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Rape. Murder. Incest. Serial killers. Civil wars. Atomic bombs. Concentration
Camps. Internment Camps. Prisoner of war. Capital punishment. Domestic abuse.
Hate crimes. Natural disasters. Poverty. Suicides. Corruption. All of these
things are awful problems that our world has encountered. But one very important
problem is not listed. That problem is slavery. Slavery was, and is, one of
the worst things our world has ever had to face and deal with, yet it is not
talked about like rape and murder are. We avoid talking about slavery, why?
We do not want to admit that it existed, that we made a huge mistake? People
are in denial? I am not quite such why slavery has not been talked about more
or why more people do not know more about slavery. I believe it is time to change
that. I chose to write my reggae paper on how Jamaican slavery influenced, and is
reflected in, reggae music. I decided to research this topic because I find
it intriguing. Slavery, in my mind, is the most awful existence a person can
experience. I do not think I will ever be able to fully comprehend how one human
being could treat a fellow human being with such disregard. Every country has
had some interaction with slavery, whether in the past or present. It is unbelievable
that few people truly understand how prevalent and awful slavery was and still
is. My paper will guide you through the history of Jamaican slavery, while
inserting popular reggae music which I feel exemplifies the point I am trying
to make: the history or Jamaica has affected reggae music. My paper describes
the Transatlantic Journey, British rule in Jamaica, and what happened to the
Jamaican people once they were emancipated. I feel that the lyrics I have chosen
to incorporate into my paper are prime examples of how such popular reggae artists,
such as Bob Marley and Burning Spear, were influenced by the oppression of their
people. How Could Something As Awful As Slavery Have Begun
Before I conducted my research, I was troubled over the fact that something
as awful as slavery could be justified and executed. I could not comprehend
how something of this magnitude could ever be carried out. It was a race destroying
itself. I came to understand that slavery, just like every other awful thing
that goes on in this world, was concealed as something else. If the British
had said "we want to take all the African people and turn them into slaves",
slavery never would have been. But did the British say this?; of course not.
They instead concealed slavery as an international business deal between themselves(Europe),
and Africa. Africans were convinced by the British to export their raw materials,
such as hides, copper, gold, gum, ivory, and their people(not knowing what they
were getting themselves into), in exchange for manufactured goods, such as iron
and cloth(Thornton, pg.44). Once the cycle began, it could not be stopped. Walter Rodney, an advocate for the abolition of the slave trade, thought
that commerce between Europe and Africa was the first and decisive step in the
underdevelopment of Africa(Thornton, pg.43). Africa was forced into what can
be called a "colonial" trade(to use a European term) by Europe(Thornton,
pg.43). While Europe was reaping the benefits from their trade agreement with
Africa, Africa itself was suffering immensely. There was a major loss in the
country, due to so many of its people being shipped off to other parts of the
world to work as slaves. An increase in warfare and related military damage,
adversely affected judicial systems, an increase in inequality among Africans,
and damaged sex ratios(there was a major decrease in the number of men due to
the slave trade) Rodney believed, could all be attributed to the unjust trade
agreement between Europe and Africa(Thornton, pg.73). If one were to examine the connections among the number of slaves being
traded, the growth of plantations, and the increase in the British industry
during the third quarter of the 18th century, one would see evidence
that indicates a relationship between the three. As the number of slaves being
transported by the British increased, so did the size of the sugarcane plantations
and, therefore, the British economy(Solow & Engerman, pg.105). This is an
example of how money can drive people to do unbelievable and awful things. Because
the British were prospering from the Africans misery, they increased the amount
of slave trading. From 1701-1807, British traders carried approximately 2.5-3.7
million slaves from Africa to various parts of North America(Solow & Engerman,
pg.105). 3/4 of a million of these slaves were brought to Jamaica(American
Slavery, pg.22). Transatlantic Journey/ Middle Passage Jamaican slavery began with the Middle Passage, or the Transatlantic journey.
