Research Paper

Slave Trade in Anomabo

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Slave Trade in Anomabo

The town of Anomabo still exists along the coast of Ghana. Its current population is about 14,400 people. Its origin is unclear, but the town became prominent during the 17th century. Before then, there was localized trade in fish and other products. The fortunes changed when the elite merchants invited the Dutch to construct a factory. Interactions with the Whites enticed the Fante merchants into the emergent slave trade (Newton, 2013). These merchants did not only embrace the idea but also supported their European counterparts with everything they needed to keep the practice thriving. They, for instance, supported the construction of a fort by the English who operated the Royal African Company. Sparks (2014) implies that Anomabo became a prominent exporter of slaves based on voluntary cooperation.

The Voluntary Cooperation between White and Black Traders in Anomabo

The popular belief in the West, and especially in the United States, is that slave trade was entirely the Whiteman’s fault. A significant number of students and other citizens alike imagine a scenario where the slaves would be grabbed from Africa by the Whites prior to being shipped to the Americas. The story is somewhat true, but partially told (Fatah-Black & Rossum, 2015).

Of course, not many observers would argue with the fact that the immoral trade was triggered by the Whites. It was the Europeans who solicited help from the African chiefs and elites as they sought cheap and/or free labor for farms in the New World. Nevertheless, the question is if Africans participated freely or under duress. Apart from the few instances when the Europeans could demand for streamlined operations, the Africans clearly cherished the opportunity (Fatah-Black & Rossum, 2015; Newton, 2013).

The Basis of the Incomplete Story

Africa is complex, geographically and culturally. There are thousands of tribes, and equally thousands of languages. Traditional practices are diverse to the extent that while, say, the pawn system had been popular in West Africa, most people in other regions may not even have heard of it. In that case, researchers would have had a hard time trying to chronicle the events on the African side of the Transatlantic Slave Trade (Greene, 2015; Sparks, 2014).

This was an immoral practice, and the Whites had a good reason to be remorseful without trying to shift the blame. It is an emotive issue to this day, and some would dismiss Sparks (2014) on the face of it. Nevertheless, truth has a value that’s objective in and of itself. If a lie makes anyone happy, then they are not really happy. Their view of the world is fictional. Real happiness and satisfaction is found by facing the truth, even if it hurts. At least one would be living in reality. This is why it is important to consider the facts being presented by Sparks (Gleeson, 2010).

The Power Dynamics in Anomabo

On the African side, there were two dominant forces. These were the chiefs and the merchants. The chiefs were in charge of administration and overseeing cultural practices. Additionally, they were also involved in trading activities to a significant extent. In essence, there were no formal constitutions stipulating their responsibilities, and hence they would basically delve on anything and everything as long as it would benefit them. The merchants focused on trade and maximizing their gains (Gleeson, 2010).

After having remained as a sleepy town for centuries, the local merchants and leaders must have become envious of their immensely successful neighbors along the Gold Coast. This is why they invited the Dutch to construct a factory and to help boost the importance of the town. The relationship between the merchants and traders was largely symbiotic and smooth, although there could be instances where conflicts arose between clans as the demand for slaves rose (Sparks, 2014).

Some of the inland clans would abandon the trade unexpectedly from time to time, and this further constrained the supply side. Nevertheless, these tribes could not ignore the allure of the potential economic gains, and hence they got back to the business of seeking and selling slaves within no time. In essence, the importance of Anomabo would barely waver much to the satisfaction of such chiefs as Eno Baisee Kurentsi and Amonu Kuma (Fatah-Black & Rossum, 2015; Newton, 2013).

The Influence of Racial Hierarchy on Slave Trade in West Africa

As the interactions between the Whites and Black elite traders and rulers intensified, so did relationships. With time, there was a significant number of individuals of mixed races. These people remained largely in the town, and their social status was higher than that of most members of the Black community. Their presence in diplomacy and as business attachés was noteworthy. An impressive number did attend European schools, and their racial hybridity was perceived to be an asset by both Whites and Blacks (Sparks, 2014).

The Whites did occupy a higher social rank than the Blacks. Even though excerpts indicate that the latter could outsmart the former in trade and diplomacy, this did not happen frequently. It is recorded in those excerpts since it is rather unusual and must have made an impact to individuals of both races. Indeed, the elites in the Black community knew for sure that their economic fortunes would dwindle if their relationship with the Whites fell apart. This was a trade formulated by the latter, and hence the former had to play along if they were to gain from it (Gleeson, 2010; Sparks, 2014).

Conclusion

Sparks (2014) draws significant attention to a subject that has been neglected over a long period of time. It could be that the complexity of Africa and the diversity of cultures around the west coast of the continent made the task insurmountable. Another reason might be the ‘White guilt’. Nonetheless, whether that guilt is legitimate or unjustified, it should not derail the uncovering of the facts. Fatah-Black & Rossum (2015) argues that if the understanding of the historical accounts improves civilizations, then it needs to be anchored on facts.

The reality is that the Black elites in Anomabo did not only embrace slave trade, but they did also work hard to sustain it. It was immensely beneficial to them; and the elites could have continued with the practice had the Whites not outlawed it. This is in spite of the fact that slave trade increased tensions between clans, and sometimes conflicts could break-out. Slave trade was a mutual cooperation between Whites and Blacks (Greene, 2015; Sparks, 2014).

References

Fatah-Black, K., & Rossum, M. (2015). Beyond profitability: The Dutch Transatlantic Slave Trade and its economic impact. Slavery & Abolition, 36(1), 63–83. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144039X.2013.873591

Gleeson, D.T. (2010). Securing the “interests” of the south: John Mitchel, A.G. Magrath, and the reopening of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. American Nineteenth Century History, 11(3), 279–297. https://doi.org/10.1080/14664658.2010.520928

Greene, S.E. (2015). Where the negroes are masters: An African port in the era of the slave trade. Journal of Southern History, 81(2), 434–436

Newton, J.D. (2013). Slavery, sea power, and the state: The Royal Navy and the British West African settlements, 1748–1756. Journal of Imperial & Commonwealth History, 41(2), 171–193. https://doi.org/10.1080/03086534.2013.779098

Sparks, R.J. (2014). Where the negroes are masters. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press