The movie was disturbing to me, this family of upper class, who all went to ivy league schools, wanted to go and see the way slaves were traded by their family members. Yes, it is a shameful history, but why not acknowledge it and then just try everything in your power to talk about it within the US. Talk about it in schools, churches, raise charities or something for reparations. Why take a trip to help ease your guilty conscious about your heritage.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Traces of the trade
So better late then never....My blog is finally working... After seeing "Traces of the Trade", I didn't really know what to think. My reaction at first was, what is the overall goal in tracing the steps of your ancestors to Ghana and Cuba, just to see how horrible the slaves were treated? To me it seemed as if they wanted to clear their conscious saying that they went through that experience and it was horrible, and they could sympathize with those who were in the trade route of the DeWolf family. But the family seemed disappointed in some way because they were not able to experience it. They only way you can experience a slave trade is if you were physically there...
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Traces of the Trade
After watching this film I have a lot on my mind. I feel like everything I've ever learned about slavery is different from the way I learned it. To me, the most unsettling aspect of the film was how large the scope of slavery was to the birth of this nation. Slavery seems to be at the root of all production. I have a different view of the North and the Civil War. In my mind, the Civil War has always been about the good and fair North against the bad and racist South, but this was not the case. It seems silly to say it, but I didn't realize that slavery existed in the North as well.
Another point in the film that stuck out in my mind was in the beginning when she Katrina mentions the stone walls of New England being built by slaves. My mother is from Massachusetts and I would spend my summers there as a kid. She always commented on the stone walls and mentioned how she loved looking into the woods when we were on the highway and seeing them there. She told me they were built by settlers. I will always have the incorrect image of pilgrims building walls all over Massachusetts. It was shocking, to say the least, to learn that the walls my mother so loved were actually probably built by slaves.
I have a different view of slavery after this film. I felt the movie was very powerful and I have never seen something quite like it. It's unsettling to think that even the abolitionists in the North were fueling the slave trade they were fighting against just by buying sugar or coffee. I have been thinking about slavery reparations and after this film, they seem more necessary. I don't know what they would look like, but I think a public apology and acknowledgement of the far-reaching effects of slavery is a good place to start. Racism can never be eradicated if whites in this country refuse to take responsibility for a system which they are supporting by being passively racist.
Another point in the film that stuck out in my mind was in the beginning when she Katrina mentions the stone walls of New England being built by slaves. My mother is from Massachusetts and I would spend my summers there as a kid. She always commented on the stone walls and mentioned how she loved looking into the woods when we were on the highway and seeing them there. She told me they were built by settlers. I will always have the incorrect image of pilgrims building walls all over Massachusetts. It was shocking, to say the least, to learn that the walls my mother so loved were actually probably built by slaves.
I have a different view of slavery after this film. I felt the movie was very powerful and I have never seen something quite like it. It's unsettling to think that even the abolitionists in the North were fueling the slave trade they were fighting against just by buying sugar or coffee. I have been thinking about slavery reparations and after this film, they seem more necessary. I don't know what they would look like, but I think a public apology and acknowledgement of the far-reaching effects of slavery is a good place to start. Racism can never be eradicated if whites in this country refuse to take responsibility for a system which they are supporting by being passively racist.
Traces of Trade
I thought Traces of Trade was an excellent film about the American slave trade. I was always aware that the slave trade was a business, but I didn't realize what a huge business it was. The town of
I don't know how people are going to take this, but I don't understand how giving reparations is suppose to make up for the past. Whenever you hear about reparations, it always seems like after reparations are given everything is ok, and I just don’t get it. I also don’t understand why they are given to begin with, how does some money make everything ok again? Again I’m not sure how people are going take this but I just don’t feel reparations should be given, and I don’t see how it makes everything better.
It was very noble of Katrina and the others to follow the route of the slave trade and visit where the slaves came from. They went there feeling sorry for things their ancestors did, but I find it weird that the decedents of the slaves almost acted hostilely toward them. They still hated them because of things their ancestors did. Yes, the slave trade was horrible, but Katrina and the others had nothing to do with it. It’s almost as if Katrina and her party were forced into being guilty just because they were white. I hope people don't take this the wrong way like I am arguing that the slaves trade was justified, I just wanted to talk about it from a different perspective.
