Roots: The Prequel
Penelope Thornton
September 7, 2010
Roots came out in 1977. The made for TV film told the story of the now famous African, Kunta Kinte, who was captured and enslaved by White men and brought to America where he lived as a slave. He is captured while out in the forest looking for the proper log with which to make his younger brother a drum. He is free and happy, having just finished his training as a man. Rootsbecame a classic. It would even be fair to say it defined the understanding of slavery by the American public.
The film does indicate that there were African "traitors" who sold their fellow Africans into slavery, presumably a peculiarly White institution. However, recent scholarship challenges this limited view.
As these scholars see it, slavery was widespread and indigenous in African society, as was, naturally enough, a commerce in slaves. The demographic impact, although important, was local and difficult to disentangle from losses due to internal wars and slave trading on the domestic African market. In any case, the decision makers who allowed the trade to continue, whether merchants or political leaders, did not suffer the larger scale losses and were able to maintain their operations. Consequently, one need not accept that they were forced into participation against their will or made decisions irrationally.
More at LINK above...
Peace.
No comments:
Post a Comment