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bobbieshiann 's review for:
Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo"
by Zora Neale Hurston
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
fast-paced
There is so much appreciation I have for this book, as Hurston pivoted away from stories told by slave traders and by abolitionists and instead went to the source. In the opening of Barracoon, the Black body is compared to machinery. Machinery shows that you have no ownership of your body, as someone can mutilate it, tell it when to go, and continuously use it even when it’s broken down. Barracoon is a piece of history we can hold on to as we meet Kussola, also known as Cudjo Lewis. He was one of the last survivors of the Clotilda, which was the last ship that carried kidnapped Africans to the United States. Overtaken by the Dahomey kingdom, Cudjo lost his family and spent 5 years and 6 months as a slave in America until he became a free man, but he was never truly free because he could never return to his homeland, and yet he is willing to share pieces of himself with us. “Thankee Jesus! Somebody come ast about Cudjo! I want telle somebody who I is, so maybe dey go in de Afficky soil some day and callee my name and somebody dere say, “Yeah, I know Kossula. I want you everywhere you go to tell everybody whut Cudjo say, and how come I in Americky soil since 1859 and ever see my people no mo’. I can’t talkee plain, you unnerstand me, but I calls it word it word by word for you so it won’t be too crooked for you”.
Cudjo tells us stories of his homeland, the traditions and culture of his people, the ways of marriage, and how a young boy becomes a man. Once overtaken, it all slipped away with no chance of reconnecting with his family. While captured, he is chained and made to walk in agony and heartache. “De king of Dahomey, he ride in hammock and de chiefs wid him dey got hammock too. Po’ me I walk. De men of Dahomey dey tie us in de line so nobody run off. In dey hand dey got de head of de people dey carry wid dem to Dahomey”. His journey from being sold to traveling across the water until landing on the plantation is not the center of the story Cujo wants to share, as he eats delicious food and fruit with Hurston, goes through different emotions, and sometimes wants to be alone even though he is lonely. Cujo speaks of the aching he has carried for so long but also shares the triumph and happiness with the town and family he created.
Once slavery ended and Kossula and friends understood what it meant, they wanted to go home, but it was impossible, so they brought Africa to American soil. The land for Affican Town (Africatown) was purchased by Kossula and 31 West Africans. During this time, he speaks of marriage and children but also of the sadness that engulfed him. Six children and five of them ended up dead, while one disappeared with their fate unknown. “Oh Lor’! I good to my chillun! I want dey comp’ny, but looky lak dey lonesome for one ‘nother. So dey hurry go to sleep together in de graveyard”.
His wife, filled with sorrow and aching for her children, cannot bear this world without them and passes as well, so Cudjo is now alone. Alone and waiting for his time to be at rest with his family one day. “But she leave me and go where her chillun. Oh Lor’! Lor’! De wife she de eyes to de man’s soul. How kin I see now, when I ain’ gottee de eyes no mo’?”
Hurston lets Kossula tell his own story and feel emotions, and he does not edit the dialect to fit what is acceptable but instead, what is true of history. What is true about Kossula’s life.
Cudjo tells us stories of his homeland, the traditions and culture of his people, the ways of marriage, and how a young boy becomes a man. Once overtaken, it all slipped away with no chance of reconnecting with his family. While captured, he is chained and made to walk in agony and heartache. “De king of Dahomey, he ride in hammock and de chiefs wid him dey got hammock too. Po’ me I walk. De men of Dahomey dey tie us in de line so nobody run off. In dey hand dey got de head of de people dey carry wid dem to Dahomey”. His journey from being sold to traveling across the water until landing on the plantation is not the center of the story Cujo wants to share, as he eats delicious food and fruit with Hurston, goes through different emotions, and sometimes wants to be alone even though he is lonely. Cujo speaks of the aching he has carried for so long but also shares the triumph and happiness with the town and family he created.
Once slavery ended and Kossula and friends understood what it meant, they wanted to go home, but it was impossible, so they brought Africa to American soil. The land for Affican Town (Africatown) was purchased by Kossula and 31 West Africans. During this time, he speaks of marriage and children but also of the sadness that engulfed him. Six children and five of them ended up dead, while one disappeared with their fate unknown. “Oh Lor’! I good to my chillun! I want dey comp’ny, but looky lak dey lonesome for one ‘nother. So dey hurry go to sleep together in de graveyard”.
His wife, filled with sorrow and aching for her children, cannot bear this world without them and passes as well, so Cudjo is now alone. Alone and waiting for his time to be at rest with his family one day. “But she leave me and go where her chillun. Oh Lor’! Lor’! De wife she de eyes to de man’s soul. How kin I see now, when I ain’ gottee de eyes no mo’?”
Hurston lets Kossula tell his own story and feel emotions, and he does not edit the dialect to fit what is acceptable but instead, what is true of history. What is true about Kossula’s life.