Exchanging Our Country Marks Chapter 5

Warning: Undefined variable $num in /home/shroutdo/public_html/courses/wp-content/plugins/single-categories/single_categories.php on line 126

Warning: Undefined variable $posts_num in /home/shroutdo/public_html/courses/wp-content/plugins/single-categories/single_categories.php on line 127

Michael Gomez explains the roles that the Sierra Leone and the Akan played in the South of the Americas by the Europeans. These societies left a legacy on American soil with associations organized by gender and permeating all aspects of life. Beginning in the 17th century, English and Dutch traders began to create Forts for the Royal African Company (RAC) in 1719, these factories created warehouses and living quarters for both the slaves and owners. Early 17th to late 18th century, Dutch and English travelers in Sierra Leone created secret societies relating to Poro male and Bundu female societies. The secret societies were used in terms as “societies of men and women or male and female societies” are employed in the wide-ranging activities and multifaceted aspects of these institutions. (Chapter 5, Page 94-95). I think the reason secret societies were important because this helped resolve diplomatic and commercial stability between independent domains and villages along with formal education to help them function in their respected societies in their communities and they can be free of creating their own societies. One group became significant in the Poro and Sande societies, they were called the “Sandogo,” a powerful women’s organization that unites the female leadership of many extended household units and kinship group of the village. (Chapter 5, Page 96). I think having female leadership was important because it bought a female voice in both religion and a voice in their community. The relationship of the Akan society was very significant because it brought a spiritual nature of human beings and creates political organizations and connection between land, cultural, and social freedom as both tangible and spiritual for the future. (Chapter 5, Page 113).

This is similar to Hunter Loya’s post from Sidney Mintz and Chapter 6 in Atlantic World because enslaved Africans now could escape by creating spaces free from bondage and escaping into the American hinterland to create maroon colonies. I think having these maroon communities would help grow European politics and governments’ because having its own community, own territory, and can help create societies and interact with other people that were enslaved by Europeans.

…read more