Identity is commonly seen throughout the slave experience both during the Atlantic slave trade and while discovering a sense of self since taken away from home. One may argue that slaves on the ship to the new world loss their sense of identity due to horrible disgusting conditions, but when you’re taken away from your home, you recreate your old norm in new conditions.
This is seen in Homegoing when Esi and her friend Tansi are on a slave boat a having casual conversation while playing in each other’s hair. This shows that the two did not let the slave trade nor its conditions throw away the identity they have had their entire lives. We also see this as new generations are emerging. Mothers long for their children to be aware of their roots. In Homegoing, Effia expresses the importance of her son speaking not only fluid English but also fluid Fante. This shows how Effia made her old norm apart of her child’s life under new, different circumstances.
We have to remember that humans are complex. When we think of slaves, we need to remember they are humans. The theme of identity in slaves is typically seen or talked about as negative. Yes, they were taken from their homeland, beaten, given new names and much more, but why do we automatically assume that because these things happened, a previous identity was lost? For instance, code-switching is used as alternating one’s character when in the presence of a person. Why don’t we think of slaves as using this technique? Can we make the connection of slaves having identified with certain characteristics in front of a slave master and the other characteristics with slaves? One identity could be performing as a slave should stay alive while the other is one’s true character around the ones a person identifies with the most.
When talking about slavery, Africans only exist because of slavery. When we talk about slavery, we start with the Atlantic Slave Trade, not the culture or identity Africans had prior to it. We can not assume that African slaves lost their identity if we don’t know exactly what they’ve lost. Granted physical yet special objects were taken from slaves, that memory is always there, so does it necessarily mean that they automatically lose a sense of self? Understanding the identity that Africans had prior to the slave trade will truly answer the question of if an African identity was actually lost.
I really like the optimistic idea you've brought up in your first paragraph. There is a way of keeping your own sense of "self" into a new environment. Not everything needs to change in a negative aspect, but certain aspects of identity can be hidden to be protected. It is not necessarily that their identity is lost, but new circumstances the slaves were thrown in were a result of dehumanization and not so much lack of identity. The slaves were always human! The slaves were smart enough to be able to manipulate the slave market. They found advantages in the questions they were asked and created their "identity" through their answers. Some slaves even “sought out” their owner! Thinking about one of our readings from class, when the slaves were becoming free and making their own communities, they incorporated African names and cultural practices again into their lives, freely. Their African culture was not forgotten—their identity was not taken away from them completely.
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