Chapter1

<font size="1" color="#0000c0"> <p><html></p> <p><head></p> <p><meta name=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"keywords"</p> </font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> <p>content=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Ama, Ama A Story of the Atlantic Slave Trade, A</p> <p>Story of the Atlantic Slave Trade, Africa, Slave Trade, Slavery, Atlantic</p> <p>World, Reparations, Manu Herbstein, Manu, Herbstein, Novel, Fiction, Historical</p> <p>Novel, Historical Fiction, Middle Passage, Racism, Asante, Asantehene, Ashanti,</p> <p>Bahia, Brazil, Candomble, Cape Coast, Capitein, Jacobus Capitein, Dagbon,</p> <p>Dagomba, Diaspora, Edina, Elmina, Fante, Fanti, Ghana, Gold Coast, Gonja,</p> <p>Kafaba, Kola, Konkomba, Kumase, Kumasi, Love of Liberty, Nandzi, Osei Kwadwo, Osei</p> <p>Kwame, Philip Quaque, Richard Brew, Salaga, Tomba, Yendi, African American,</p> <p>African history, African diaspora, African literature, African religion,</p> <p>Authenticity, Capitalism and Slavery, Complicity, Curriculum, Eighteenth</p> <p>Century, Gold, Legacy of Slavery, Pamela, Participation, Plausibility,</p> <p>Authentic, Resistance to Slavery, Storytelling, Sugar, Print on demand, e-book,</p> <p>South African writers, Yoruba, e-reads.com, e-reads, Slave Route, Slave Route project, Adu Boahen, Kofi Anyidoho"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></p> <p><meta name=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"description"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> content=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Companion web site to the novel Ama, A Story of the Atlantic Slave Trade by Manu Herbstein"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></p> <p><meta name=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"GENERATOR"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> content=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Microsoft FrontPage 4.0"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></p> <p><meta name=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"ProgId"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> content=</font><font size="1" 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color="#0000c0"> size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"5"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">In</p> <p>1775 a young African woman is captured and enslaved.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></i></p> <p><p style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><i><font face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Arial"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"5"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">This</p> <p>novel tells the story of her life.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></i></p></p> <p><p style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">&nbsp;</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></p></p> <p><font size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"2"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#000000"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></p> <p><div align=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"left"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><table border=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"0"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> cellpadding=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"2"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> cellspacing=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"1"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> width=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"687"</p> </font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> <p>bordercolorlight=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#C0C0C0"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> bordercolordark=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#808080"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> frame=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"BOX"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> rules=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"ALL"</p> </font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> <p>bgcolor=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#FFFFFF"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> align=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"left"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><tr></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><td valign=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"TOP"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> bgcolor=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#FFFFFF"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> height=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"193"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> width=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"419"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><font size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"2"</p> </font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> <p>color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#000000"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><div align=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"center"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><center></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><table border=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"3"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> width=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"100%"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> bgcolor=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#CCCCCC"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><tr></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><td></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p align=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"center"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><font size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"3"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#111111"</p> </font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> <p>face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Clarendon Condensed"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">IN EVERLASTING MEMORY</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></p></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></font></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p align=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"center"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><font color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#111111"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Clarendon Condensed"</p> </font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> <p>size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"1"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">OF THE ANGUISH OF OUR ANCESTORS.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></p></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p align=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"center"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><font color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#111111"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Clarendon Condensed"</p> </font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> <p>size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"1"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">MAY THOSE WHO DIED REST IN PEACE.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></p></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p align=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"center"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><font color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#111111"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Clarendon Condensed"</p> </font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> <p>size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"1"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">MAY THOSE WHO RETURN FIND THEIR ROOTS.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></p></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p align=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"center"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><font color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#111111"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Clarendon Condensed"</p> </font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> <p>size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"1"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">MAY HUMANITY NEVER AGAIN PERPETRATE</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></p></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p align=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"center"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><font color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#111111"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Clarendon Condensed"</p> </font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> <p>size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"1"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">SUCH INJUSTICE AGAINST HUMANITY</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></p></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p align=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"center"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><font color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#111111"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Clarendon Condensed"</p> </font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> <p>size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"1"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">WE, THE LIVING, VOW TO UPHOLD THIS.