PUBLIC AFFAIRS: A parish council's shame - The legacy of slavery
published: Sunday | July 2, 2006

Errol Hewitt, Contributor


Hewitt

A RECENT revelation of the St. Elizabeth Parish Council was its objection to supporting plans to commemorate the 200th

anniversary of the ending of the transatlantic slave trade based, councillors explained, on not wanting to be reminded that

"whites had domination over us." This explanation broadens the concern from the slave trade to every circumstance of whites

dominating other races including slavery and colonialism and while suggesting a bruising of their ego, does not indicate

recognition of the core human issue: Uncontrolled greed which, to be satisfied, commissioned mass murder and the

subjugation and devastation of a people, still a reality in our country and our world.

The council's reasoning indicates in general how our leaders regularly skate on the surface of matters which require a real

understanding of where as a people we have been, where we are and where we want to be. Its admission of embarrassment

of domination indicates to our despair, that it is unaware of the similarity of the present world, where the real power

blaringly trumpets its presence ­ pre-emptively and devastatingly; where former slave-owning powers would rather be allied

to the 'winning' side even when it's legally and morally wrong; where sovereignty is given lip service in the midst of the

reality of empire exercised through surrogate governments. It's not illogical, therefore, to assume that if council members

ever face this fact, they will, unlike our ancestors, fold their tents, assume the foetal position and die.

OUR UNTAUGHT ROOTS

Implicitly, the comment suggests a lack of information concerning the pre-slave trade history of our people; their heroic role

through slavery, and the apprenticeship and colonial periods in the struggle for freedom.

There are remarkable stories of the heroism of Africans in resisting being captured and shipped to the Caribbean and the

Americas during the period of the slave trade, as evidenced for example by the swashbuckling [movie type] capture of the

Jolly Bachelor in the Sierra Leone River in 1740 and The Adventure off West Africa in 1753.

Olaudah Equiano, who wrote about his experience, was one of over 15 million who survived the horrors of the passage from

Africa in revolting conditions. There is extensive literature [most of it overseas] detailing the despicable settings in the

holding forts on the African west coast; the
abominable conditions in the hold of the ships in coffin-like spaces in filth; a disgusting stench throughout the voyage to the

Caribbean; one out of five dying, the British sailors gang-raping whoever they would; the utterly degrading circumstance on

the plantation, the crippling fear of the flesh-stripping whip; ownership of nothing ­ not even self; control of nothing ­ not

even one's sexual activity or children; subject to be sold and rebranded at any time; and, survival existence at hard labour,

forced to help make the colonising power wealthy under the most brutal of circumstances!

This is a story of a people ­ who suffered from the corrosive avarice of others but would not surrender to the desperate

hardships cruelly imposed on them ­ determined to survive and succeed; a people, who unlike the council members, could not

afford the luxury of embarrassment at their utter exposure, having instead to survive an existence of unimaginable terror.

This was a crime against humanity ­ unexceeded; the ultimate weapon of mass destruction. It is this tenacity and commitment

to survive, to ensure that the destiny of a people would not be perpetual slavery but rather freedom and independence ­ to

become the best that they could be ­ which kept them and their hope alive. In response, we cannot remain ignorant of this

sacrifice, we cannot disappoint; we must advance the cause both for ourselves and future generations.

GETTING RID OF THE SHACKLES

Norman Manley et al committed to this cause, seeing political independence as the goal of his generation and economic

independence for the succeeding generation. This is critical! At the centre of this concept of political independence was

literal representation of the people's interests which was best achieved through nationhood; with a government committed to

assisting its citizens to realise their full potential. This was the road from slavery, personal and political freedom, economic

independence; the facilities and realised abilities to be the best we can be. Sam Sharpe, William Gordon, Bogle, Garvey, et

al, all were inspired by our ancestors and had visions centred on the total interests of their people. But the continuing path

requires knowledgeable, selfless and dedicated leadership.

