作者：Jean Bovell
格式: AZW3, DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT
The Ancestors试读：
INTRODUCTION
The Ancestors is based on a true story. It tracks the lineage of three first daughters who hailed from a small rural community on a Caribbean island between 1845 and 1883.These were women of substance with strong characters, courage, self-belief and determination. They lived during a period in their community when women were generally disadvantaged and resigned to lives of toil, subservience and child-bearing.The narrative gives an account of the women’s lives, loves and marriages and how they overcame obstacles and succeeded in fulfilling personal aspirations and goals. It lingers on the highs and lows of the granddaughter’s fortuitous marriage and includes separate synopses into the characteristics of her remarkable offspring.Significant national and international events that occurred during our heroines’ journey are incorporated and characters are illuminated as the reader is taken back in time to a place where people lived simple and unhurried lives.The Ancestors is a readable, compelling and uplifting biopic which details the setbacks and triumphs across three generations of a family on their climb from the bottom of the valley to the top of the hill during an age when higher educational opportunities were largely inaccessible to people from humble Caribbean communities.THE BEGINNING
The discovery of the Americas by the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus and his fleet of ships in 1492 was destined to be momentously impactful on world history. Columbus united the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. He opened a route across the Atlantic to the new world and was widely known as The Discoverer during the 19th century.One particular island, with uninhabited islets dotted not far from its shores, was among many beautiful islands uncovered by Columbus and his crew during their magnificent voyage of discovery.The navigators were captivated by the uniqueness of the island’s picturesque landscapes, copious greenery, scenic mountains, lush hills and valleys and plantations of different varieties of tropical fruit, vegetables, ground provision, herbs, peppers and spices, and nuts such as cashews and almonds.Many miles of untouched silver sands fringed with statuesque coconut-laden trees bordered the western coastline. There were splendid views of the Atlantic along the eastern coast.On discovery, the island was found to be inhabited by a friendly and gentle tribe of Indians known as Arawaks. They lived in groups on settlements of huts that were made from sticks and leaves and covered with large palms.Columbus named this unique and serene land Conception Island. Conception Island was some time later invaded by a tribe of Amerindians from South America better known as Caribs. The gentle and defenceless Arawaks were conquered and killed by the warrior-like Caribs and they renamed the newly invaded island Camerhogue. After many years, Spanish sailors voyaging along the Caribbean Sea were struck by Camerhogue’s landscapes and their similarity to those in Spain, and decided to christen the island Granada.COLONISATION
Granada was initially colonised by France and, when the first French settlers arrived in 1650, the Caribs took up arms in defence of their land. They fought bravely and fiercely, but were unable to match the power and sophistication of French armoury and lost every battle. Caribs were a proud and courageous people, and those who survived the bloody massacre chose to jump to their deaths at Le Morne de Sauteurs, rather than surrender to the Colonialists.Granada became known as La Grenade under French rule and by the year 1761 was divided into six parishes. Each parish contained a town centre in which there were retail outlets, a post office, police station and Catholic Church. Roads had been laid in every parish and several led to beaches. Estates had been established and maps of the island were in existence.Slaves were shipped into La Grenade from West Africa and made to work the land for extended periods in blazing sun or thunderous rain. The majority were nonetheless treated with a degree of consideration by French planters, mindful that their labouring tasks were crucially contributory to the economy of the island. La Grenade slaves were permitted to help themselves to produce that was needed for their separate purposes and were also paid a small wage. People from slave communities were indoctrinated into Christianity, baptised into the Faith and encouraged to live Christian lives. In particular, promiscuity was discouraged and marriage promoted.La Grenade was surrendered to the British under the Treaty of Paris in 1763 and from that point onwards La Grenade was called Grenada. The island would also in the future be known as the Isle of Spice or Spice Island.During French rule, the original names of slaves were replaced with those carried by French planters. Following British takeover, the majority of slaves found that the names to which they had grown accustomed had been once again changed and reflected those of their