During this 16th century trip, British expeditions brought Africans
to Jamaica(Unger & Reimers, pg.17). The purpose of the British expeditions
was for the British to make money. The British did so by shipping as many slaves
as they could from Africa to Jamaica, where the African people would be sold
off to sugarcane plantations(Unger & Reimers, pg.17). Bob Marleys
Redemption Song vividly tells how awful the slave trade was and how uprooted
the Africans were: Old pirates yes they rob I Sold I to the merchant ships Minutes after they took I from the bottom less pit But my hand was made strong By the hand of the almighty We forward in this generation triumphantly All I ever had is songs of freedom Wont you help to sing these songs of freedom Cause all I ever had redemption songs, redemption songs(The Words
of Bob Marley) The ships used to take slaves from Africa to Jamaica were extremely large.
The slaves were held in lower quarters, called holds. The ceilings in these
holds ranged anywhere from 5-6 ft.(Unger & Reimers, pg.19). There were 2
platforms placed in the holds for the slaves to sleep on. These platforms only
allowed for about 20 inches of headspace(Unger & Reimers, pg.19). Therefore,
the slaves could not sit up or move around. They were also shackled on the wrists
and ankles in groups of six to the person next to them(Unger & Reimers,
pg.19). The floors of the holds were bare, unfinished wood and the slaves elbows
would be worn to the born from rubbing against the wood(Unger & Reimers,
pg.18). Men and women were separated(Thornton, pg.154). This shows how little
the sailors cared for the slaves; they did not allow the slaves any companionship
from their wives, mothers, or sisters. By breaking down families, the British
broke down the spirits of the slaves. The British sailors had two different methods for transporting the slaves.
The first method was called loose packing. This was the idea that by taking
less slaves aboard and, therefore, allowing the slaves more room and somewhat
better conditions, the death rate would be decreased and more slaves could be
sold in Jamaica(Unger & Reimers, pg.19). The second method for transporting
the slaves to Jamaica was called tight packing. This was the idea that the more
slaves that could be put on a ship the better. Even though more slaves would
die using this method as opposed to loose packing, it was cheaper than making
more trips from Africa to Jamaica(Unger & Reimers, pg.19). As time went
on the tight packing method became more prevalent. This shows just how cruel
the British sailors were and how the African people were not even considered
human beings. There were, of course, problems on the ships due to the unbelievably disgusting
treatment of the African people. Mutinies were something that sailors and crew
had to worry about. Im not gonna give it up Im not goin Im not gonna give it up Im not goin I will be fighting Ive got to be fighting I will be fighting Till Africa and Africans are free(Peter Tosh Lyrics) Mutinies were most common when all the slaves aboard were from the same African
tribe(Unger & Reimers, pg.21). The most common tribes that would attempt
a mutiny were warlike tribes from the Gold Coast(Unger & Reimers, pg.21).
Mutinies would usually take place near the coast because Africans gained a sense
of hope if they could see land(Unger & Reimers, pg.21). From 1750-1788 the
frequency with which mutinies occurred increased because merchants were trying
to save money and, therefore, decreased the size of their crew(Unger & Reimers,
pg.22). Most mutinies were maintained by the crews, but when they were not,
the mutinies were still usually unsuccessful because the Africans did
not have the ability to navigate the seas(Unger & Reimers, pg.24). The Africans
viewed the white mans ability to navigate the seas as "white mans
magic"(Unger & Reimers, pg.24). Fights also broke out among the slaves. Because the slaves slept head to
toe(Thornton, pg.154), people often spilt the latrines on each other during
the night(Unger & Reimers, pg.27). This was not done on purpose, but it
was too dark in the holds to see where people were located and it was also hard
to move because everyone was shackled together. There were also slaves who tried
to commit suicide. They would attempt this by drowning themselves or by starving
themselves(Unger & Reimers, pg.26). Conditions on the ships were so appalling and incredibly disgusting, that
I had to stop reading on several occasions. Doctors and crew members would hardly
go under the deck because of the stench permeating the area. The odors arose
from dead bodies, excretions, and vomit due to sea sickness(Thornton, pg.157). Not only did the slaves endure physical harm during the Transatlantic Voyage,
but they were also psychologically damaged forever(Thornton, pg.161). Mama Africa How are you doing Mama, Mama Africa Long time me no see you Mama They took me away from you Mama Long before I was born They took me away from you Mama Long before I came on in(Peter Tosh Lyrics) The African people were uprooted from the only home they had ever known, taken
on long journeys while enduring the worst conditions imaginable, separated from
family and friends, saw many fellow Africans die, were themselves brought to
the brink of death, all while suffering from extreme deprivation in every facet
of their life(Thornton, pg.161). I am absolutely amazed that these unfortunate
African people were able to carry on during the Middle Passage. I always knew that slavery was an awful event in the history of the world,
but I never knew the hideous details. I think it is amazing how little most
