Slavery in Africa existed for hundreds of years before it was abolished in the late 19th century. Yet; we know little about how enslaved individuals; especially those who never left Africa; talked about their experiences. Collecting never before published or translated narratives of Africans from southeastern Ghana; Sandra E. Greene explores how these writings reveal the thoughts; emotions; and memories of those who experienced slavery and the slave trade. Greene considers how local norms and the circumstances behind the recording of the narratives influenced their content and impact. This unprecedented study affords unique insights into how ordinary West Africans understood and talked about their lives during a time of change and upheaval.
#3360576 in Books Terence O Ranger 1999-04-22 1999-04-22Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.25 x 1.05 x 6.12l; 1.06 #File Name: 025321288X316 pagesVoices from the Rocks Nature Culture and History in the Matopos Hills of Zimbabwe
Review
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful. A walk through a compelling landscapeBy David StearnsProfessor Ranger's latest work was one I could not put down. He tells a story which binds you to the place and the people who live there. The individuals and peoples -- of several tribes; African and European -- which populate his book have a vital attachment to their granite hills; and it's fascinating to see that attachment bring them together and divide them. Ranger shows us how complex the reality of inter-ethnic relations are; we see different attitudes toward nature and history be shared or not shared across ethnic and racial boundaries. Cecil Rhodes lives on through this book; and surprisingly; as much more complex than simply a greedy imperialist; after reading this book I can understand better why there's a huge Zimbabwean defense of keeping his body at World's End in the Matopos. This book is a detailed living escape from political history and a thought-provoking study of history and philosophy of nature.