new British owners. Even so, the French/African sub-culture already developed in slave communities could not be easily shifted. People throughout the island who belonged to these communities held fast to their indoctrinated Roman Catholic faith, and continued to attend Church services on Sunday. But there were those who in parallel maintained old superstitious beliefs or participated in voodoo rituals. Female slaves dressed in ankle-length gathered skirts over layered petticoats, similar to those worn by French ladies of the day, but their outfits were enhanced with cultural accessories such as colourful scarves and turbans.Grenadian slaves were required to adapt to the language of the new British Colonists. The transition from French patois to English had not been an easy process, but slaves were not only resilient but also acutely aware of their powerless status. And an original dialect of broken English spoken in distinctive tones was in time developed. But French patois was not entirely abandoned and became the second language regularly spoken among enslaved adults.All slaves looked forward to celebratory days when feasts were followed by square dancing. The square dance was introduced by the French, but their unique version of the dance was hyped with beating drums and driven by spontaneous rhythmic excitement.The island was recaptured by the French in 1779, but returned to British rule under the Treaty of Versailles just four years later in 1783.Like the French, British planters were also relatively considerate in their treatment of the island’s slaves and endeavoured to safeguard their welfare by appointing guardians to protect them from abuse by unscrupulous owners. Thomas Coke, a British missionary and historian, reported in 1793 that slaves in Grenada were treated with less severity than those of any other island in the region and noted the incident of a woman being fined $500 for cruelty towards her slave. The buying and selling of slaves were no less a flourishing business. An individual slave with detailed description of his or her particular physical build, skills and attributes was often included among items advertised for sale such as furniture and various bric-a-brac pieces.People of French origin who continued to reside in Grenada following British colonisation, experienced immense loss of liberty and were even persecuted. Julien Fedon, a young revolutionary of French and African descent, had a vision to be leader of a French-speaking Roman Catholic island society in which everyone was free.On 3rd March 1795, approximately 100 men of mixed race and African heritage headed by Fedon marched to Grenville in the middle of the night. The men broke into houses occupied by British planters and their families and at gun point ordered the planters from their beds and onto the streets, where they were shot. The village of Gouyave in the parish of St John was at the same time overtaken by a separate group of revolutionaries led by Etienne Ventour and Joachim Philip. No fatalities were incurred.In the ensuing period slaves throughout the island were incited by Fedon and his followers to rise up against the British.Grenada remained in the grip of Fedon and his men for 14 months. The revolutionaries were eventually defeated by the British during a battle for the capture of the capital, St George’s, in May 1796. Fedon escaped by boat to the sister island of Carriacou. He was never apprehended.ST DAVID’S
The parish of David is situated at the south-eastern end of Grenada. It sits within an area of 18 square miles and is the third largest parish after St Andrew’s and St George’s.St David’s is mainly an agricultural parish. Its rich red soil yields abundant traditional crops, a variety of herbs, and the aroma of spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves hang permanently in the air. There are numerous inlets, hidden beaches and small bays. French settlers named the parish Quartier du Megrin. A small coastal town called Bourg du Megrin was established by the French in 1735 and it became a busy and bustling port for the shipment of cocoa and nutmeg.It was recorded in the slave register for St David’s dated 1817 that 109 male slaves and 123 female slaves were being held in the Parish. Of the documented number of slaves, 111 had been African-born and there was in total 58 children.On 28th August 1833, the Imperial Emancipation Act was passed requiring all slaves in British Colonies to be freed from 1st August 1834. All slaves in Grenada were freed on 1st August 1838. They received monetary remuneration, were granted rights to purchase or rent small plots of land and encouraged to pursue individual ambitions and aspirations.Freedom was embraced with euphoria by individuals in slave communities up and down the island. They celebrated with frenetic delirium. There was much eating, drinking, jumping, shouting, beating of drums and dancing in the streets. “Free at last – Praise the Lord!” they chanted repeatedly.But freedom came with responsibility. And after the jubilation had subsided, freed men were weighing up the benefits and disadvantages of the