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></p></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></td></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></tr></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></table></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></center></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></div></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p align=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"center"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><font size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"1"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#111111"</p> </font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> <p>face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">INSCRIPTION AT ELMINA CASTLE</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></p></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></td></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><td valign=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"TOP"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> bgcolor=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#FFFFFF"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> height=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"193"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> width=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"91"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">&nbsp;</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></td></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><td valign=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"TOP"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> bgcolor=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#FFFFFF"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> height=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"193"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> width=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"941"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><span</p> <p>style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;</p> <p>font-family:Arial"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">Never has (the story of the Atlantic Slave Trade) been so</p> <p>captured in its total complexity, never have its tragic implications been</p> <p>laid out so fully, with all the scattered details brought together in one</p> <p>magnificent narrative of awesome and humbling imaginative impact . . . a</p> <p>long story that seems to have barely begun even as you reach the final</p> <p>page.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></span><span</p> <p>style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"font-size:</p> <p>10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></span></p></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> align=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"right"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><span</p> <p>style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"font-size:</p> <p>10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">Kofi Anyidoho, Professor and</p> <p>Head,</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></span></p></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p align=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"right"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><span</p> <p>style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"font-size:</p> <p>10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">Department of English,</p> <p>University of Ghana</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></span><span</p> <p>style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;</p> <p>font-family:Arial"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">&nbsp;</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><o:p></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></span></p></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">&nbsp;</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></p></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><i><span</p> <p>style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;</p> <p>font-family:Arial"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">Ama</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></span></i><span</p> <p>style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:</p> <p>12.0pt;font-family:Arial"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000"> is a deeply engrossing novel, and after completing it</p> <p>I understood, on a level I had never before experienced, the heart and</p> <p>soul and tragedy of the African-American . . . </font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><i></font><font size="1" color="#000000">Ama</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></i></font><font size="1" color="#000000"> is the</p> <p>archetypal story of an African woman’s journey, not just from Africa to</p> <p>the Americas, but also from innocence to sophistication and ignorance to</p> <p>wisdom.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><span style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"mso-spacerun:</p> <p>yes"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">&nbsp;</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></span></span></p></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">&nbsp;</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></p></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p align=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"right"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><span</p> <p>style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"font-size:</p> <p>10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">Richard Curtis, Publisher,</p> <p>e-reads</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></span></td></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></tr></p> <p></table></p> <p></div></p> <p><blockquote></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p class=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"MsoNormal"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"margin-left: 10"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> align=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"left"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><span</p> <p>style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;</p> <p>font-family:Arial"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></o:p></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></span></p></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p class=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"MsoNormal"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"margin-left: 10"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> align=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"left"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">&nbsp;</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></p></p> <p></blockquote></p> <p><span</p> <p>style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;</p> <p>mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><br</p> <p>clear=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"all"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"page-break-before:always;mso-break-type:section-break"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></p> <p></span></p> <p><p></font><font size="1" color="#000000">&nbsp;</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></p></p> <p><p><font size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"3"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#000000"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><span</p> <p>style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"background-color: #FFFF00"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">Please click on a bulleted heading to toggle</p> <p>the content.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></span></font></p></p> <p><p><font color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#000000"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"1"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">Several</p> <p>pages in this site contain a lot of text and may take some time to load.&nbsp;</p> <p>While the page is loading you should be able to start reading.&nbsp; Once the</p> <p>page is fully loaded, all the underlying texts should disappear, leaving only</p> <p>the bold bulleted headings. Clicking on one of these will toggle the underlying</p> <p>text on and off. If the text below the bulleted heading does not disappear when</p> <p>the page is fully loaded, you might be using an obsolete browser. Please</p> <p>consider upgrading.&nbsp; This site is best viewed with your monitor set to</p> <p>1024x768.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></p></p> <p><ul dynamicoutline initcollapsed></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><li><font face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Arial"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"3"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><b><font color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#000000"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">The background</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></b></font></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><ul></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><li><font size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"3"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Arial"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><font color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#000000"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">African slaves were</p> <p>sold in Lisbon as early as 1441. The European discovery and colonization</p> <p>of the Americas set the scene for the trans-Atlantic slave trade. In the</p> <p>course of three hundred years, from the sixteenth to the nineteenth</p> <p>century, upwards of ten million black men, women and children arrived in</p> <p>the Americas as unwilling migrants. Millions more died on the journey to</p> <p>the Atlantic coast, and at sea.