The American Discovery of Europe

Just finished The American Discovery of Europe by Jack D. Forbes. By far, the best thing about this rather speculative text that awaits further confirmation via archaeology is in reversing the usual paradigm of pre-Columbian contact with indigenous peoples of the Americas as agents. Indeed, I love how Forbes reclaims 'Americans' as a term for indigenous people, instead of the less accurate 'Indian.' Moreover, if Forbes is correct about the winds and streams (Gulf Current) favoring indigenous seafarers heading east across the Atlantic rather than the opposite, it would certainly seem likely that indigenous Americans arrived in Europe at various times, although the question of sustained, purposeful contact remains unconfirmed prior to the Norse. If American harpoon points, flora, and peoples had crossed the North Atlantic due to favorable waters and winds prior to Columbus in the North Atlantic, it certainly calls for a revising of the navigational skills of Americans. 

In addition to challenging the traditional Eurocentric (or, for that matter, Afrocentric and Sinocentric) view, Forbes goes to great lengths to show how intercontinental trade and links existed between various centers of civilizations in the pre-Hispanic Caribbean, Mexico/Central America, North America, and South America. And not just in the Atlantic, but also along the Pacific coasts! Contact between the Caribs and Arawaks of the Caribbean for instance, and Mesoamerica is proved by similarities in the ballgame played by both groups, as well as linguistic and trade ties to northern South America (Venezuela and Colombia). Similarities in religion, material culture, and evidence of trade also links Mesoamerica with the Caribbean and North America, more evidence of long-distance trade networks and advanced sailing and seafaring by native peoples. 

In conclusion, the text's weakness relies on the nature of its incomplete evidence, unclear ancient textual and colonial-era sources, and the rather limited knowledge available at the time to the pre-Columbian Americas. It does seem very likely that Americans could have crossed the Atlantic during the Dorset or Thule cultures (the Inuit or "Eskimos"), but as of 2007, the year Forbes published the book, irrefutable evidence has yet to be presented. The strangeness of cocaine and nicotine found in ancient Egyptian mummies and northern European folklore and medieval writings on dark-visaged 'mer-men' may all reveal some incomplete picture of indigenous Americans crossing the Atlantic, but there are still too many gaps to 'prove' it. Nonetheless, Forbes has certainly corrected my erroneous understandings of American navigational ability, links between northern Europe and northeastern America, and the complexity of American civilizations before 1492. 

La Sirene

Issa would be proud of this one! A lively rendition of "La Sirene" which I blogged about here, a beautiful song based on the Vodou lwa. Perfect for a 'fun' Friday night! 

US 19th Century Political Cartoons Mocking Haiti

Source 

Fascinating political cartoon mocking John Q. Adams as a supporter for Haitian recognition in Congress. Here we see how racist 19th century US readers had all their worst fears and stereotypes reified: the image of the black Haitian ambassador dressed like a buffoon who can barely speak English (yet is mocked in the way African-American slaves were), the danger of interracial sex and marriage, and the absurdity of black men as 'gentlemen' and civilized subjects. Although Haiti would not be recognized by the US until the Lincoln administration in the midst of a Civil War, US trade with Haiti remained important (especially US foodstuffs and some manufactures) while Haitian coffee was imported (that is, until the rise of the Brazilian coffee industry in the second half of the 19th century). Of course, no Haitian diplomats were ever received in Haiti prior to the 1860s, so this is pure fiction. Just imagine, Adams introducing a Haitian diplomat as an eligible bachelor for white women!

Haiti and the United States

I have finally read one of my favorite professor's books, Haiti and the United States. In this accessible, short, well-sourced text, Plummer expertly traces the trajectory of relations between Haiti and the United States (while also looking at the role of Haitian relations with other states in Latin America and the Caribbean). She begins with an overview of Saint Domingue and the Haitian Revolution (not neglecting the importance of colonial smuggling and trade between Saint Domingue and the US) and ends with late 20th century Haitian history (the fall of Baby Doc, the election of Aristide, and the coup). The main benefits of Plummer's analysis are to emphasize the role of US imperialism in shaping Caribbean economic and political fortunes, stressing the significance of the Dominican factor in Haitian history (as well as relations between Haiti and Cuba, Haiti and Venezuela) and placing Haiti's history in a larger narrative of US and European imperialism.