people know about slavery when it has been such a huge part of every countrys
history. It blows my mind that a species can self-destruct like we did during
the centuries that slavery existed. I thought that nothing could be worse than
the slaves transatlantic voyage. The slaves thought that they were being
taken to their death, so anything would be better than death, right? Wrong,
a life of slavery was the worst life imaginable. British Rule In Jamaica The British conquered Jamaica from the Spanish in 1655 and ruled in Jamaica
until August 1, 1834. During this time, Jamaicas southern coast was converted
into plantations because the land was so fertile(Walvin, pg.169). Jamaicas
chief crop was sugarcane. During the years of British rule, more than 10 million
tons of sugarcane emerged from the island(Walvin, pg.73). This explains why
the black population during these years increased from 50,000 to more than 1
million(Walvin, pg.73). During the 18th century, Jamaica came to
dominate the sugar industry(Walvin, pg.74). This process happened rather quickly,
with the massive influx of slaves from Jamaica. This can be seen by the fact
that in the mid 18th century, half of the plantation owners had around
500 acres, but by 1774, the medium-sized plantations had around 600 acres and
about 200 slaves(Walvin, pg.74). The massive increase in the amount of slaves
can also be seen by looking at old Jamaican maps. A map of 1671 named 146 plantations,
while a map made 13 years later named 690 plantations(Walvin, pg.70). In 1775,
each sugar plantation owned about 240 slaves(Walvin, pg.71). That is a staggering
figure. The ratio of slaves to landowners was about 50:1(Walvin, pg.73). Some
reports say that the black population more than doubled that of the white landowners(Irwin,
pg.187). No one, including the white landowners, doubted that their slaves were
the integral part of the economy of the island(Walvin, pg.73). In 1718, William
Wood said: "The labour of negroes is the principal foundation of riches
from the plantations". While the bulk of the work on the plantations was
done by the slaves, the white landowners took credit for the bountiful crops
and benefited from the money that the crops brought in. The owners and slaves
lived drastically different lives. While the slaves existed on a scarce and
basic diet, their owners ate lavishly. The slaves housing was extremely primitive,
while their owners houses were of great material comfort. There was also a physical
distant from where the slaves dwelled to where the owners lived(Walvin, 72).
The following quote shows how great the life of a landowner really was: "the
afternoon thus passes in drinking and smoking, but quite often on is so drunk
that he cannot return home. Our gentleman found this life extremely pleasant".
It is crazy that someone could live such a lavish, fun lifestyle while people
an acre away were living the lowest level of existence possible. Theyve been celebrating all these days Theyve been celebrating all these days So what about the slavery days? So what about the slavery days?(Burning Spear) Death among slaves was not uncommon. This may have been due in part, to
the fact that the number one task of all landowners was to break in their slaves(Walvin,
pg.71). Slaves quickly became aware of the punishments they would receive if
they did not do as they were told. One punishment that I found so shocking was
a form of severe torture. A slave would be nailed to the ground with crooked
sticks in every limb and fire would be applied to their body slowly, so as to
inflict an enormous amount of pain(Irwin, pg.195). Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey So they want us to think stupid So they want us to feel stupid Thats how they want us to be(Burning Spear). How was this done? With what else, but violence. Because of the dangerous work that slaves participated in, such as working
machinery that they were not skilled enough to be working, almost all of the
deaths between 1688 and 1690 were because of accidents on the job(Thornton,
163). The most major cause of death, though, was disease. One out of every three
African slaves died within their first three years in Jamaica because they were
being exposed to things that had never been exposed to before, such as small
pox(Walvin, pg.75). Slaves were dying in large numbers, and usually affecting
those around them as they died. This was due to the interaction of diseases
from Europe, Africa, and the Americas(Walvin, pg.136). In most countries with slavery, the number of men greatly outweighed the
number of women, but this was not the case in Jamaica, where there were more
women than men(Walvin, pg.120). Women were an important ingredient of slavery
because while female slaves could, and were expected to, do all the heavy manual
labor that the men could do, the women slaves could also serve as servants,
cooks, or maids in the landowners home, be a breeder with their fellow slaves(thus
producing more slaves free of charge), and these women could provide sexual
services to their master(Walvin, pg.119). So not only did the women slaves have
to do the work of a slave, but they were being sexually exploited on a day to
day basis. When I think of a slave, I think of a person who works in the fields. While
this was the most common form of slavery, and the form that marked the institution
of slavery, it was not the only form. Some slaves worked in towns, on the rivers
or sea, or in skilled professions(Walvin, pg.71). As the institution of slavery
became more developed, a demand for skilled workers increased(Walvin, pg.72).
