Unit I - Blog I/Foundations in orality
One of my favorite Toni Morrison quotes is, "facts can exist without human intelligence, but truth cannot." The oral tradition provided truth for the enslaved Africans, and without it, descendants of enslaved Africans would have nothing. Today, we critically imagined with brevity some of the likely scenarios placed upon Sally Hemings. We know some of her experiences because her relatives witnessed some of her treatment and recollected the stories. We know about the conditions of slavery because of similar recollections.
Kenneth Warren doesn't consider the oral tradition African American literature, but for some of us - it represents everything that is African American literature. As we continue to matriculate through the various genres of the oral tradition, which one has resonated with you the most? Why? Perhaps it is one which we haven't discussed in class, but is included in the textbook. Please share your responses along with an example of your favorite by the beginning of class Fri., 9/14/18. Don't forget to consult your blog rubric on the syllabus.
There was a negro spiritual that stood out to me within reading the first couple of pages of our textbook. "City Called Heaven" resonated with me the most because it highlights the life of a poor pilgrim who has no hope for tomorrow. The only thing that enlightens him is the thought of going to a city called Heaven. He's trying to make Heaven his home because Heaven is a place where there is no suffering, or no pain. While living on Earth, that was all he's ever known. In lines 4-7 he says, "Sometimes I am toss'ted and driven. Sometimes I don't know where to roam. I've heard of a city called heaven. I've started to make it my home."
ReplyDelete- Brianna Johnson
DeleteI also enjoyed this spiritual very much Brianna. I think that vision of heaven is what kept them alive in a sense through any hardships that they might've faced. It also shows that love and strength can truly conquer over evil if you have faith in something other than just your struggling situation.
DeleteI liked this also; although there are those who don't believe in heaven or nirvana, we're all hoping for a perfect, successful future of some sort.
DeleteSpirituals stuck with me as well growing up in the church and all, and I remember hearing this song in church being played. I also thoroughly enjoyed listening to it very much, and I felt that the message being given in the song is something that you would still be able to feel and relate to in this day and age.
DeletePersonally my favorite negro spiritual is a classic. I chose "God Gonna Trouble the Water " for more but one obvious reason. Its significance to the slavery narrative is clear. Slaves were enduring a pain that was unimaginable, so many times they would flee or try to run away from their owners. Running away soon became a regular thing for many slaves. Because this they, Soon created special vernacular, where they use folk talkes and negro spirituals. The negro spiritual would encourage slaves to flee to the river and follow it north. Slaves were told to wait for their leader in the water. the spiritual says, In lines 15 -18 they sing " see that host all dressed up in red" . This lines refers to the underground rail road leaders. Religion also plays a huge tole in this in like 17-18 the narrator states "look like the band moses led". This is symbolic for the act of parting the way and leading the slaves to freedom lead by God.
ReplyDelete- Nigel Cotton
I also find this spiritual to be very important Nigel. It not only helped guide slaves to freedom, but it displayed how intelligent they truly were in comparison to the stereotypes which were seen by their slave owners. The use of religious references also shows how important religion was to motivate these slaves to obtain their freedom that they rightfully deserved.
DeleteAs a performance major, spirituals immediately caught my attention and resonate with me. In the University Choir we sing many spirituals including "Soon I Will Be Done," "Ezekiel Saw the Wheel" and "Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel," and as a soloist I sing spirituals including "City Called Heaven" and "Been in the Storm So Long." Having to convey the emotions that slaves had went through during that time is when using critical imagination become extremely important. Because not all spirituals are sad. They're not one dimensional. I have to think of and surround myself with every angle and aspect of the spiritual. It takes a lot of research and energy but the end product is extremely fulfilling knowing that my interpretation can touch and give a glimpse of what happen to people who history this belongs to and others who may know nothing.
ReplyDelete-Abena Konadu
I think its cool that you sing these spirituals! Every time you sing one you are paying homage to their labor and the triumph of the Black race over institutionalized genocide.
DeleteDo you think continuing your research has changed the way you sing or feel about these spirituals?
Everything we have read in class has truly opened my eyes to see the world (past and present) differently, but the folktales have made a huge impact. The folktale that resonated with me the most was "Why the Sister in Black Works Hardest." It starts out with the Ole Missus telling her husband what to do, then the Master telling his male slave what to do because the box looked heavy, and finally it trickled down to the female slave doing the duty. This goes to show past and today, women of color have played a huge role in getting things done. "Dat's de reason de sister in black works harder than anybody else in de world." With the woman retrieving the heavy box, it goes to show that black women have a hand in anything. They are always going to be somebody to depend on when work needs to be done. Imagine if the woman told her husband no, that box might have never been picked up. Reading this folktale of woman working harder than everyone else drives me to continue to work hard and push through every obstacle.
