The Curse of Ham (Black Slavery)

Most slave owners in Europe were Christians, and they used the Bible to defend their slave's ownership. For instance, they developed “The Curse of Ham” analogy from Noah’s story to justify human slavery but dropped Canaan. “When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son (Ham) had done to him. He said Cursed be Canaan! (Ham was the father of Canaan) The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers (Japheth and Shem)” Genesis 9:21. Ham was made the black man while his descendants made African. The Christian novel of reference says that Noah had cursed Ham and his descendants into being slaves to Japheth and Sham. They concluded that this gave the right to own slaves and treat them as they wish.

                             
                              African Slaves Ready for Shipment to Europe.

The black slaves were considered the property of the white man. The males would do hard labor like farming, building fences, or carrying heavy loads. The woman and children would help the master’s wife with house chores such as cleaning the house and taking care of the babies. Slaves would work for long hour with little or no food. When they got sick, they will receive little or no medical care. The white master would use slaves as collateral for loans. Surprisingly, the masters will encourage slaves to procreate and give birth to more slaves to be sold when fully mature. Family ties was of no importance to the black slave. Women, husbands and children would be separated and never meet again.

                                
                                       Public Whipping of Disobedient Slaves

They also manipulated the slaves against any revolt using their novel reading verses from Paul’s Epistles that instructed them to be obedient to their masters as a way of “pleasing god.” (Romans 13:1-7). Any form of disobedience was met with full force from the master regardless of gender or age. A total submission was required as slaves were punished by whipping, shackling, beating, mutilation, branding, or imprisonment. Perceived disobedience or infractions was tantamount to death among the slaves. However, the white masters sometimes abuse slaves to instill fear or assert dominance. Scars of Peter whipped Louisiana slave, 1863. 

                                         
An escaped slave named Peter showing his scarred back at a medical examination facility in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1863.

Pregnancy was not a barrier to punishment; new methods were coined to administer lashings without harming the baby. Slaves masters would dig a hole big enough for the women’s stomach to lie in and proceed with the lashings. The mistreatment of slaves frequently included rape and the sexual abuse of women. The sexual abuse of slaves was partially rooted in historical Southern culture and its view of the enslaved as property. After 1662, when Virginia adopted the legal doctrine Partus Sequitur Ventrem, where sexual relations between white men and black women were regulated by classifying children of slave mothers as slaves regardless of their father’s race or status. Particularly in the upper South. A population of mixed-race (mulatto) offspring emerged. However, the white Southern society claimed to abhor miscegenation and punished sexual relations between white women and black men as damaging the “racial purity.”

                            

              African Slaves From West Africa ready for Exodus to Europe.

Slaveholders feared slave rebellions and attempted to escape. They minimized slaves’ exposure to the outside world to reduce the risk of protest. Education of slaves was generally discouraged for fear that knowledge and literacy would cause rebelliousness. During the early 17th century, some colonies permitted slaves who converted to Christianity to become free, but this possibility was eliminated by the mid-17th century. Nevertheless, slaves throughout the American South created hybrid forms of Christianity, mixing elements of traditional African religions with the new interpretations of Christianity. Unfortunately, South Carolina permitted law enforcement to disband any religious meeting where more than half the participants were black.

                                           
                                           Slave's Brutality during Exodus

               
                                          

In the 15th century, the Catholic church under Pope Alexander VI conspired to whiten the religious by making the portrait of his son Cesare Borgia as the image of Christian’s white imaginary friend (Jesus). With the help of his gay lover (Leonardo Da Vinci), Cesare Borgia became the image of modern-day Jesus Christ. The image can trace from the famous Last Supper painting by Da Vinci. As of today, in your churches and home is the image of Cesare Borgia. Generally, Christianity was slavery and colonialism whose effects were physical abuse, torture, rape, discrimination, anti-women, and objectifying women as sexual properties. To date, Whites treat blacks as inferior. What a religion of peace!

                      

                             Cesare Borgia Image and Perceived Christ Image

                      
            Leonardo Da Vinci Last Supper Painting commissioned by the Duke of Florence.

                                      
                                                    African Slaves On the Ship

                                                 

                                               
                                                          We Thank Thy

The Cradle of Human Existence.

Africa indeed is the cradle of human origin. Human civilization began in Africa thousands of years ago, which has been proven by various archaeological evidence. African civilization is measured by the quality of human interaction and not the height of tall buildings created by African Kings.

                       

According to Charles Darwin (On the Origin of Species), the first man known as Dryopithecus who looked like an ape primate or a modern-day gorilla existed in Africa and Eurasia (Asia). The fossils remain of early man were first found in East Africa along Lake Victoria basin. Archaeologists have argued that the East Africa climatic condition at the time were favorable for early man survival. The area was surrounded by thick vegetation and wild animals that serve as man's food.

                                   

                                               Evolution of Man

The early man practiced hunting and gathering as a way of survival. They lived in a state of nature where you hunt or get hunted. Therefore, they moved and hunted in groups to ensured they get all the support and security to subdue the enemy. Interestingly, the early man considered competition as a direct threat, and he would kill the child if the women ignored him. Additionally, the man would not allow intruders to his group without a fight. Scientists have stated that the early man possessed aggressive genes which predisposed them to constant fights when lest provoked.

                                      

                                      A Typical Early Man's Family

The early man developed a unique mode of communication used to warn others of incoming danger. Signal the birth of a new member or death and funeral announcements. Notably, early man had a special way of worshiping a supreme deity. They understood that there was a strong force of nature that control all that exists. Therefore, they selected a special place of worshiping such as mountains top, inside the caves, and along the riverbanks.  The gods came in different forms like the sun, the moon, or animals.

          

         Apelike Face of an Early Man

        

        African Man

"Africa" My Mother Land

Africa is known for its vast culture based on their mode of dressing, religious practice, face painting, rites of passage, foods, music, and languages. All African communities have their unique way of dressing, which differentiates one community from another. They also have different items of clothing for every occasion such as childbirth, weddings, and burials. Elderly people dress different from youths while mothers dress differently from young ladies. Dressing in African culture portrays levels of seniority in the community as well as status.

Face painting is often associated with rites of passage. For instance, the Kipsigis and Luhya tribes found in Kenya paint their entire body during circumcision rites.  The Maa community (Maasai) paint their face during their traditional wedding ceremony. Additionally, the Himba people of Namibia cover their body with a mixture of milk fat and red soil, which makes the skin reddish. This beauty mixture is considered a beauty cosmetic. Due to scarcity of water in the Namibia desert, the Himba use wood ash to clean their hair.

           

        Manhood initiation Ceremony among the Luhya

          

                  A Himba Girl 

              

Music in Africa is critical as songs are sung during farming, wedding, burial, childbirth, circumcision, and used to make the child sleep. Drums are employed often during the singing as well as thumb piano and rattles made from dried seeds. African indeed is a melting pot of cultures. The beauty in diversity is immeasurable and it is our duty to explore and enjoy these beauties.  

      

African Diversity In Pictures