This lecture given by Dr. Mario Beatty mostly explained how the Africans must have felt after being forced to leave their homeland. The lecture also explained how they tried to bring a piece of home with them so that they can keep their culture going while they are in new lands.
Dismemberment was explained by the following:
- Historical narratives of loss and emptiness
- Historical narratives of African continuity and collective synthesis and transformation interfacing with particular social conditions
- Historical narratives of newness that assembles and combines African and European traditions, often giving primacy to the European side of the equation
Dr. Beatty asked us a question of what part of African culture do we still have today. We received answers such as music, food, sense of family, language etc. So along with the narratives Africans held dear parts of their culture and made sure that it was passed down so that their children's children would know of their ways.
Throughout the lecture he constantly asked questions to make us, the students, think about how the Africans felt leaving their home. As i thought about this I started to feel a bit of sadness with a pinch of anger mixed in. one question Dr. Beatty asked was (paraphrased) " Do you think the Africans would rather be home free or here in a new world and enslaved?"
That question really mad me ponder about how they must have felt. Yes, although taken from home and enslaved we came into this country and now we have many things, but i think we still would have chosen to be free. We didn't need to come to the new world. We had what we wanted at home, family, friends, religion, culture. The Middle Passage formed a sense of disconnection with our heritage and I feel that Howard University and especially these Freshmen Seminars are helping us to be re-connected.
-Kapri R.
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