ReplyDelete-Journee Matthews
Journee, I agree with your post in its entirety. Everything you said was just the same way in which I perceived it. I almost could say it was like reading something from myself. I love the fact that the tale was inspiring to you as well. Just as it was to me, I would hope that it would continue inspire numerous girls outside of me and you so, it is good to see it has did it’s part in some way.
DeleteThough I was moved my each genre of the oral tradition, I was moved the most by folktales. The fact that these stories were able to be passed down for so long just by word of mouth before they were eventually documented is amazing to me. What's even more amazing is the fact that the lessons that are learned from these tales are still very much so relevant to this day. A good example of this would be the tale we discussed in class, "All God's Chillun Had Wings." This tale explores many different things but what stuck out the most to me was the woman. She was a slave who had just given birth, was beaten, and almost near death but was still expected to work. This parallels the experience of black women today. From experience and observation, when there are discussions about strife within the black community the narrative is always directed towards the black man. Not to discredit their experiences because they are absolutely valid, but the black woman has served as the cornerstone to the black community for centuries. More often than not, our experiences as both black AND a women go unheard. This story is another example of how resilient black women have to be to survive under unimaginable levels of metal and physical discomfort. The end of the tale alludes to the fact that the woman eventually dies and receives her wings (freedom) back. Some might find the ending to be sad, other might find it to be comforting, but I find it to be inspiring. As both black and a women, I know that my life will be filled with tribulation but when I think about the woman in this story and all the other women like her, it makes me want to persevere.
ReplyDelete-- Paige Parker
I completely agree on your take of "All God's Chillen Had Wings". I found it interesting that you also found the story to be inspiring. Women had to endure the same amount of pain and suffering as men and then more. This particular story was an example of what women had to go through after giving birth and trying to stay alive to care for the child.
Delete-Harmony Donald
Oral tradition is very important and my favorite is negotiable spirituals. Its very impressive for "unintelligent" savages came up with songs to help other slaves in many ways. These spirituals helped them take their minds off the harsh tasks at hand, instruct slaves on how to get to freedom, and. much more. While we were in class listening to Go Down Moses preformed by Paul Robeson it made me go listen to other spirituals. One I remember hearing the most was Wade In The Water. When hearing this song you get many things from this song. It could be reminding slaves that they are like the Israelite that Moses lead with the repetition in this song. It also helped slave get to freedom is the water, and to help hide slave's scent from dogs that hunters had. These spirituals were ways for them to also speak in code so their masters couldn't understand. Slaves were actual very intelligent and brave souls that didn't deserve what they were put through. For what our ancestors had to endure we should be very appreciative ,because without them we wouldn't be where we are today. We have overcome some ,but we also have much further to go. I believe we can do it to ,because future generations are counting on us to pave the way and we cannot let them down.
ReplyDelete-Tekeyra Brown
Takeyra,
DeleteI loved the fact that you spoke on them being “unintelligent” and their ability to possess such talents. Furthermore, I did the same when it came to going and finding more spirituals to give me a better understanding of everything that was being spoken through song as well. So, I really thought that was really cool to see I wasn’t the only one. I enjoyed your comparison between African Americans and the Israelites.
I completely agree with the fact that slaves were actually very intelligent. I found it interesting that the slaveowners were not able to catch on to the symbolism and metaphors throughout the spirituals that were consistently sung. This makes me question the intelligence of the slave owners. I understand that the spirituals were meant for specifically for the slaves but why didn't the slave owners catch on to it? If the slave owners did catch on to the actual meanings of the spirituals, why didn't they care?
Delete-Harmony Donald
One of my favorite oral traditions that we've studied this far is probably folk tales. Before going over this material, I had general knowledge of these ancient stories that were passed down through generations. I knew that they were heavy in tradition and often used symbols to show representation of something greater than what was being discussed. But after going over these folktales in depth, I realized that they weren't only used as a method to carry on traditions and teach "jewels of wisdom", but they were also used to physically and mentally help listeners grow stronger by defying the hardships for which they faced from day to day. This can be shown in "All God's Chillen Had Wings" in the book, which depicted a set of slaves forced to work under cruel conditions. Although the slave woman, who was greatly ill due to her just giving birth, wanted to give up, she kept pushing because she knew it wasn't her time yet and that she had to fulfill a purpose greater than herself. These folktales also displayed important themes such as the beauty in blackness, how strong blacks truly are, and how they overcame opposition in times where freedom seemed scarce. Can't wait to learn more!
ReplyDeleteWhen you say "how strong blacks truly are", I whole heartedly agree with you. Ever since we were brought to this country we have endured nothing but pain and yet we have survived and pushed through every obstacle. From chattel slavery, to Jim Crow, mass incarceration, and current situations today we are still here in some form pushing through!
DeleteThe genre of the oral tradition the speaks to me the most has to be the spirituals. They encompass so much emotion and history in the words that are sang. They can be interpreted in different ways depending on who may be singing them and in what setting. The versatility of this oral tradition personally stikes a note with me as far as its ability to truly convey our history. From the tone, to the pace, to the singer themselves, so much can be interpreted differently. The song sung by Mahalia Jackson in class was amazing and a prime example of how the way the spiritual is sang conveys a certain message. She sang it with such sorrow and you could feel the highs and lows in her voice almost as if she was telling a story.
