From Mende to Negro: the Violent Recasting of African Identity

One of the more powerful scenes in American cinema depicts the flogging of the proud African Kunta Kente who sought freedom by running away but was ultimately caught. He received two forms of punish for this transgression: one physical the other psychological. As a consequence of running away the white slaveowner asked the overseer to have Kunta flogged in the presence of the other enslaved Africans on the farm as a means of "socializing" or conditioning them, and in turn the overseer instructed a negro headman to whip Kunta. For Kunta the physical scars were deep and traumatizing, but those were transient. Far greater and longer lasting damage was done in denuding him of his African name which connected him to his people, his culture, and his history and forcing him to accept an alien name, which essentially confirmed his status as property and chattel (a being without a culture and without history).

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Slave
• Slavery
• African Diaspora
• Naming
• Roots
• Kunta
• Chicken George

[CerromeX]

After watching Shaka Zulu this doesn't matter no more I got my Black Pride

[catfishnelson]

@CerromeX then share your knowledge to assist our brothers and sisters who are struggling with self-hatred, self-loathing, low self-esteem, and who lack intellectual self-confidence because they do not know who they really are and because they do not know their true history. "I" has little meaning among African people. "We" in relationship to one another is far more powerful, far more meaningful, and far more important than "I."

[5bellies688]

well written catfishnelson. The desciption of the recasting is spot on. Thanks for posting this!

[catfishnelson]

@5bellies688 Medaasi (Thanks). Asediniho (Don't mention it)!

[procommenter]

ALL Taco Bell employees identify with the whipping and manacling depicted in "Roots."

[xman69100]

does any one notes black guy doing beating

[Tourniquet88]

"Tobi with an 'I', with an accent over the 'I' and a little line over the 'O'..."

[imdavid666]

except its bullshit, slaveholders rarely  whipped their slaves, they were too valuable.

[CHAKASHAKA]

@CerromeX both shaka zulu and toby are reflecting real personalities.........but look to none to give you pride....look at yourself and your own deeds to give you self worth,,,individualism and spiritualism is where its at...besides I am suprised that you mention the kunta kinte/toby clip as something that wouldnt give you pride........ the man stood his ground near death, just for a name.

[mindspring57]

@TheTubeEmperor If your african kings were so holy, none of you would be here today.