While plantations could be run without skilled workers, the production of sugar,
rum, tobacco, and rice could not be carried out without skilled workers. As time went on, people became more aware of the horrors of slavery. When
the first reformed Parliament was elected in 1832 under the government of Lord
Grey, support black freedom became great and both the Houses of the Parliament
favored freedom(Walvin, pg.307). Therefore, the slaves were legally freed on
August 1,1834. Bob Marleys Get Up, Stand Up illustrates how sick
and tired the African people were: Were sick and tired of you ism and skism game Die and go to heaven in Jesus name, Lord we know when we understand Almighty God is a living man You can fool some people sometimes But you cant fool all the people all the time So now we see the light We gonna stand up for our right(The Words of Bob Marley). It turned out to only be partial freedom. All people under the age of 6 and
over the age of 70 were freed, but everyone else became "apprentices",
which meant they had to work for their former owners for the next 6 years(Walvin,
pg.307). When you sign that peace treaty I told you it wouldnt worky worky When you sign that peace treaty I told them it could not worky worky(Peter Tosh Lyrics) Even though their freedom was only partial, the emancipated slaves celebrated
their newfound freedom. And once the missionaries found apprenticeships to be
brutal and exploitative, this too was ended. On July 31,1838, the emancipated
slaves no longer had to be apprentices(Walvin, pg.307). So you live on my island You own all my rights I want you to know Give me what is mine If this is a musical war I decided to fight(Burning Spear). The free black people celebrated in churches. One common ritual was for the
people to conduct mock funerals, to lay slavery to rest(Walvin, pg.308). One
verse the congregation sang was: Now, Slavery, we lay thy vile form in the dust, And buried for
ever there let it remain: And rotted, and covered with infamys
rust, Be every man-whip, and fetter and chain. "Freedom" Even though the black people were now "free", their lives were
not great. They had few skills or education, so getting a prosperous job was
virtually impossible. Freed slaves could work for their former owners, but many
wanted to leave the plantations. Those who tried to farm on their own, found
it very costly, now that they did not have landowners to pay for everything(Walvin,
pg.326). One of the biggest problems after slavery was outlawed was the fact
that blacks were still greatly discriminated against by everyone else on the
island. Freedom was not all it was cracked up to be. Bob Marleys Chant
Down Babylon explains how the African people knew and understood what the
British were really trying to do: Men see their dreams and aspirationsv Crumble in front of their face And all their wicked intentions to be Destroy the human race Music youre, music youre the key Talk to who, please talk to me Bring the voice of the Rastaman Communicating to everyone(The Words of Bob Marley). The British also wanted to make it appear that they freed the slaves out of
the goodness of their hearts. This was, obviously, not the case at all. There
were other, less noble and less honest reasons for freeing the slaves. I think
Lord Palmerston said it best when he said: Let no man imagine that those treaties for the suppression of the
slave trade are valuable only as being calculated to promote the great
interests of humanity, and as tending to rid mankind of a foul and detestable
crime. Such was indeed their great object and their chief merit. But
in this case as in many others, virtue carries its own reward; and if
the nations of the world could extirpate this abominable traffic, and
if the vast population of Africa could by that means be left free to
betake themselves to peaceful and innocent trade, the greatest commercial
benefit would accrue, not to England only, but to every civilized nation
which engages in maritime commerce. These slave trade treaties therefore
are indirectly treaties for the encouragement of commerce(Walvin, pg.330). So it can be seen that the British did not care about helping the slaves. They
only cared about helping themselves. Its the system, the system, the system Any nation without their roots Is like trees without their root Any nation without their roots Is like the trees without their root(Burning Spear). How did the black people in Jamaica deal with such an awful life? Through music.