Given my experience with Plummer's other work on Haiti as focusing on international trade and economic exchange in Haiti prior to the US occupation (focusing on the role of foreign and semi-foreign merchants who, with their flexible nationalities and ties to metropolitan capital, replaced Haitians and increased Haitian dependency on foreign markets and control), this text is very much aligned with a broader 'left' interpretation of Haitian history and relations with the US. Indeed, much like Plummer's lecturing style, the text's 'leftism,' of which I am generally in agreement with, is usually subtle and thoroughly academic in presentation. In short, Plummer's analysis is a well-written introduction on the problems facing the Haitian state, an examination of Haitian scholarly communities and their writings, trade and conflict with the US, Haitian relations with neighbors in the Caribbean, and the class/color divisions of Haitian society.

Exile One

Kadans jam of the day that exemplifies the appeal of Haitian music in the broader Caribbean, especially in Kreyol-speaking islands, such as Dominica. 

Haitian Exports From Thomas Madiou

 I believe the data speaks for itself in some ways, although it's unclear what unit of measurement export items are in (pounds? feet?) and I am unsure of how to convert Haitian gourdes to US dollars or British sterling. Like most years of the Boyer dictatorship from 1833-1843, the central goverment spent more than it took in. 

The Kongolese Saint Anthony: Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita and the Antonian Movement, 1684-1706

Although I am usually a fan of John K. Thornton's work, The Kongolese Saint Anthony: Dona Beatriz Kimpa Vita and the Antonian Movement, 1684-1706 was a dry text full of academic jargon and very little of it pertained to the Antonian movement led by Dona Beatriz. It was focused more on the context of the Antonian movement and the political crisis of the decentralized Kongo kingdom than anything else, with lots of useful details about the depths to which Catholic ideology and rituals were commonly practiced, even in regions with few priests. Thornton also does an excellent job describing everyday life, urban life, the Kimpasi secret society, some of the ravages of the slave trade (as well as how the Bobangi formed their own secret society based on restoring the ethical harm of their slave trading activities), Kongolese relations with the Portuguese and other Europeans, and the high degree of religious syncretism with a longer tradition of syncretistic messianic movements.

However, the text was really not about the Antonian movement and its inspiring leader, Dona Beatriz, who wished to restore the Kongo kingdom and claimed to be possessed by Saint Anthony. Furthermore, Thornton, partly out of necessity and the limits of historical knowledge at this time, is heavily reliant on textual sources left by Capuchin missionaries and other Europeans, who, disliked Dona Beatriz and used European cultural lens to denigrate spirit possession as demonic. Thus, we have a text that relies on some biased and inaccurate (and incomplete) sources, very dry writing that waxes endlessly about the political intrigue and conflict among Kongolese elites to claim the throne, and does not focus on the Antonian movement as a whole. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy large sections of the text (particularly those referring to culture, art, religious syncretism, and some of the 'everyday life' details of late 17th century and early 18th century West Central Africa. Unfortunately, I am not entirely sure if I 'buy' Thornton's interpretation of the Antonian movement and its role in the political crisis of the fragmented Kongo state. As the reviews here state, there are many problems with some of the sources Thornton relies on, the structure of the book and how it marginalizes the very woman it should focus on, an avoidance of the 'fluid gender performances' of Dona Beatriz's possession by Saint Anthony, and the more complex topic of "Kongo" proto-nationalism, which seems to be a 'thing' in the text.

Nevertheless, the book is a useful and necessary quick read for all those interested in a detailed account of some aspects of the Antonian movement. A more interdisciplinary account that included art, gender, anthropological sources, and how the Antonian movement was internally structured (For instance, Thornton states that Beatriz's movement spread from her original home and the ancient capital through 'mini-Saint Antony's, or, some of her followers who supposedly carried her message throughout the kingdom and attracted peasant followers) would have made this book great.