The African history of the roots of the majority of our people was deliberately obscured by the British et al, but

incomprehensibly continued up to today by us, Jamaicans, who suffered by its absence and have the most to gain from its

return to its rightful place in an independent nation and people. As such, the comment of the august councillors hints at why

the complete history of our people and a potential source of pride and motivation, remains obscure to the majority ­ our

leaders seemingly see no value in it.

Crucial to the perpetuation of slavery and control of the slaves ['instruments' of production], was that they were not

considered fully human nor allowed any other identity except being the property of their masters [a fact reinforced by

being branded like animals with the owner's mark]. They were but tools in his hands, robbed of their history and culture,

made totally dependent on the slave owners. Bereft of their own civilisation, they were made 'uncivilised' in the civilisation

of others.

DEHUMANISING US

Every effort was made to instil inferiority and while not totally accomplished, did have substantial success. In freedom,

each slave needed a surname for legal identification and had no ready options but the available planters names ­ which

became a personal permanent mark into freedom.

The conditioning from slavery resulted in some dreaming of becoming white in order to enjoy the same privileges. Given the

higher social status of mixed breeds, skin bleaching was an attempt at greater benefits; or 'Put milk in yu coffee son,'

requesting sons to marry fair-skinned girls, seeking improved prospects for the next generation.

This sense of incompleteness and inferiority among many of our people is a serious issue and therefore, the building of pride

in country and people is crucial.

What are the current motivations of our people? Is it from a sense of history and destiny? Is it from knowledge of the plans

of government giving us hope for tomorrow? Is it in being a Jamaican?

There are surges of such motivation, usually from the average Jamaican, among us. This is seen in the wonderful

performances of our athletes ­ our exceptional netballers, among so many others ­ motivated by the fact that as poor, black

Jamaicans of this world, irrespective of the deprivation, we will attain the heights and show the world who we really are. It

is the inherited guts and pride of a long line of fighters with a commitment to their people. How else can we describe

Veronica Campbell's tears on the winner's rostrum facing our flag at the Olympics in Athens? Amazingly, the disadvantaged

average citizen in representing us has so often made us proud and it is on their backs that the economy rests.

INSUFFICIENCY OF LEADERSHIP

Our leaders in government, the Church and the private sector, despite their differing roles, have responsibility to our

country. Corruption today is symptomatic of the insidious decline in morality, the attainment of success anyhow and the

satisfaction of greed at any cost. This is the norm in our society. It's everywhere. Merit is deliberately sidelined and

uprightness is increasingly rare. To contain corruption, justice must, without exception, be made to roll through all of

Jamaica like a mighty river and with it, righteousness evidenced like a never-failing stream.

Our education system continues to be bereft of the history of the majority of our people so that as in slavery, we are a

people deprived of knowledge of our history. The economic and social strategies of our government [if they exist] are

unknown to the general public who become pawns in the development of our country. We are swept on by the activities of our

leaders rather than being informed participants to our own destiny.

As with slavery, we are almost powerless, having nothing to do with how decisions affecting our lives are made and

implemented but like flotsam on the water, moved by motion generated by our leaders for whatever reasons. 'Massa know

whey him a do' may have been satisfying to our masters in slavery and our leaders today, but not to those led in ignorance.

Citizens regularly block the roads to get the attention of the Government ­ noticeably not the Member of Parliament [MP];

they seem to have given up on the latter. In general, MPs, despite the original intent, are not seen as representatives of the

people. The party machine serves up spin and pork [salt not jerk] and delivers the constituency, then the MP becomes

'honourable' and suited. Yet in the eyes of the citizens, some are figuratively clothed in a vendor's ankle-length coverall

with cavernous pockets from the waist to the hem. That's the perception: a Br'er Anancy seeking the pensionable two terms,

not a freedom fighter for the cause of his or her people. This perception has to be changed; we cannot go forward with it.

To attain real freedom as a people, our political representational system needs comprehensive overhaul urgently and we must

get to really know ourselves.

There is an appropriate African proverb 'Until the lion has his historian, the hunter will always be a hero.'

Errol Hewitt is an information and communication technology planning consultant with the United Nations and the

Commonwealth Secretariat.

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