available choices for embarking on their newly acquired independent lives.For many the idea of owning and cultivating plots of land, not only for subsistence but also profit, seemed an exciting prospect. Others decided to seek opportunities on the larger and more progressive island of Trinidad, where it was rumoured there was plenty of work. Those who chose to travel became the pioneers of large-scale immigration to Trinidad by Grenadians in search of comparative prosperity.As time evolved, various sleepy villages and settlements consisting mainly of tight-knitted groups of relatives and friends emerged on rented or purchased property in St David’s.These communities were self-reliant. Individuals often assisted each other with erecting simple homes made from wood and covered with galvanise, one-room shacks constructed with mud and branches called ‘straw houses’, or transferring houses from one plot of land to the next. These tasks were undertaken willingly and with enthusiasm. When workers were not singing jovially in chorus, they would relay embellished tales or crack jokes in spirited tones. The working day always ended on a satisfying note with an abundance of food and drink provided by the grateful recipient. It was a period when dwellings were occupied mainly at night time and contained just one bed intended only for adults. Children were required to sleep on the floor. Lamps fuelled by kerosene were lit at dusk and switched off when everyone was ready for bed. Daily activities, including cooking, eating and socialising with friends, occurred out of doors in surrounding grounds best known as ‘the yard’, where animals also mingled.Latrines were large dug-out holes surrounded by crudely erected planks of wood; but there were those who simply used the woods for that purpose. Water was sourced from natural springs, clear water streams or rivers that were sectioned for drinking and domestic use, laundering and bathing.New communities were built on the bedrock of faith in God, hard work, a strong sense of belonging and everyone looking out for each other. Women cooked in large quantities and regularly presented each other with samples of their separate cuisine. And it was customary that visitors were provided with a generous helping of the meal of the day and would be expected to consume every morsel, whether they liked it or not. Agriculture was the main source of income and subsistence and everyone, including children, engaged in the daily grind necessary for ensuring not only the welfare of individual family units but the community as a whole. Work routines were based on an early to bed and rise schedule, the common saying being: Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.BORN FREE
In the year 1845, a 17-year-old girl called Millie, who lived on a settlement in the village of Vincennes, St David’s, gave birth to her first child. It had been a long and painful labour before an infant girl was safely delivered by Millie’s 36-year-old mother, Florence.The infant’s father, Tom, was 18 years of age and had been married to Millie for only a few short weeks. Florence had been ordered by her husband, Elias, to arrange the nuptials. Elias was strongly of the opinion that Tom should accept the consequences of having his way with Millie. Even so, babies being born out of wedlock were not uncommon; but Elias had married the mother of his children and was determined that other men also did right by his own daughters. It was an era in the community when adults were expected to back each other on issues or decisions concerning their respective offspring. But specific dictates from the male head of any family in their chauvinistic society were never questioned and always complied with. Tom’s mother Veronica, who had assumed the position of matriarch within her single-parent household, following the demise of her own mother, felt obliged to be supportive of Elias’ command. Tom had no right of opinion. Elders were at that time respected, obeyed and never challenged. Tom simply did as he was told.The baby daughter of Millie and Tom was welcomed with great joy by everyone on the settlement. Florence was particularly happy and proud to be grandmother to such a beautiful baby, who was the first in the family to be born following emancipation.Florence decided her grand-daughter should be called Hope. The infant was one of a new generation that had been born into freedom and it was Florence’s view that the name Hope represented freedom, liberty and opportunity.Hope’s christening was planned with enthusiasm by the family and eagerly anticipated by everyone in the small community. It was an environment in which people not only relied on each other, but also knew each other’s business and were welcomed at any function.Six weeks after her birth, Hope, wrapped in white cloth, was carried to the Church in central St David’s, where she was baptised in the presence of her parents, godparents and various friends and relatives.After the church ceremony, everyone embarked on the rugged journey back to the settlement and gathered in the yard surrounding the family’s simple two-roomed home.It