Traces of the Trade: Redefining History
Overall, Traces of the Trade was very interesting documentary. Throughout the semester we had touched on the fact that history can be examine through many different ways such as, archives, testimony, and oral history etc. In this case, the Dewolf family wanted to trace back the history of African slaves in order to come to an understanding of the past. Throughout the beginning of the film, Katrina Browne had stated that her families from the past were known throughout their hometown as historical figures of America. In reality, Katrina Browne wanted to prove that the family business of slave trade degraded, and caused a lot of pain for millions of Africans.
What I found quite interesting about this documentary is that how a small town from Bristol, Rhode Island embraces the DeWolf family’s business as proud part of history; rather than viewing the “slave trade” that caused harm, and made to millions of Africans suffer. Throughout American history we tend to reconstruct the dynamics of history in order to hide the horrific truth behind it. An example of this would be is the history told of Christopher Columbus, better known as the heroic man who discovered America. The reality of how America was discovered could be considered as the unforgiving part of U.S. history. This country was built and constructed on violence, war, and conquering land. Nonetheless, I believe the Dewolfs slave trade business should be viewed as extreme as the holocaust. The slave trading business even until this day has an impact on society’s way of status, class, and culture.
What I found interesting throughout the documentary was that the DeWolf family wanted to give some type of reparation back to African Americans. The biggest question was how? Another question that stood out was: should compensation be based on money, or is it something much bigger than wealth? Overall, what I have examined throughout the documentary was the fact that history can be changed and molded into different perspectives. Which makes me question how can we define what is right or wrong history?
What I found quite interesting about this documentary is that how a small town from Bristol, Rhode Island embraces the DeWolf family’s business as proud part of history; rather than viewing the “slave trade” that caused harm, and made to millions of Africans suffer. Throughout American history we tend to reconstruct the dynamics of history in order to hide the horrific truth behind it. An example of this would be is the history told of Christopher Columbus, better known as the heroic man who discovered America. The reality of how America was discovered could be considered as the unforgiving part of U.S. history. This country was built and constructed on violence, war, and conquering land. Nonetheless, I believe the Dewolfs slave trade business should be viewed as extreme as the holocaust. The slave trading business even until this day has an impact on society’s way of status, class, and culture.
What I found interesting throughout the documentary was that the DeWolf family wanted to give some type of reparation back to African Americans. The biggest question was how? Another question that stood out was: should compensation be based on money, or is it something much bigger than wealth? Overall, what I have examined throughout the documentary was the fact that history can be changed and molded into different perspectives. Which makes me question how can we define what is right or wrong history?
Traces of Trade - A Good Intention, but wrong decision
Like others in the class, I was certainly struck by the dependency and extensive involvement of the North in the slave trade. It is sad how much we are still unaware of the slavery of this country, even though we may think we know and understand the events.
I also agree that Brown's intentions and desire to do something is certainly something to be respected. Just the facts that the group of descendants gathered to confront the problem at all is surely a good thing. However, I think they went about it in the wrong way. The whole trip and most of the discussions seemed very self oriented. Over and over, they spoke of looking for closure, loosing their guilt, etc., but that is not what needs to be done. It seemed like they were making this problem about them.
Something that stuck out to me was when they were in the discussion room and an African women said that whites need to learn about African culture. This is what I think needs to be done. The DeWolf descendants traveled all around the world, when what they should have been doing was exploring the communities in America and gaining an appreciation and understanding for African culture. I don't see this happening though. Other people have already blogged about how privileged they all are...it seems like they want to "confront" this problem, then get on with their lives where they most likely have little to no meaningful involvement with the culture from which they are seeking forgiveness.
This is obviously not an easy fix, and even growing up in western Pennsylvania I saw a disgusting amount of racism and expressions of white superiority. I think white people in general need to take their desires and motivations out of the picture and instead listen to and learn from African American culture, so that some day we might actually be able to comfortably live together.
