My reflection of the (so called) abolition year so far, is that I wonder how many sympathetic and unsympathetic people would admit to having ’slave trade fatigue’.
I say that because, even as a (hopefully) conscious proud African who takes very seriously the need for African history to be leant and African stories to be told, I have to admit that I have some fatigue. There are so many events & programmes & exhibitions & plays & poetry readings & documentaries & lectures & church services &&&&&&&, that even I sometimes have to say to myself, ‘I really don’t have the time or the inclination to go to that!’ I hope I still have the interest, but in all honesty I can’t always be bothered to very to every event.
This may be bad to admit I know, but I have to be honest.
But this is just me! I’m glad all these events are happening as I know all these stories need to be told and I’m not the prime audience for all these events. My fatigue is only partly to do with a cynical perception of the oversaturation of a subject matter, it is more about my cynicism of, ’will this be it’? Next year, in any month except October, I would be more than happy to attend one of these many events, but my fear is that we are being tolerated this year, but next year it will be only about October again and we have to know our place. “We’ve let you do slavery. Can we forget it now.”
This is the double edged sword. No we should not forget slavery! But also, it is not the total sum of African experience, (and neither is racism) and actually we have other stories to tell. So no I don’t want to talk about slavery all the time, or even be reminded of it 24/7, but I don’t think it should be forgotten either.
Is that having it both ways? (yes)
Do I want my cake and eat it? (yes)
I won’t apologise for that. Why should I? History’s legacy on present day identity is a complex web of emotions, politics and references, and I won’t be-little my identity by shutting the door on the past just because it makes some others feel more comfortable.
The truth is I have had some ’slave trade fatigue’ this year, but it has been so long overdue that, as with any other bottleneck situation, when the blackage is released the outpouring can be overwhelming.
I’m glad for this year’s outpouring. I just hope any spillages are not dried so quick as to forget the source.
If i’m tired by fatigue that’s not actually a problem.
Tired, but still awake.
[...] I said in one of the first posts on the blog (see here) – slavery fatigue set in at the end of 2007 and the debate needs to be taken much further than [...]
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