At renewal group recently we shared on the theme in the news about the bi-centenary of the abolition of the slave trade act. We'd heard about it in stories but also in our family stories too. We are a diverse group of people with roots and connections around the world including Jamaica, Germany, Ghana, Denmark, Liverpool and mill towns in England.We shared our thoughts and feelings, tensions and questions about the transatlantic slave trade and how it has affected our identities, families, education & upbringing. Some were told not to talk about their heritage outside the home or this would cause trouble for other family members. Some told us of chants they remembered from their own childhood about skin colour. Some told us of their rootlessness and sense of a lack of identity and belonging being connected with so many countries of the slave masters. Some told of the film about William Wilberforce & the series Roots & a play touring called Cargo.
These were some of the final comments of our reflections together:
- Hearing all this, it makes me want to say "what's my history?"
- Abraham Lincoln said all men are created equal. They are equal.
- I think all this talk of slavery of the past: when are we going to learn? What will it take?
- Stop the slavery & let everybody live a happy life
- I don't know if it is related but in Brasil there are street children & they are being killed every other day & sleeping in a garbage dump.
- It's about inequality where some are deemed to be worth less than others.
- I think there's still slavery going on in the world, of another kind - different to what we have talked about - trafficking in children and women as sex slaves
- It happens, trafficking, at Manchester Airport; women come off the plane and get sold
- Someone told a story from the news of a beautiful woman who lived with her parents but they sold her & she ended up on a ship working as a sex slave
- Someone also wrote a piece out about William Wilberforce & cut out articles for a display in the building over the next few weeks
Our worship on Sunday was led by Eula & Conrad who have connections with the slave masters in Africa & the slave traders in Jamaica in their heritage. They spoke about not forgetting, everyone not forgetting & about their identities as black people in Wythenshawe, Manchester.
Conrad & Eula symbolically broke the chains during worship - someone said they found it really good, they just wanted to clap, it was really powerful.