was a bright and sunny day, but the atmosphere in the yard was cool and calm. Heavily laden fruit trees swayed in a gentle breeze fragranced with spices. People sat on crudely made benches, large stones or trunks of nearby trees. They tucked into a meal of stewed pork and ground provision served in calabash bowls and drank ginger beer from large pan-cups. Tiny God birds flew above the heads of guests or hopped around their feet whilst competing with scrawny dogs and scurrying chickens for any morsel of food dropped.When the eating and drinking was over, high-spirited guests chatted excitedly and simultaneously in loud voices. Tales were told, jokes were cracked and laughter was bolstered by forceful slaps and shoves. Deliriously happy youngsters jumped around gleefully or played their favourite games. It had been one of the rare days, apart from Sunday, when they were not being subjected to harsh directions and were allowed a little fun. While the jollifications were in full flow, Millie sat quietly and unnoticed on the grass with legs outstretched, patiently and contentedly breast-feeding baby Hope.Soon there was the inevitable beating of drums and young and old were on their feet in readiness for the Square Dance. They formed into lines and joyfully clapped, jumped, skipped and changed partners in rhythm with the beat.As dusk began to fall, guests dispersed in different directions. But spirits remained high and a glowing residual sense of pleasure was shared by all.LIFE EVOLVES
Over the years communities of freed slaves up and down the island became increasingly organised and self-sufficient. And local skilled craftsmen such as blacksmiths, carpenters, shoemakers and tailors emerged. There were those who focused on using saved income to purchase property. Ownership of large areas of land, in those days, indicated success and commanded respect. But for everyone agriculture remained the primary source of income. In particular, the sale of nutmeg in Government-run centres provided reliable earnings. Various other products yielded from the crop such as cocoa, spices, molasses, cashew nuts and corn on the cob were sold at markets in Grenville and St George’s.Meanwhile, little Hope, who lived with her parents and younger siblings in their humble two-roomed wooden shack, had grown into a plump child with stocky legs and her cherub face was crowned with clusters of short plaits that fell haphazardly on her head.Like many others in country communities throughout the land, the family spent daylight hours carrying out routine outdoor tasks such as looking after farm animals and working the land.Manufactured goods were not widely available or may have been too expensive for the majority on limited incomes, and specific products were hand-prepared from source for every-day consumption.Coffee beans and cocoa pods were picked and processed for making hot beverages. Oil was extracted from coconuts and used not only for cooking purposes but also for skin and hair care. Sugar was produced from cane. Herbs and spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, turmeric, lemon grass and ginger, were used for medicinal purposes, brewing teas, making refreshing drinks or flavourings. Hot spicy sauces were made from colourful peppers. Honey was obtained from bee hives. Farm animals were reared for milk and eggs and slaughtered for meat.As a young and upcoming married couple with an ever-increasing family to feed, times were hard for Millie and Tom. Apart from the sewing and reaping seasons, when Millie was required to work the land alongside her husband, it was largely the case that Tom tended the crop while Millie held responsibility for the day-to-day running of the home and family, including the discipline of the children. She would allocate tasks to them such as fetching water from the river, collecting wood for building fires on which meals were cooked, running errands, feeding the animals or sweeping the yard. If they misbehaved in any way or failed to complete tasks satisfactorily, Millie would order the offender to fetch a large twig from a nearby tree and kneel on rough ground prior to being vigorously and energetically whipped. Any whimpering sounds resulted in additional blows.Many children of the age received very little nurturing. And pent-up anger and frustration associated with being mistreated by an overbearing and unreasonable spouse was often unburdened onto the unsuspecting offspring by an exasperated mother. But children were fundamentally loved and Millie was one of a majority who demonstrated maternal affection by making sure that her siblings received large portions of food. The composition of main meals was varied, but could be some form of soup such as pea or pumpkin with dumplings. Root provision served with a little fresh or smoked meat or fish. But breadfruit, green leafy vegetables and salted meat steamed in coconut oil and commonly known as ‘oil down’ was always a favourite dish.It was generally accepted that the role of a wife involved being at all times obedient, subservient and mindful of the marriage vows. Millie was totally ‘under试读结束[说明：试读内容隐藏了图片]