I also agree that Brown's intentions and desire to do something is certainly something to be respected. Just the facts that the group of descendants gathered to confront the problem at all is surely a good thing. However, I think they went about it in the wrong way. The whole trip and most of the discussions seemed very self oriented. Over and over, they spoke of looking for closure, loosing their guilt, etc., but that is not what needs to be done. It seemed like they were making this problem about them.
Something that stuck out to me was when they were in the discussion room and an African women said that whites need to learn about African culture. This is what I think needs to be done. The DeWolf descendants traveled all around the world, when what they should have been doing was exploring the communities in America and gaining an appreciation and understanding for African culture. I don't see this happening though. Other people have already blogged about how privileged they all are...it seems like they want to "confront" this problem, then get on with their lives where they most likely have little to no meaningful involvement with the culture from which they are seeking forgiveness.
This is obviously not an easy fix, and even growing up in western Pennsylvania I saw a disgusting amount of racism and expressions of white superiority. I think white people in general need to take their desires and motivations out of the picture and instead listen to and learn from African American culture, so that some day we might actually be able to comfortably live together.
Traces of the Trade
I like the format of the film. We got to hear and see everyone's reaction to what they were learning. My first reaction was that I did not know as much about the slave trade as I thought, even though I have learned it for so long in high school. It opened my eyes to seeing that the North was just as much affiliated with the slave trade as the South. They were just as guilty. Even the whole communities were effect and revolved around slavery. The con was how they displaced so many blacks, however without the slave trade I doubt we would be the country we are today.
In addition to this, what really got me was when they were in the African country and there was a black lady who said she was expecting not to see any whites. She distanced herself from the family. And then Browne brings up a great question: "What is our responsibility?" After understanding the inhumanity of her family's ancestors, she says: "It's important to roll up our sleeves to deal with what we all inherited from our country's history." What really got me was that Browne learned the past and was trying to change the future. However the black lady who didn't want anything to do with white people, I feel was still living in the past. And I think this is why there is a misunderstanding. There is apart of Black society that think the are entitled to a lot because of the past. However, life has changed: affirmative action was put in effect to help better the blacks. And now in schools, anti-racism classes are taught, I took one in my high school. I think that is the answer to Browne's question. Maybe one day the color of one's skin would have no meaning about their race.
In addition to this, what really got me was when they were in the African country and there was a black lady who said she was expecting not to see any whites. She distanced herself from the family. And then Browne brings up a great question: "What is our responsibility?" After understanding the inhumanity of her family's ancestors, she says: "It's important to roll up our sleeves to deal with what we all inherited from our country's history." What really got me was that Browne learned the past and was trying to change the future. However the black lady who didn't want anything to do with white people, I feel was still living in the past. And I think this is why there is a misunderstanding. There is apart of Black society that think the are entitled to a lot because of the past. However, life has changed: affirmative action was put in effect to help better the blacks. And now in schools, anti-racism classes are taught, I took one in my high school. I think that is the answer to Browne's question. Maybe one day the color of one's skin would have no meaning about their race.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Traces of the Trade
In Traces of the Trade, Katrina Browne and several members of her extended family follow her ancestry's history of slave trade from Rhode Island, to Ghana, to Cuba, and back again. Her and her family moved quickly through phases from a sort of denial, to shock, and finally to self-reflection. What I found most striking about the film was how a white upper class family made the attempt to understand and make up for something that they can never hope to understand or make up for.
Early in the film when the family was meeting for the first time, one of Katrina's relatives said that he didn't know what he would have done in his ancestors' place, and that he probably would have been a slave trader as well. He justifies this by saying basically that "everyone else was doing it". This completely naive statement is an example of what I mean when I say that the family went through a sort of denial. They know and acknowledge that slavery is a bad thing, but at least one of them admits that they probably would have participated, because it was just what was done at the time. They don't really have a clue.
When their trip takes them to Ghana and Cuba, the family member I mentioned before retracts his statement and says something along the lines of "slavery was horrible, and they knew what they were doing". Other family members cry, and express horror at what they see. This is when they begin to discuss what they can do for the people that their family has wronged. Before this point they made no mention.
