From the treasure trove of immense scholarly research work, writings and manuscripts, contemporary scholars and historians, from both horizons of the philosophical world, corroborate the perspective that for over a period of nearly ten centuries, millions of women and children from the African continent, were forced into slavery to different destinations of the new world of civilisation. The holocaust of African slave people, is not just a fiction of an African story, but a living catalogue of our historical past, which continues to shape the world of humanity.
True facts of history testify that the phenomenon of slavery, obstructed the foundations of African civilisation from antiquity, withering African material and human resource, long before the discovery of the Trans-Atlantic Slave trade. The historical period saw millions of slaves, whom majority were women and children, forcefully sold as slaves through the Red Sea into the Middle East hemisphere, through the Mediterranean Sea into West European hemisphere, the Indian Ocean into the Far East hemisphere, and the Trans- Sahara caravan route to many parts of the world.
During the 15th century, Pope Nicholas V, of the Roman Catholic Church, who was acclaimed to have brought Renaissance to the gates of Rome, issued the Papal Bull, Romanus Pontefix 1455, dividing the world into two, giving Portugal the monopoly of the slave trade in West Africa and all the routes to make trade and spread the gospel of Christianity into the East Indies and Spain the monopoly of the slave trade into the Americas. The church invested massively into the expeditions to explore the new world by Henry the Navigator and Christopher Columbus.
Almost all the established democracies of the Western European nation states, fascinated by the economics of supply and demand of the growing capitalist productive relations, based on racial fragmentation of humanity, disparaged black African people, forcing them into slavery to expand and sustain their trade interests throughout the world. The horrors of the world of the bourgeoisie chose slavery at the expense of human life.
Even at the peak of the tumultuous period of enlightenment of the human race, of the Declaration of Independence, which birthed the United States of America and the declaration of the rights of man during the French Revolution, when coming to the fundamental question of the rights of man, race and profit became the paradox of freedom and equality. Ideological fatigue constructed an unimaginable curtain wall between the bourgeoisie and the barbarians at the gate.
After the fall of the Bastille in 1789, which paved way for the first democratically elected representatives of the French National Assembly, to vote for the declaration of the rights of man, when the question on the necessity to extend the fundamental rights of man to the slave people in the colonies and semi colonies was tabled, the French bourgeoisie chose slavery, racism and profit, over liberty, equality and fraternity. Giving testimony that the bourgeoisie have always betrayed the struggles for the freedom of all humanity.
Materialist philosophical view teaches us that the world of humanity is an imagined community of nation states, each anchored on the foundations of the objective material conditions and the moral architect of its culture and tradition, a community on the footsteps of its own creation, its own imagination, hoping to create for itself an ideal better world which is a home for all. The community of patriarchal relations, which majority of its inhabitants, the womenfolk, still regard politics as a quarrel between men.
Stemming from the horrors of the history of the slave trade, its magnitude and severity on the political and socio economic life of the people of the African continent and the diaspora, we have the responsibility to bring high on the centre stage, the principal question of the leadership role of women, in the centuries old struggles for emancipation of human society. The fundamental question which is undoubtedly about strategic objectives of our struggles for the freedom of humanity.
The irony is that even Queen Elizabeth I, who illuminated moral consciousness of a human heart, vehemently opposed slavery, with the believe that turning human beings into slaves, would bestow vengeance from heaven. But realising the profitability of the slave route, changed her moral convictions and therefore funding and lending the Royal ships to the merchants.
Millions of innocent women and children became easy preys of some of the local African tribal leaders and wealthy influential community leaders, who collaborated with slave merchants, harvesting fellow brothers and sisters into slavery, in exchange of valuables such as clothes, coffee, whiskey and other precious ornaments. These caused devastating psychological effects to most families and communities.
This notion does not suggest that all of our tribal leaders were collaborating with the colonial merchants, as many resisted and led heroic struggles to defend the freedom of their people. The warrior king of the Mossi people of Burkina Faso, had to say the following when confronted by a French captain, demanding his people into slavery:
“I know the whites wish to kill me, in order to take my country. But I find my country good just as I do not need them.
“I know what is necessary for me and what I want. I have my own merchants.
“Also consider yourself fortunate that I do not order your head cut off. Go away now, and above all, never come back.”
The consequences of the slave trade have left an enduring psychological impact on the political and socio-economic well being of the African people and the diaspora. We can attribute most of the problems confronting the community of the African people and diaspora, to the foundational trajectory of the heinous trade.
We celebrate the resilience of the African slave women, their collective struggle to liberate themselves from the nightmarish conditions of slavery, their hope and courage in the face of adversity. We celebrate their determination, tenacity and contribution to our struggle for the development of human society.
They had to lead themselves into skirmishes with the colonial powers from the doorsteps of their households and families, to the slave outposts along the coasts, in the deep bottom of the decks through the harrowing voyage of the middle passage and in the plantations where they lost their being as human beings, but properties of their owners, who can sell them in the open markets like any other goods and services.
Unbearable conditions imposed on them the anguish and deprivations of the long journey across the Atlantic Ocean, carrying the pains of heavy iron bars on their legs and arms. They had to suffer the psychological trauma of abuse and violence in the hands of the crew leaders, rape, disease, overheating, starvation and manslaughter.
They arrived into the unknown land of the Americas empty handed, carrying only the memories of their families, their husbands and children, their communities, they beautiful fauna and flora, beautiful contours of escarpments and horizons of the African continent. They carried their moral values and culture, their songs, dances and cuisine.
Destiny imposed on them to adapt to the new realities of the new world, the harsh realities of slave labour and climatic conditions. They had to familiarise themselves to the cultures, languages and religions of the cosmopolitan society of the new world.
But they continued to display implacable acts of heroism and bravery, leading the struggles for the freedom of the people. They did so even if they had to face most of the harshest forms of punishment if found to be in violation of the law or threatening the interests of the colonial powers.
Mastering the art of using the sounds of their drums and native songs as a form of communication and coordination amongst themselves. Playing a leading role in supplying the rebel slaves and maroons with necessities such as food and medicine, transport of arms and ammunition.
Many occupied the forefront of the trenches by becoming spies, poisoning the families of the slave owners, poisoning water sources and plantations, burning equipments and household dwellings. They were involved in acts of sabotage to further the objectives of their struggle for liberation.
The conditions of struggles produced out of them outstanding community leaders, military experts, health specialists, orators, authors and business people. Many contributed immensely towards the liberation of the people for freedom and equality.
The renowned South African prolific writer Manu Herbstein, the winner of the 2002 Commonwealth Writers Prize for the best First Book, in his novel book Ama, a story of the Atlantic slave trade, depicting a life of a young women African slave, for her courage and tenacity, says the Following” I am a human being, I am a woman, I am a black woman, I am an African. Once I was free, then I was captured and became a slave, but inside me, here and here, I am still a free woman”.
Throughout history women have been standard bearers of our struggles for emancipation. Many of them brought to our mother earth the first generation of the American nation.
The struggle for the liberation of women is the struggle for the liberation of all humanity. It is the struggle for the achievement of a better world for humanity.
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Ambassador Phatse Justice Piitso is a member of the African National Congress, South Africa, writing this article in his personal capacity.