ReplyDeleteManuel Swingler
DeleteOne of my favorite genres of the oral traditions would be the spirituals . Spirituals served as a symbol of empowerment and survival. I love how everything is spoken through the power of song. The message may not always be clearly stated but you are able to hear the emotions and what they have endured through their tone and lyrics. Slaves endured unimaginable suffering, they were belittled and teated as if they were not human beings. But their pride and strength kept them going. They sang and put all of their emotions into the song. African Americans have always been given a demeaning title, they were never given the respect they deserved. They were told that they were not intelligent and able to do much because of the color of their skin. But they came up with these powerful words and put them into a song . Some served as a message of empowerment while others were secret codes to help slaves along their path to freedom. I think "Let my people go" is a good example of how spirituals were used as another form of expression. You hear the power of his voice and how he speaks for his people, who are tired of what they are facing.He speaks as if he is singing to the "white master" because he sings in this stern but emotional tone which conveys his anger and suffering because his people are trapped and can't be free and continue to suffer.
ReplyDeleteThe oral tradition that stood out to me the most would be the spirituals. The spirituals were meant for survival. I feel that passing down songs that enlightens the next generation and are very useful to the slaves. They were able to communicate in a way that the slave owners did not understand. The slave owners typically thought that the spirituals had no meaning behind them. A common theme for spirituals were freedom and escaping. This helped to prevent the slaves from giving up. My favorite spiritual was "Go Down, Moses" because the slaves were able to make a connection between what happened to them and an event that took place in the bible. The slaves were able to use that connection and turn it into a spoken form to show their anger and resentment.
ReplyDelete-Harmony Donald
I think its very interesting how the slaves were so still so uplifting and hopeful when dealing the circumstances that they were in. I truly believe that turning even the worst situations into something greater is a powerful talent that we have. And to create a "secret language" within their songs just shows how smart we were even though we were portrayed and treated as though we were ignorant.
DeleteThe oral traditions that stood out to me the most were the spirituals and the tales. My favorite tale or story was All God's Chillen Had Wings. This story explains the harsh treatments of the slaves and the conditions that they had to work in. They also talked about what the women had to deal with even after childbirth. Going right onto the field with their newborns in the sweltering heat while their bodies were still in recovery. This story also resonated with me the most because of the message. The man in the story is being begged by the woman to tell her when it is time to go and he continually tells her not yet. One of the many themes within the story could be patience. I believe that over time we have learned to master that skill when it comes to our treatment here in America.
ReplyDelete
DeleteI too enjoyed tales that were read in during and outside of class. All God's Chillen Had Wings was also one of my favorites the underlying message behind it I too enjoyed.
DeleteI believe one of the genres that I find most intriguing and closest to home are the spirituals discussed in the book. Growing up in the deep South under the religious guidance of the A.M.E. church, I have been heavily influenced by the hymnals that take their origin from negro spirituals. I have always felt that their representation and expression is often under-minded due to poor representation or the lack of general understanding or acceptance of the black church as some black youth have felt shunned by these establishments. However, I feel that these spirituals are some of the most powerful text of African-American literature we have and must be continued and preserved for future generations to come if we are to further appreciate the vernacular that follows as well those from the past. They keep us grounded and serve as a reminder that we are larger than the struggles that we face on the daily and though it may not seem clear now, we will overcome them just as those before us have overcome their struggles.
ReplyDeleteI also found myself most interested in the spiriturals. Growing up in church, I already know most of these spirituals because they were in the hymn book that the church sung from every Sunday. I feeel as though negro spirituals truly helped the people befor us get though slavery. it engouraged them to keep pressing through and hope for the better.
DeletePersonally for me a part of the oral tradition that has stuck with me would by the spirituals and hymns that were sung. Being that I grew up Baptist and heavily involved in the church the music was always something that stuck with me, it at times would speak to me. The music would at times when being played during service take me back to the time when the songs would be sung, it would feel as though while choir would sing the songs that I could feel the pain the slaves went through during those times, the feeling and the emotion that was put into those spirituals could be felt for me still to this day through just singing and or listening to them.
ReplyDelete-Kirah McAllister
Delete(Najeeah Ford)
ReplyDeleteI personally like Sojourner Truth the most because I felt like she was more of an advocate for black women. “Ain’t I a Woman” resonated with me because she shares her personal experiences as a black woman then draws a comparison between how white women are expected to be treated. Many of these movements neglected black women, and it was her goal to expose this hypocrisy, hence the title “Ain’t I a Woman”. In an audience of white feminist, Sojourner Truth paints a depiction of the black woman's struggle in an attempt to get the audience to understand her message. Truth is a rhetorical genius because she then collectively includes her audience by stating that a man would not be here except through God and a woman.