Finally, in the scene that sticks out the most for me, the whole group of DeWolf descendants is sitting around a table eating, and reflecting on their trip. When the conversation turns to what colleges they attended, they go around the table, and only one of about 15 people did not go to an Ivy League school. I think at this point I realized how privileged this family as a whole is, and how absolutely distanced they are from not only the people their ancestors persecuted, but the ancestors of slaves still left in Ghana.
I feel that when they are looking to make up for what their ancestors did, which in itself is impossible, they are doing this for themselves, to make themselves feel better about what was done. This is one of the biggest questions the film left in my mind. What have they done so far to "make up" for their family's history? Are they continuing to do this, and has this trip really changed them, or have they gone back to ignoring the whole thing? Are they continuing their lives like they were before they went on this trip?
Early in the film when the family was meeting for the first time, one of Katrina's relatives said that he didn't know what he would have done in his ancestors' place, and that he probably would have been a slave trader as well. He justifies this by saying basically that "everyone else was doing it". This completely naive statement is an example of what I mean when I say that the family went through a sort of denial. They know and acknowledge that slavery is a bad thing, but at least one of them admits that they probably would have participated, because it was just what was done at the time. They don't really have a clue.
When their trip takes them to Ghana and Cuba, the family member I mentioned before retracts his statement and says something along the lines of "slavery was horrible, and they knew what they were doing". Other family members cry, and express horror at what they see. This is when they begin to discuss what they can do for the people that their family has wronged. Before this point they made no mention.
Finally, in the scene that sticks out the most for me, the whole group of DeWolf descendants is sitting around a table eating, and reflecting on their trip. When the conversation turns to what colleges they attended, they go around the table, and only one of about 15 people did not go to an Ivy League school. I think at this point I realized how privileged this family as a whole is, and how absolutely distanced they are from not only the people their ancestors persecuted, but the ancestors of slaves still left in Ghana.
I feel that when they are looking to make up for what their ancestors did, which in itself is impossible, they are doing this for themselves, to make themselves feel better about what was done. This is one of the biggest questions the film left in my mind. What have they done so far to "make up" for their family's history? Are they continuing to do this, and has this trip really changed them, or have they gone back to ignoring the whole thing? Are they continuing their lives like they were before they went on this trip?
Trade and Guilt: In the Heat of the Moment
I found this film to be particularly interesting in that it showed an alternate perspective on the history of slavery. Between the DeWolfs and the African Americans taking part in the 'journey to the past', there appeared a very interesting juxtaposition. With each group going through the journey of where their ancestors had once been, there is a great deal of emotion and passion on each end. The DeWolfs struggle through the journey with the knowledge of their ancestors participating in illegal slave trading while the African Americans struggle through the journey with the knowledge of their ancestors being traded. The film shows the growing struggle of the DeWolf family members as they move from the DeWolf home in Bristol, Rhode Island onwards to Africa and then to Cuba. I think in this case, it was important for some of the family members to actually see some of the places in which their ancestors had held and transported slaves. I think it is important not because it was their own ancestors that did the actual slave trading, but because some of the family members still held subconsciously racist views of the slave trade. One family member stated that he did not feel guilty about the slave trade and what was going on with the people. However, later on in the trip, after having experienced the anguish of the people of Africa, he stated that he did feel guilty. I found this to be interesting because I think the idea is not for him to feel guilty in regards to his own ancestors being responsible for so many African slaves being traded, but for the concept of guilt in the sense that this did happen, no matter who it was that was participating in these activities in the first place. This somewhat ties into Annette Wieviorka's arguments concerning testimony. When the family members from the DeWolfs were confronted in the discussion group, there evolved a great deal of discomfort, whereas, previously, when in their natural element, in Bristol, there was little.
Yesterday's Atrocities, Today's Lessons
In Traces of the Trade, Katrina Browne sets out to make up for the atrocities her ancestors committed against an incredible amount of Africans. She undertakes a completely noble and altruistic act, and I respect her for the generosity and legitimate concern she shows. However, the task she sets out to perform is impossible. No matter what she or the White race does, the fact that her ancestors bought and sold humans to be worked to death will never change. The scars left on the African American population will never fully heal, and it is insane to think that actions taken place today could somehow "make up" for the incredible damages done to people 200 years ago.