Music is a form of communication that everyone, of every race, economic class,
and ethnic background, can participate in and listen to music.. Through music,
the black people of Jamaica felt happiness and hope. Music also served as a
form of communication among the blacks of Jamaica and was a way for the slaves
to ridicule their hideous owners. The slaves loved music from the beginning of slavery and they participated
in music in many ways, from singing to chanting to using man-made instruments.
When Monk Lewis visited his land in Jamaica, he was astounded by the music of
the slaves: Their music consisted of nothing but Gambys(Eboe drums), shaky-shekies,
and kitty-katties; the latter is nothing but a flat piece of board with
two sticks, the former is a bladder with a parcel of pebbles in it.
But the principal part of the music to which they dance is vocal; one
girl generally singing two lines by herself, and being answered by the
chorus
the singing began about six oclock, and lasted without
a moments pause till two in the morning; and such a noise never
did hear till then.(Walvin, pg.157) As this quote illustrates, music and dance dominated the social lives of the
slaves(Walvin, pg.159). Slaves would not just sing in their free time, but also
while they worked(Walvin, pg.159). Their singing would follow the pattern by
which they were working. The music helped the slaves continue in their grueling
work. The songs that slaves sang during their work often reflected the sadness
of their lives: If me want to go in a Ebo Me cant go there! Since dem tief me from a Guinea, Me cant go there!(Walvin, pg.160). This song shows how limited and controlled the lives of the slaves were. The slave owners felt threatened by the slaves music because it served
as a form of communication among them(Walvin, pg.162). The slave owners could
not understand the slaves lyrics. The slave owners were so threatened
by the slaves music, that they wrote laws prohibiting it. The laws said that
it was unlawful to allow slaves to assemble and play music(Walvin, pg.162).
The slave owners justification for these laws were: "These restrictions
proceeded from the experience that rebellions had often been concerted at dances
and nightly meetings of slaves from different plantations"(Walvin, pg.162).
It seems the slave owners were always able to justify everything. All it required
was a weak argument such as this one, because who was going to argue with the
owners, their slaves? I think not. Because of the awful way the slave owners treated the slaves, the slaves
used their music to ridicule their masters. New-come buckra(whiteman) He get sick, He tak fever, He be die He be die(Walvin, pg.152). When the slaves sang these songs, the joke was on the slave owners. They could
not understand the slaves, and did not know they were being made fun of. I believe that slave songs and chants influenced what today we call reggae
music. I think this can be proven by the lyrics of reggae music. Much of reggae
music focuses on the oppression of the Jamaican people. Their fighting and suffering
is often what is being sung about. Conclusion The history of Jamaica is not a pleasant, pretty, or idealistic one. It
is gruesome, sad, and cruel. While I was astounded, depressed, and at times
sickened while reading about it, I think that it is important for people to
not forget the history of Jamaica. We all need to remember what happened in
Jamaica from 1655-1834, because we need to make sure that nothing as awful as
Jamaican slavery ever happens again. It is also important for us to realize that reggae music is more than just
a beat or rhythm; the lyrics are extremely powerful and meaningful. They are
filled with sorrow, pride, and hope. Reggae music is different for everyone.
It can be seen as a reawakened African art form or a danceable Caribbean rhythm.
The reason reggae music appeals to so many different people is that is satisfies
the many needs that people have(OBrien & Chen, pg.6). Before writing this paper, I thought of reggae music as music that was fun
to listen to when hanging out with my friends, when having a good time. Now
I think of reggae music as a form of verbal history. I pay attention to the
lyrics of the songs because I now know that the artists are trying to tell me
something. When I listen to reggae music, I feel strong. I use reggae music
as a way to feel empowered. If the slaves of Jamaica overcame all that they
did, I can do anything. That, I believe, is the message of reggae music. THE EFFECTS OF SLAVERY ON REGGAE MUSIC
SARAH NOVICK