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ADW 111

PROF. HALEY

Critical Essay

History of Diaspora

Serenity Lucas

Slucas7@scmail.spelman.edu

November 7, 2017

Word Count: 1420

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History is an important subject that we are taught throughout our entire school career.

The well-known saying by George Santayana, “Those who do not learn from history are doomed

to repeat it” (Clairmont), has been used to justify the teachings of history at every grade level

possible. Our history textbooks are seemingly filled the most important facts that would allow us

as students to learn to the full history of the world. However, we do not learn our full history and

one prime example of how we are not taught the true history of this world is the many aspects of

the African diaspora. African diaspora is more than just the transatlantic slave trade that we are

taught here in America. It did not start with the transatlantic slave trade and goes much deeper

than just slavery. It is highly important that one understands knowledge construction and

pedagogy in the educational process because without this understanding one cannot truly

learn the truth especially when being taught the history of this world.

As stated before, African diaspora is not monolithic. Before the transatlantic slave trade

that we learn of, there is another diaspora that happens in the Indian Ocean world. As we have

learned as early as elementary school for some, the transatlantic slave trade and therefore the

Transatlantic diaspora begins in the 16th century and according to Ali, the Indian diaspora begins

as early as the 1st century. That is just one of the many differences between the Indian diaspora

and the Transatlantic diaspora. What we have been taught about the Transatlantic diaspora is that

the African migrants were forcibly taken from their homes and sent to different countries. Indian

diaspora, while involving the involuntary migration of Africans there were also voluntary

migrations.

Historical and cultural discourses have a very prominent role in shaping people of

African descent. The Transatlantic diaspora was mainly involuntary which, coupled with the

harsh treatment of slaves in the Atlantic world, created an impression of contempt in all people
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of African descent. In the Atlantic world, specifically in the Americas, African culture was

discouraged by the slave masters. However, slaves still continued their traditions and even

created new ones, passing them down through generation after generation. Even though we may

not know all the history between most of these traditions, we still subconsciously continue and

pass down these traditions. Unlike in the Atlantic World, African culture in the Indian Ocean

World was widely accepted and incorporated into the Indian Ocean way of living (Ali).

Race is another major division between the Transatlantic diaspora and the Indian Ocean

diaspora that shaped the descendants of said diasporas. In the Atlantic world, race was created as

a way to further separate the slaves form their captors and to ensure a since of dominance of the

enslaved. Race was created as an explanation as to why slavery was acceptable (Omi and

Winant). At first, race was backed by biological standards. For example, scientists had theorized

that one’s race was tied to “cranial capacity” or the size of the brain was linked to one’s race

(Omi and Winant). Unsurprisingly these “studies” showed that Caucasians had a larger cranial

capacity than Africans, although it was not by much and the pattern was not consistent. Despite

this, according to Omi, “the concept of race has defied biological definition” and race was then

seen as what it truly was: a social construct. Unfortunately, this creation of race has already

created a divide in the Atlantic world between the descendants of the enslaved and those of the

ones who created the concept. Although race has been disproven as something that holds merit,

there are still those who think it does and with this mindset comes the oppression of a people

who cannot really defend themselves against this oppression without coming off as “aggressive”.

In other words, it is a lose-lose situation. However, things are different in the Indian Ocean

world. Race is not a deciding factor nor is it even really considered. According to Ali, “skin color

does not necessarily identify people of African descent” because people were many skin tones
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whether they were native or immigrants. Status was mostly based on religion, ethnicity and

caste. Although there are still cases of oppression and discrimination between the different

groups of religion, ethnicity and caste, they are not as severe as in the Atlantic world.

The influence that these diasporas had on their respective lands were slightly different as

well. As stated before, all migrations to the Atlantic world via the Transatlantic slave trade was

involuntary. This alone creates a difference between both diasporas and their impacts. Also

stated before was that African culture was widely accepted in the Indian Ocean world. African

immigrants, whether voluntary or involuntary, had a huge positive impact on the Indian Ocean

world. They helped further the Indian Ocean world with their labor skills, cultures and talents

(Ali). For example, the military utilized the strength of Africans and their descendants in both the

Atlantic and Indian Ocean world. However, in the Indian world, Africans were “regarded as

exceptional warriors” and used for their loyalty towards their rulers because of their lack of ties

to any other indigenous peoples (Ali). In the Atlantic world, it took a long time before African

descended people could serve in the military. African Americans, both free and enslaved, fought

for America’s independence but not necessarily their own. African American soldiers were not

honored for their service and were segregated from white soldiers until the 1950s but had been

fighting for the United States of America for years (African Americans in the U.S. Military).