The mood of the entire film gave me a very unsettling feeling. It seems that Browne's ultimate intent is to pay back all African Americans for their pain and the pain of their ancestors so that we can get past the horrors of slavery and move forward into the future. This motive makes me sick to my stomach. No matter what is done today, nothing could erase the horrors of America's past and the past of its guilty citizens, especially money! The entire history of slavery should never be forgotten so that we can show future generations the horrible truth about our nation's past, helping to ensure that it is never repeated. I firmly believe that the mistakes of the past can be the lessons of today. Furthermore, paying reparations could actually help if they are given out in an intelligent and thoughtful manner (which I'm not sure is even possible), but they should never be seen as a final payback allowing White people to say confidently to Blacks, "Now we're even."
Traces of a Heritage
The movie Traces of the Trade: Stories of the Deep North was touching and inspiring. It was touching because of their personal journey that was not an easy one. They were met with negative attitudes on both side of the color line, but they still continued forward toward their goal of understanding. 140 people that Katrina Brown sent out a letter to never replied to her, which shows that those people did not want to be a part of something she viewed as needing to be done. In Ghana, they meet an African woman who said that she hoped she would not meet any white people at the ceremony. The DeWolf descendents did not feel comfortable in Ghana, but I do not think they felt entirely comfortable in Rhode Island. When Katrina and the others started their journey, they started something that changed who they were.
While Katrina learns about Captain Mark Anthony DeWolf, the viewer is learning also. There were several aspects of his involvement in the slave trade that I have not seen before in most stories of the slave trade. The movie says that the slave trade was illegal for some time while Mark Anthony DeWolf was practicing it. An emphasis was placed on the view that everyone in town was involved in, and depended, on the slave trade. Multiple people said this, and although I believe them, it seemed a little like rationalization. Another fact brought up was that three generations of DeWolf took part in slave trading. Katrina says that was hard for her to hear, because she thought that someone would of realized what they were doing was wrong.
I think one of the things that I took away from this movie was a message to explore your own heritage. Katrina and the others took the iniative to go to an uncomfortable place with in themselves and challenge what they believed. It was not an easy process for them, and I think that questioning your self-identity is never an easy process, but I think it must be done. Another issue presented in the film is reparations. I do not think the film is giving the answer of performing reparations, whiping the slate clean for those with families that were involved with the slave trade, and forgetting the past. What Katrina is suggesting is that reparations is a good start for starting to undo the damage that the DeWolf family had caused. Reparations will not fix everything that is causing oppression for African-Americans, but it is a start.
While Katrina learns about Captain Mark Anthony DeWolf, the viewer is learning also. There were several aspects of his involvement in the slave trade that I have not seen before in most stories of the slave trade. The movie says that the slave trade was illegal for some time while Mark Anthony DeWolf was practicing it. An emphasis was placed on the view that everyone in town was involved in, and depended, on the slave trade. Multiple people said this, and although I believe them, it seemed a little like rationalization. Another fact brought up was that three generations of DeWolf took part in slave trading. Katrina says that was hard for her to hear, because she thought that someone would of realized what they were doing was wrong.
I think one of the things that I took away from this movie was a message to explore your own heritage. Katrina and the others took the iniative to go to an uncomfortable place with in themselves and challenge what they believed. It was not an easy process for them, and I think that questioning your self-identity is never an easy process, but I think it must be done. Another issue presented in the film is reparations. I do not think the film is giving the answer of performing reparations, whiping the slate clean for those with families that were involved with the slave trade, and forgetting the past. What Katrina is suggesting is that reparations is a good start for starting to undo the damage that the DeWolf family had caused. Reparations will not fix everything that is causing oppression for African-Americans, but it is a start.
