The effects of slavery 2012

The effects of slavery 2012

The effect of slavery on the Caribbean and African people

The world in the late 17th century witnessed the beginning of a practice that would forever change mankinds history. This event was known as the slave trade. The Dutch, English, Spanish, French and Portuguese each seeking to gain some advantage in the cultivation of sugarcane and tobacco sought some source of labour. Labour which would cost them close to nothing and which would effectively work on the fields due to their strength and tolerance of the hot tropical climate of the Caribbean. Thus the Africans were brought to the Caribbean via the dreadful middle passage, without choice, forced into subjection, enslaved. They were to tend to the field of masters so that Europe could obtain supplies of sugar and tobacco. Hundreds of years have now passed. The era of slavery is over. The descendants of the slaves now tread freely the land which their ancestors once died to build up. These individuals now have the power of choice. They now live in a land where equal opportunities are a possibility. Things such as education, proper healthcare and proper housing are now a reality and no longer things that young slaves would often dream. They, we are now free. Today however, though centuries have passed since the great slave trade, evidence of the strong influences of slavery still mark the Caribbean and its inhabitants, the same way a tattoo does the skin. Our language, music, self-image, mindset and other areas of our culture show great resemblance to that of the once enslaved Africans. In many Caribbean countries today exists the creole dialect. In some places this dialect is so widely used that its speakers often outnumber those that speak the standard English language. This dialect has its roots in the first era of slavery and was formed due to communication being developed between the African slaves and their European masters. Creole began as a patois, described as a varied combination of African syntax and European lexicon (words) and later developed into what it is today. Creole in some instances such as drama poetry and music is utterly indispensable since it much more effectively describes a certain situation than Standard English would and at the same time is easily relatable to by the general public. Creole has also provided a basis of study and also universities. Though positively used in many of the context utilized, creole does carry some negative connotations. For example, In many public places creole is looked down upon as the language of the commons and those of limited educational background. Persons who use creole are often stereotyped as disrespectful and of dishonouring mentality. It is therefore quite evident that creole plays an integral role in the lives of many persons who reside within the Caribbean whether in a positive or negative way. Another area of our culture largely influenced by slavery is our music. The reggae and dancehall of Jamaica, the Shango, calypso and the Soca of the eastern Caribbean and the big drum dance of Grenada re all reminiscent of our African ancestry. Dancehall for example presents the African spirit of female fertility, Yoruba Oshun which though appears to be misogynous is actually a celebration of female sexuality and the Orisha; the female deity of African folklores. This explains why so many dancehall songs are about women and their sexuality. Similarly the genre of Soca involves the sexually

The effects of slavery 2012

explicit movements and shaking of the female posterior. It is therefore conclusively evident that both dancehall and soca seem to focus on the female body. The influence of the introduction of Africans to the Caribbean on the foods eaten and festivals celebrated is an important but often overlooked occurrence. Today all over the Caribbean, dishes such as cook-up rice, conki, salt fish, ground provisions and metemgee are prepared in homes and also in restaurants in the region and even around the world. It is sometimes taken for granted the fact that some of the foods we enjoy today were once eaten by the Africans when they were enslaved, when they worked tirelessly and dutifully for no wage whatsoever. Although today the preparation and general taste of these foods may differ the heart and spirit that motivated their creation remains the same. Lastly, slavery has also influenced the individuals that reside here in the Caribbean specifically those of African descent. The way society views these persons as well as the way they view themselves has also been largely affected. Today many persons have accepted the superior white, marginalized black, field slave way of thinking. This phenomenon presents itself in many facets of our daily life such as education, employment, politics, conduct and even day to day interactions. In schools, some students are of the impression that they will never be able to do as well as their white counterparts. They underestimate their own abilities leading them to settle for lives of mediocrity. Others try to adapt or imitate the lifestyle of white individuals because they feel that living, dressing or even talking like an African is low and debasing. Many individuals have become ashamed of who they are, their heritage and ancestors. These thoughts are terribly damaging to the minds of individuals that harbor them and eventually these persons will be lead to think that they themselves are not worth much. Also of note is the role of the father in the home. Instead of having one wife and family where he properly fathers the children, many African males in the Caribbean find themselves following in the footsteps of the white slave masters who slept with different slave girls then tried to father the children and in some instances even desert the children born to these women. Similarly in the Caribbean we find high occurrences of domestic abuse where the man beats his wife and disciplines her as if he owns her. These few examples serve to show that slavery still shapes the behaviour and actions of Caribbean people. In closing it can therefore be concluded that even today in this present day and age the influences of slavery still linger and to a large extent affect many aspects of Caribbean life. Our languages, foods, our way of thinking are just a few examples of how slavery has influenced the Caribbean and its people. Though many may try escaping sure reality, it is hard to deny fact. It is difficult to deny that the Africans have contributed to the building of a society, great, beautiful, multicultural and greatly respected around the world.