It is highly important the one understands knowledge construction and pedagogy.

Knowledge construction is picking apart what you have learned from every angle possible to see

whether or not what you learned holds any merit or truth behind it. Pedagogy is the method of

teaching an academic subject or theoretical concept. Most teachers and school’s systems utilize

the banking method as depicted by Paulo Freire in Pedagogy of the Oppressed. The banking

method is when teachers pour information into a child’s mind without giving them the tools to
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fully comprehend the information. Another method described by Freire is the problem posing

method. The problem posing method is the exact opposite of the banking method. In this method

the student learns from the teacher and the teacher in turn learns from the student. By asking

questions and searching for answers, both parties learn more and a deeper understanding of the

subject is obtained. In the specific focus of diaspora, having this level of understanding is critical

to learning one’s identity or history. By being able to pull apart the information given regarding

our history and then going out to do our own research, we can correctly piece together the true

facts of our history and our diaspora. Understanding knowledge construction and pedagogy leads

way to critical thinking. Being able to ask questions and question the teacher’s knowledge is the

basis of critical thinking. It also opens doors to deep discussion which leads to deeper

understanding of the subject: what is being taught and why it is being taught, and even each other

as intellectuals.

In high school, I had a class that incorporated the problem posing method of teaching and

encouraged an understanding of knowledge construction. This class was called Theory of

Knowledge (TOK). In TOK, we looked back at everything we were ever taught and were

encouraged to ask questions. We questioned our teacher’s knowledge, the textbook maker’s

knowledge, the school system’s knowledge and even the government’s knowledge. We asked

ourselves, “Why were these people qualified to decide what we learn or what is fact from fiction

or what is important enough to be considered ‘history’”. This class prepared me to be a critical

thinker and is the reason why I chose the topic of the Indian Ocean Diaspora v. the Transatlantic

Diaspora to do my critical essay on. I wanted to do more research on the different diasporas and

be able to utilize as many of our readings as possible. I believed that my level of understanding

when beginning this course was relatively low despite the training I had on critical thinking. I
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still wasn’t exposed to the truth of my own personal history and diaspora. Therefore, being in

Africa Diaspora and the World has strengthened my skills. This class and Theory of Knowledge

have fully developed me as a critical thinker with a full understanding of knowledge construction

and pedagogy.
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Bibliography

African Americans in the U.S. Military. n.d. Timeline. 11 December 2017.

<https://www.army.mil/africanamericans/timeline.html>.

Ali, Omar H. The Africna Diaspora in the Indian World. n.d. Essay. 7 11 2017.

<http://exhibitions.nypl.org/africansindianocean/essay-intro.php>.

Clairmont, Nicholas. Big Think. 2016. Blog. 7 11 2017. <http://bigthink.com/the-proverbial-

skeptic/those-who-do-not-learn-history-doomed-to-repeat-it-really>.

Freire, Paulo. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. 30th. New York: The Continuum International

Publishing Inc, 2005. 11 December 2017.

Omi, Michael and Howard Winant. "Racial Formations." Omi, Michael and Howard Winant.

Racial Formation in the United States. 1986. 3-13.

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Outline

Chosen topic: Indian Ocean diaspora and Transatlantic Diaspora

 I agree that African diaspora is not monolithic

o Indian diaspora vs. Transatlantic diaspora

o Treatment of slaves in both indian ocean and atlantic ocean

o Use that website for this one

 Shaping of people of African descent by historical and cultural discourses

o Formation of prejudices/race or racism

o Lifestyle differences

o Do some research but I'm sure there's a Reversing Sail or ADW book excerpt or

chapter

 It is highly important that one understands knowledge construction and pedagogy

o In specific focus of diaspora

 Critical to learning one's identity/ history

o Basis of a critical thinker

 Being able to ask questions and question the teacher's knowledge

o Opens door to deep discussion

 Once again with the questions and such

o Understanding this leads to better understanding of what is being taught and why it's

being taught

o Find a way to mention Theory of Knowledge from high school

 You had to question your teacher's knowledge

 The textbook makers knowledge

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 The school system's knowledge

 The government's knowledge

 And why they chose those topics, that perspective, etc.

 Your level of understanding equals why you chose those standpoints above

 Do you believe you had a high or low level of understanding when beginning

this course?

 Has it changed?

 Thesis: It is highly important that one understands knowledge construction and

pedagogy in the educational process because without this understanding one cannot

truly learn the truth especially when being taught of the history of this world.