Racism and Society
The video in class today brought up some very complex and important questions regarding race relations both in this country and abroad. My favorite quote in the entire movie was by the professor that said reparation is a process not a single event. This is so true because a single commemoration or financial reparation will not undo the harm caused by slavery, segregation, and white supremacist ideology. And, there's no way that someone can point the finger at specific people today and make them pay out of pocket for the wrongs done by their ancestors--that will not fix the problem; it will only regenerate the cycle of animosity and blame. Blame and shame should be pointed towards the people that directly benefited from slavery and perpetuated segregation, as well as those continuing to hold white supremacist ideals.
The way to heal rifts caused by slavery is to first acknowledge the wrongdoing, which some legislation has done. I don't know how African Americans would feel about a government apology, though because to me it seems a bit empty. In order to truly repair the damage done by a racist government, it needs to create funds and programs to aid the economic development of impoverished families. Instead of harping on the past and focusing on blame and hate, people must look to the future. The government needs to step in and replace former impediments with equalizing legislation. But, the government cannot make racist people unracist. Culture underlies politics, and if the culture changes, so will the politics. Maybe if people realize that racism is on its way out, they will conform quicker.
One quote in particular that was disturbing to me was said by the co producer. She said that she and "her people" are angry at whites and they should feel guilty for slavery and its aftermath. Her statement is racist and exemplifies how harping on the past only irritates current discourse. I don't appreciate this because I never agreed with slavery, segregation or race superiority and I am white. I truly do feel for those that have been oppressed or are poor because of racialized legislation in this country, although I have never directly experienced that oppression myself. Blanket statements regarding race are pitfalls in the discourse for obvious reasons. I know that all people are valuable and equal and the only true impediments for upward social mobility in this country are money and thus education (and for ethnic immigrants: language), not race or country of origin. The problem of class inequality will probably never be solved, but the unequal distribution of races among the classes is wrong and should be attended to.
Real equality in this country should be our number one goal because hypocrisy is unacceptable. Truman had to integrate the army because Germany dropped pamphlets on Black regiments referring to our hypocritical policies. How can we propagate equality for Iraqis and hand them our fashion of democracy when that's not even the case at home? We've come far in the past 60 years but we still have racist attitudes in this country. I don’t know if racism will ever go away because it is the most visible feature about a person. Yet, through culture we can make it the least relevant or important.
The way to heal rifts caused by slavery is to first acknowledge the wrongdoing, which some legislation has done. I don't know how African Americans would feel about a government apology, though because to me it seems a bit empty. In order to truly repair the damage done by a racist government, it needs to create funds and programs to aid the economic development of impoverished families. Instead of harping on the past and focusing on blame and hate, people must look to the future. The government needs to step in and replace former impediments with equalizing legislation. But, the government cannot make racist people unracist. Culture underlies politics, and if the culture changes, so will the politics. Maybe if people realize that racism is on its way out, they will conform quicker.
One quote in particular that was disturbing to me was said by the co producer. She said that she and "her people" are angry at whites and they should feel guilty for slavery and its aftermath. Her statement is racist and exemplifies how harping on the past only irritates current discourse. I don't appreciate this because I never agreed with slavery, segregation or race superiority and I am white. I truly do feel for those that have been oppressed or are poor because of racialized legislation in this country, although I have never directly experienced that oppression myself. Blanket statements regarding race are pitfalls in the discourse for obvious reasons. I know that all people are valuable and equal and the only true impediments for upward social mobility in this country are money and thus education (and for ethnic immigrants: language), not race or country of origin. The problem of class inequality will probably never be solved, but the unequal distribution of races among the classes is wrong and should be attended to.
Real equality in this country should be our number one goal because hypocrisy is unacceptable. Truman had to integrate the army because Germany dropped pamphlets on Black regiments referring to our hypocritical policies. How can we propagate equality for Iraqis and hand them our fashion of democracy when that's not even the case at home? We've come far in the past 60 years but we still have racist attitudes in this country. I don’t know if racism will ever go away because it is the most visible feature about a person. Yet, through culture we can make it the least relevant or important.
