: 16
th
March 1838To my reader, Salutations. I am known as Azaan RahimTakata, meaning “strong, merciful and pure”.I was born on the dawn of the 29
th
August 1827 in the village of Imzouren in the far north fields of Morocco. I have lived there all mylife with my older sister, Jasira Kabisa, and my Father, Haidar Dahoma. I have been told that my mother, Rahema Yakini, bereavedwhen I was born. Taken from us through soul and unto Allah. To think,I will never experience having a mother. My sibling now completes thestrenuous domestic tasks in the mud hut I live in, whereas me and myfather go out and catch the fish from the vast ocean and prepare it for supper; that has been our tradition.I live in a mud hut, about 10ft wide radius and 5 to 6ft tall; fairlycramped with three people living inside. Anyway I am excessivelygrateful for my family and home – as I have a life of just wondering,running and herding.Let me tell you a little bit about my life and where I live; I was born inmy own house (which unfortunately is where my mother died), I havegrown ‘til the present day, learning by my father how to herd goat anda few cattle, learning how to fish from the ocean, and learning –absolute and constant learning over my religion – Islam. You see, mytribe (the Berbers), were one of the most unique tribes, as myprevious generations roots back thirty-hundred years.My dear friend, Tale-Tamu, is also one of us Berbers, and has beenmy friend for the past eight years of my life.We would usually meet up by the bank of the ocean, and greet eachother, and he would usually say, “pray tell me what we are doingtoday, Azaan,” and I would answer, “why do not we go and play in thefields?” he would say, “an excellent idea, my good friend. Shall wego?” and I would reply, “Yes. Yes we should.”Now a couple of years ago I was told I had a surprise inside myfather’s hut, and as I walked in I strained my eyes to see beside thehut that young and grown men were walking, half of them (the youngmen) were covered by the sacks used for collecting the maize.When I was allowed out, a local 12-year-old had questioned me,“have not you heard the rumour?”I replied, “What rumour. Tell me, please.”He then answered, “those 15 year olds are going to go into manhood.”“what do you mean??” I asked
 
“those boys are going to be turned into men. They are going to‘manhood training.’”Now I had heard in the past that ‘manhood training’ was just a rumour.However, when you come to think of it, they’re all hooded, a sign of unawareness; their fathers are taking them, well, you could expectthat as they probably had been through the exact experience; and thefact that all of the hooded young men were all around adolescence (atan age of between fifteen and seventeen).My father, Haidar, is the chieftain of my village, and so was his father and our previous generations, so that means to succeed as the nextchieftain, I must excel beyond compare to the other young men intraining. He had told me that if I were to succeed in becoming a man, Imust know my surroundings, my foe and myself. So, let me test if Iknow my surroundings:Our land is around 500 acres wide and 300 acres long, with around50 acres of fields for olives, palms and cotton. Around five years old Iwould go with my sister and father to run in the fields and play. Now,though, things have become very different.My family name is called “Rafiki”, named after the primal chieftainever to succeed chieftain in the family. However our village
is
like afamily. Everyone around is a brother or sister, everyone around uscares and helps each other, everyone agrees with each other – weshow a uniqueness in “community-spirit”.I think that shall end my account today.Account 2: 5
th
April 1838News has spread about the lands of Africa that various groups, suchas Tripoli, Benin, Futa Jallon, Kano and many more have now beentaken over by white men on huge ships. Some are believed to havecarried goods from the far lands across the ocean, and so my villageis now on guard, as we seem to believe that the white men are here toattack us and take our land. New and mysterious words and ways thatthey have brought unto us are frightening the village. Secret whispersand gossiping makes every second a nerving and uneasy one.What is making me curious is that the white men look very differentfrom the description I have heard (when compared to us). They arecovered completely! The description, said by one man of the village,was “their white is cloaked by the mask of flamboyant impurity. Thesmells of their bodies are just lures, ready to catch their prey. PrayAllah, be aware. Be aware.”I am of very little knowledge of these white men; however I am
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cool, i thought i would take a look at this for inspiration, im doing the slave project at school at the moment aswell

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