History tells us, that slavery in America began in 1619, when the first African slaves were brought to the newly founded colony at Jamestown, Virginia. The European settlers chose African slaves because they decided it was a cheaper, more abundant, source of labor. But how were these slaves going to get here? Thus, the transatlantic slave trade was implemented. The transatlantic slave trade, also referred to as the triangular trade, had three stages. The first stage being the transport of manufactured goods from Europe to Africa. The second stage, was the transport of African slaves to the Americas (The Middle Passage). The final stage was the return to Europe with the produce from slave labor plantations (Evans).
The infamous Middle Passage …show more content…
One theme that all three authors touched on was the blending of two cultures and African religion with Christianity. In Wilsons play, he first introduces this blend when he has several residents of the boarding house perform a “Juba” dance. This dance is a spiritual representation of differing religions. Meant to preserve native African traditions while allowing one to call forth the Holy Spirit found in Christianity. In Dumas’ short story, Ark of Bones, he also sheds light on African religion. The story is full of biblical parables and African Black Magic. Throughout the whole story is the reoccurring mention of bones. The main character describes his companion HeadEye as carrying a mojo bone, and taking him to a strange ship covered with bones, “Bones. I saw bones…stacked all the way to the top of the ship…nothin but a great bonehouse”. Dumas allows us to draw the connection between the strange experiences on the ship with HeadEye when he mentions Ezekiel from the Old Testament, “I comest to think about a sermon I heard about Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones”. Lastly, Hayden also shares views on Christianity within his poem by use of irony. He presents the view of slave trading as a duty, justified through Christianity, instead of a commercial venture, “We pray that thou wilt grant, O Lord, safe passage to our vessels, bringing heathen …show more content…
Wilson does so via the character Loomis. When Loomis caught sight of the residents doing the Juba he throws a fit, “What’s so holy about the Holy Ghost? Why God got to be so big? Why he got to be bigger than me?” This fit sends him into a vison. A vision in which he sees bones walking on water then simply sinking back down into the water. These bones represent the people who lost their lives on the ships due to violence or illness, and were tossed overboard. Loomis goes on to describe bones that made it on the shore, “A big wave washed over the land…they ain’t bones no more...flesh…like you and me”. These bones represent those who made it through the middle passage and were sold into slavery. The bones are filled with black flesh but the bodies are lifeless. Their lives are no longer their
The infamous Middle Passage …show more content…
One theme that all three authors touched on was the blending of two cultures and African religion with Christianity. In Wilsons play, he first introduces this blend when he has several residents of the boarding house perform a “Juba” dance. This dance is a spiritual representation of differing religions. Meant to preserve native African traditions while allowing one to call forth the Holy Spirit found in Christianity. In Dumas’ short story, Ark of Bones, he also sheds light on African religion. The story is full of biblical parables and African Black Magic. Throughout the whole story is the reoccurring mention of bones. The main character describes his companion HeadEye as carrying a mojo bone, and taking him to a strange ship covered with bones, “Bones. I saw bones…stacked all the way to the top of the ship…nothin but a great bonehouse”. Dumas allows us to draw the connection between the strange experiences on the ship with HeadEye when he mentions Ezekiel from the Old Testament, “I comest to think about a sermon I heard about Ezekiel in the valley of dry bones”. Lastly, Hayden also shares views on Christianity within his poem by use of irony. He presents the view of slave trading as a duty, justified through Christianity, instead of a commercial venture, “We pray that thou wilt grant, O Lord, safe passage to our vessels, bringing heathen …show more content…
Wilson does so via the character Loomis. When Loomis caught sight of the residents doing the Juba he throws a fit, “What’s so holy about the Holy Ghost? Why God got to be so big? Why he got to be bigger than me?” This fit sends him into a vison. A vision in which he sees bones walking on water then simply sinking back down into the water. These bones represent the people who lost their lives on the ships due to violence or illness, and were tossed overboard. Loomis goes on to describe bones that made it on the shore, “A big wave washed over the land…they ain’t bones no more...flesh…like you and me”. These bones represent those who made it through the middle passage and were sold into slavery. The bones are filled with black flesh but the bodies are lifeless. Their lives are no longer their