Only a Trace of Regret
As I watched Katrina Browne's Traces of the Trade, I was struck most by the reactions of the townsfolk of Bristol, Rhode Island. There seemed to be an underlying feeling amongst some of them that they needed to hide their town's past, as they felt revealing it to be the slave trade capital of the United States would shatter its glorious history and reputation. I understand that many people would view being somehow linked to the slave trade, whether it be by bloodline or where you live, as shameful, but how can these current residents of Bristol and descendants of DeWolf be held accountable? However pessimistic it may sound, I was not truly convinced by some of the group members that their intentions of the journey were genuine. I felt as though some were participating merely for good public relations, in order to appear remorseful. Do not take this as ignorance, for I am by no means saying that they did not feel bad for those men and women who were enslaved by their ancestors, just that I am not so sure about how they truly feel. All but one of the group members attended an Ivy League University, yet they almost all refuse to acknowledge that their family's legacy had anything to do with their acceptance to such prestigious schools. These people have been given great advantages in life because of their past, and the fact that they deny it upsets me. Had they spoken up about this, I would have felt differently about them and most likely had more faith in their actions. My biggest gripe with Browne's film is what I saw as being a lack of the emotion of regret amongst some of the townsfolk and descendants, thus leaving me not entirely sure on what they would actually be willing to do to set things right.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
More questions than answers
After watching the video, traces of the trade by Katrina Browne, I felt for me personally as a member of the audience and for Katrina Browne the answers she found about her family history, raised more several more questions. Many ethical, moral questions were raised. Now that Katrina Browne knows her family and many others benefited from the slave trade, What can she do to make repairs to the ones her family oppressed? Does she even need to? Who can she really make repairs to? Somethings she did do were to pass on the knowledge to the church and thus the local community, but can that even justify generations of oppression? Can anything they do ever come close to making reprimands? What can a person do to calm the guilt and anger they feel?
This movie also brought up the power of history; it totally changed the perspective of the De wolf family's prosperity, the local and denominational church put itself to action, and the documentary was made. Knowledge of the north being anti-slavery was falsified to the point where it is almost embarrassing to even think we held that idea for so long. Possibly these notions came from some historical fact without knowing the entire picture, but as we saw the hidden history that was just revealed had a certain aspect of power. It gave them power to heal the oppression and suffering caused by their family. How will they go about it no one is quite sure but they are now making a step in the right direction.
For me, it made me slightly paranoid. What about my ancestry? how does it affect the way I live? Will I stumble upon knowledge that will totally change my outlook on life? More than anything, I realize that historical knowledge is again very precious and it should be sought out by each individual. It shows me how empowering historical knowledge can be to a person.
This movie also brought up the power of history; it totally changed the perspective of the De wolf family's prosperity, the local and denominational church put itself to action, and the documentary was made. Knowledge of the north being anti-slavery was falsified to the point where it is almost embarrassing to even think we held that idea for so long. Possibly these notions came from some historical fact without knowing the entire picture, but as we saw the hidden history that was just revealed had a certain aspect of power. It gave them power to heal the oppression and suffering caused by their family. How will they go about it no one is quite sure but they are now making a step in the right direction.
For me, it made me slightly paranoid. What about my ancestry? how does it affect the way I live? Will I stumble upon knowledge that will totally change my outlook on life? More than anything, I realize that historical knowledge is again very precious and it should be sought out by each individual. It shows me how empowering historical knowledge can be to a person.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Traces of Whose History?
For me, Traces of the Trade brought up a lot of questions about personal versus collective history and about claiming responsibility for history - something that shapes our lives but that we had no control over.
Katrina Browne was very interested in exploding the notion that many of us "know" our histories (especially our shameful or onerous histories) as intimately as we think we do. For her, this was initially a question of family history which quickly revealed itself to implicate most (if not all?) white American families of the late 1700's and 1800's. What does it mean to "know" a history? She said multiple times during the film that she had already known something, and yet, not really... for Browne, it seemed that knowing meant getting a fuller picture, though, of course the "full" history would be completely unmasterable to any one person. Knowing history, for Browne and her family members, also included talking about history, bringing it into their daily lives and their personal experiences. They desired to unearth a silence in the family, to hear voices that had been hushed for generations. Where did this desire come from? Certainly, the various family members had sometimes similar, sometimes very different motivations.
