Equiano

                The location of Equiano’s birth and what it would mean to the validity of his narrative is hotly debated today.  Despite Carretta’s compelling evidence to the contrary I believe based on accounts in The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano  and the historical context of Equiano's lifetime, Equiano was indeed born in Africa prior to his capture and induction into the Atlantic slave trade. 

                Firstly, Equiano begins his Narrative by describing customs of the Igbo people of Africa.  He explains in Chapter I, “the natives of this part of Africa are extremely cleanly” when he is describing purification rituals among his countrymen.¹  He later remarks several times at his surprise that these new non-African people do not wash their hands before they eat and that they touch dead bodies.²  An action like this would not stand out to someone born and raised in Western culture where purifying oneself after touching a corpse in not practiced.  Next, Equiano’s description of the Middle passage in Chapter II of Volume I account the atrocious environment African slaves endured during transport.  “I can now relate hardships which are inseparable from this accursed trade.”³ Equiano’s knowledge of the offenses during the middle passage and how they are indicative to the slave trade is compelling evidence that he was on that ship and can compare both experiences first hand. These accounts are detailed and surprisingly lacking in emotion from the writer.  It is an extremely clear recollection of events as they occurred written almost from a stunned point of view instead of from a sympathy driven angle.  Furthermore, Equiano’s major motivation behind the Narrative and it success was abolition of slavery.⁴ It is extremely doubtful that during that time when slave narratives were extremely popular and interest in the truth of the slave experience was high, that he would write anything that could be disproven.  No one came forward to counter his appeal to be a free man in 1767.⁵ Also, when discrediting letters were anonymously published in the London papers in 1792 during Equiano’s promotion of his book, no one would claim responsibility for the slander and a retraction was printed.⁶ Witnesses were produced at the time to verify Equiano’s claim of African birth and testified to his arrival in the country in 1762 speaking only in African tongue.⁷

                Vincent Carretta points to several discrepancies between the Narrative and historical documents.  Incorrectly identified ships and dates which Equaino traveled do exist, but mostly during his youth and prior to his adept grasp on the English language. The Industrious Bee, a merchant ship commanded by one of his owners, Captain Pascal, did exist and complete the voyage accounted by Equiano, but the actual time frame does not match up with Equiano’s story.⁸ The details not relating to the date in the Narrative during that time are accurate and it reasonable to believe that a young boy could make memory mistakes about ship names and dates.  Another of Carretta’s points includes documents stating Equaino was born in South Carolina.  His baptism registry in 1759 is one such document. Equiano’s desire to be baptized arose out of fear that “I could not go to Heaven unless I was baptized.”⁹  I believe that Equiano felt pressure to assimilate and giving an American birth place might make his African descent more palatable.  The pattern of minimizing African-ness and assimilating to Western cultures was well documented behavior for slaves and free people of African descent.¹⁰  As Dr. Barnes covered in his lectures, it was important how one "frames" themselves.  The idea that he could gain employment and better treatment by giving an American birth place explains why Equiano might have represented himself as American born during certain times in his life.  Understanding these actions in context does not prove he was American born; instead it gives even more credence to his African birth. 

    

¹The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano: Written by Himself with Related Documents, ed. with an Introduction by Robert J Allison (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007),  52.

²Ibid,  63.

³Ibid,  68.

⁴Where Was Olaudah Equiano Born? (And Why Does It Matter?) http://www.brycchancarey.com/equiano/nativity.htm (accessed 1/25/2012.)

⁵The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano: Written by Himself with Related Documents, ed. with an Introduction by Robert J Allison (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007),  155.

⁶Ibid,  25.

⁷Ibid.

⁸The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano: Written by Himself with Related Documents, ed. with an Introduction by Robert J Allison (Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2007),  71.

⁹ Ibid,  84.

¹⁰From Creole to African: Atlantic Creoles and the Origin of African-American Society in Mainland North America.  Ira Berlin (Virginia: 1996), p.259.

Christopher Columbus

Although Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castille are most commonly known as Catholic monarchs, the original motive for financing Christopher Columbus’s first voyage across the Atlantic was competition and the promise of wealth.   Portugal long held dominance in sea exploration and with the reclamation of Grenada from the Moors settled the King and Queen of Spain could turn their focus outward towards exploration.¹  Immeasurable wealth lying in wait in the east offered Spain promise in fortifying the newly unified country and establish a reputation for exploration and growth.  The lack of any mention of religion, conversion or evangelical witnessing in the Santa Fe Capitulations of 1492 and the Grenada Capitulations of 1492 prove religion was not a primary motive for the voyage.²  Christopher Columbus, however, did believe it was his divine calling to fulfill a religious prophecy.  ³   Columbus’s devotion to Catholicism fueled his drive to complete these voyages and return to Spain triumphant in fulfilling a call from God.  He would even eventually call the discovery of what he named the Indies, “a marvelous event fashioned by God”. ⁴   The initial excitement upon Columbus’s return from the successful voyage of 1492 urged the Catholic monarchs to assert control and power over the new lands in the New World and sought validation through the Pope.⁵    Indeed, the lands discovered by Columbus would be referenced as “added to the assembly of Christians” by a Columbus’s contemporary in 1516.⁶  Catholicism brought Ferdinand and Isabella together in their aim to unify a Catholic Spain and through subsequent exploration by Columbus and future sailors, God would be the name under who all discoveries were credited and celebrated. 

¹ Santa Fe Capitulations. (April 17, 1492), in Christopher Columbus and the Enterprise of the Indies: A Brief History with Documents, ed. Geoffrey Symcox and Blair Sullivan (Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2005), 60-62.

²Granada Capitulations. (April 30, 1492), in Christopher Columbus and the Enterprise of the Indies: A Brief History with Documents, ed. Geoffrey Symcox and Blair Sullivan (Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2005), 62-65.

³ Christopher Columbus, Undated Letter to Fernando and Isabel, in Christopher Columbus and the Enterprise of the Indies: A Brief History with Documents, ed. Geoffrey Symcox and Blair Sullivan (Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2005), 54.

⁴Gonzalo Fernandez De Oviedo, On Columbus as “First Discoverer”, in Christopher Columbus and the Enterprise of the Indies: A Brief History with Documents, ed. Geoffrey Symcox and Blair Sullivan (Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2005), 57.

⁵Geoffrey Symcox and Blair Sullivan, introduction to Christopher Columbus and the Enterprise of the Indies: A Brief History with Documents (Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2005), 19.

⁶Agostino Giustiniani, On Columbus the Evangelist, in Christopher Columbus and the Enterprise of
the Indies: A Brief History with Documents (Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2005), 58.

Hello!

My name is Amy White and I am a junior at ASU completing my bachelor's degree in History.  I took a ten year hiatus from school and the online program is perfect for me since I travel with my job.  I am a flight attendant and enjoy flying all over the United States. History has always been fascinating to me and I am looking forward to this class.  I am hoping to improve my writing skills and this seems like a perfect fit.  Happy New Year everyone!