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><font color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#000000"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">The slaves were all African. So too were most of</p> <p>those who first sold them. The buyers and shippers were Europeans.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><font color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#000000"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">Like you and me, each of those Africans must</p> <p>surely have had a tale to tell. No doubt it would have been a tale of</p> <p>suffering; but often, surely, also a tale of courage and solidarity.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><font color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#000000"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">Sadly, few acquired the skills needed to preserve</p> <p>their stories for posterity; and those who did wrote with European</p> <p>quills and European ink on European paper.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><font color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#000000"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">What of the vast majority? What of those who never</p> <p>learned to read or write and never accepted the religion of their</p> <p>oppressors? &nbsp;</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><font color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#000000"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">Their stories are lost. All but a few of the ten</p> <p>million came from societies in which literature was oral, rather than</p> <p>written. Even when the light of history shines briefly on one of those</p> <p>black faces, it is seldom an African who holds the flickering torch and</p> <p>tells us what he sees. The fragments which have come down to us are</p> <p>shattered images of African society, African beliefs, African</p> <p>relationships, African people.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></font></li></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></ul></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">&nbsp;</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></li></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><li><font size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"3"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Arial"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><b><font color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#000000"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">Ama's story</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></b></font></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><ul></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><li></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><font size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"3"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Arial"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><font</p> <p>color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#000000"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">This novel is an attempt to recreate the experience of</p> <p>enslavement and resistance, seen from the point of view of one African</p> <p>slave. &nbsp;</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><font color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#000000"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">In 1772, the musketeers of the army of the Asante</p> <p>Confederacy vanquished the archers and cavalry of the Kingdom of</p> <p>Dagomba. The victor exacted from the defeated enemy an annual tribute of</p> <p>five hundred slaves.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><font color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#000000"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">Ama, then known by her birth-name, Nandzi, is left</p> <p>alone to care for her baby brother. She is captured, raped and enslaved.</p> <p>Her name is taken from her. She fights back; she is defeated. She</p> <p>escapes; and is recaptured. From the moment when she loses her freedom,</p> <p>her life oscillates between resistance to her successive owners and a</p> <p>reluctant accommodation to their power. The Dagomba give her to the</p> <p>Asante; the Asante sell her to the Dutch. On board an English slave</p> <p>ship, she instigates a rebellion; and suffers a terrible retribution</p> <p>when it fails. In Brazil, where eighteen-hour work shifts send slaves to</p> <p>an early death, she attempts to build a new life. Sustained by ancient</p> <p>beliefs, Ama's spirit never wavers. Enslaved she might have been, but to</p> <p>herself she is never a slave.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></font></li></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></ul></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><p style=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">&nbsp;</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></li></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><li><font size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"3"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Arial"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><b><font color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#000000"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">This web-site</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></b></font></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><ul></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><li><font size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"3"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Arial"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">Whether we are aware of it or not,</p> <p>&nbsp;the holocaust which was the Atlantic slave trade has in some way</p> <p>affected everyone of us who lives on the shores of the Atlantic and</p> <p>beyond. I hope that you will find Ama's story a good read; but beyond</p> <p>that, if it leaves you with a hunger to know more, please click on the</p> <p>links in the panel on the left. </font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><b></font><font size="1" color="#000000">Please be warned that some of the web</p> <p>page contain a great deal of text and may take time to load.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></b><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><b></font><font size="1" color="#000000">ENHANCEMENTS</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></b></font><font size="1" color="#000000"> will take you to a list of the main characters in</p> <p>the novel and a glossary.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></li></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></ul></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><ul></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><li><font face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Arial"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"3"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><b></font><font size="1" color="#000000">TEXTS AND SOURCES</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></b></font><font size="1" color="#000000"> leads to</p> <p>references to the work of distinguished scholars, supported in some</p> <p>cases by&nbsp; texts which relate in some way to Ama's story.&nbsp;</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><b></font><font size="1" color="#000000">ISSUES</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></b></font><font size="1" color="#000000"> includes discussions on the problem of achieving</p> <p>authenticity and plausibility in a historical novel of this nature; on</p> <p>the Middle Passage in Fiction; on African Participation in Slavery and</p> <p>the Slave Trade; on how the Atlantic Slave Trade features in the</p> <p>Curriculum of Schools in the United States; on Racism; and on</p> <p>Reparations.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><b></font><font size="1" color="#000000">OTHER INFORMATION</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></b></font><font size="1" color="#000000"> includes the UNESCO Slave Route Project, films</p> <p>dealing with Slavery and the Atlantic Slave Trade, Slavery and</p> <p>Anti-Slavery in the world today, African Literature, Conferences</p> <p>and&nbsp; Museums of slavery and the slave trade.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><b></font><font size="1" color="#000000">REACTIONS</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></b></font><font size="1" color="#000000"> will lead you to Blurbs and Reviews of AMA (if there</p> <p>are any) and will offer you a place to record your comments on AMA and</p> <p>on this web site.</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"><br></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></li></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></ul></p> </font><font size="1" color="#000000"> <p></font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></li></p> <p></ul></p> <p><p><font size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"3"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Arial"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><br></p> <p><br></p> <p><br></p> <p></font></p> <p><p><font size=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"3"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"> face=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"Arial"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><a href=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"internal_links.htm"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">><font</p> <p>color=</font><font size="1" color="#000000">"#FFFFFF"</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0">></font><font size="1" color="#000000">internal links</font><font size="1" color="#0000c0"></font></a></font></p></p> <p></body></p> <p></html></p> </font>