I noted at this point, however, that it is the family's and individual's privilege - made possible in a large part through their family history - that made their journey possible. Not everyone can afford to take off from work and family matters to travel around the world for a few weeks. This point made me wonder about what knowledge-seeking with an agenda (be it to defend, vilify, make peace, forgive, or simply understand something of the past) does to the collection and understanding of that knowledge. The different family members went into the trip for different reasons and were expecting different results and information at times. How different would the DeWolf family history have been represented had each of the other family members made the documentary?
Browne also focused on questions of silence, guilt, and denial. Who has the power to silence the history of others and to what extent can a history be unsilenceable? Why would someone pass down the knowledge of a shameful family history rather than burying it with their own memory? What drives our desire to know? And once we do know, Browne boldly asks us, what do we plan to do with that knowledge. Clearly, she chose to share that history. A large part of that, I think, was that she was able to see the contemporary real-life implications that that history had helped to create and she felt driven to somehow try to bring understanding to that. Perhaps this was her idea of reparations, an attempt to repair through understanding, and to reconcile a past, even if only on a small level. Really, though, I think she was asking all of us to delve into and comes to terms with our own histories. If we were all to do so, could we then collectively move forward, with our new understandings toward a better world? Perhaps...
But really, what counts as our own history? Was the history Browne and her family traced really the history of her family? Wasn't it much more the history of the millions of African men, women, and children that were brought into slavery? Is that a history she can claim? It seems some people would reject that notion, as was evident in some of the responses Browne and her family received on their journey, specifically at the festival in Ghana. Where do we draw the lines around "our history" and that of others, when they are so often intertwined?
Katrina Browne was very interested in exploding the notion that many of us "know" our histories (especially our shameful or onerous histories) as intimately as we think we do. For her, this was initially a question of family history which quickly revealed itself to implicate most (if not all?) white American families of the late 1700's and 1800's. What does it mean to "know" a history? She said multiple times during the film that she had already known something, and yet, not really... for Browne, it seemed that knowing meant getting a fuller picture, though, of course the "full" history would be completely unmasterable to any one person. Knowing history, for Browne and her family members, also included talking about history, bringing it into their daily lives and their personal experiences. They desired to unearth a silence in the family, to hear voices that had been hushed for generations. Where did this desire come from? Certainly, the various family members had sometimes similar, sometimes very different motivations.
I noted at this point, however, that it is the family's and individual's privilege - made possible in a large part through their family history - that made their journey possible. Not everyone can afford to take off from work and family matters to travel around the world for a few weeks. This point made me wonder about what knowledge-seeking with an agenda (be it to defend, vilify, make peace, forgive, or simply understand something of the past) does to the collection and understanding of that knowledge. The different family members went into the trip for different reasons and were expecting different results and information at times. How different would the DeWolf family history have been represented had each of the other family members made the documentary?
Browne also focused on questions of silence, guilt, and denial. Who has the power to silence the history of others and to what extent can a history be unsilenceable? Why would someone pass down the knowledge of a shameful family history rather than burying it with their own memory? What drives our desire to know? And once we do know, Browne boldly asks us, what do we plan to do with that knowledge. Clearly, she chose to share that history. A large part of that, I think, was that she was able to see the contemporary real-life implications that that history had helped to create and she felt driven to somehow try to bring understanding to that. Perhaps this was her idea of reparations, an attempt to repair through understanding, and to reconcile a past, even if only on a small level. Really, though, I think she was asking all of us to delve into and comes to terms with our own histories. If we were all to do so, could we then collectively move forward, with our new understandings toward a better world? Perhaps...
But really, what counts as our own history? Was the history Browne and her family traced really the history of her family? Wasn't it much more the history of the millions of African men, women, and children that were brought into slavery? Is that a history she can claim? It seems some people would reject that notion, as was evident in some of the responses Browne and her family received on their journey, specifically at the festival in Ghana. Where do we draw the lines around "our history" and that of others, when they are so often intertwined?
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