Kai Thompson’s Comments (group member since Feb 24, 2019)

Kai Thompson’s comments from the Diversity & Equality Lit. group.

Hi Div/Eq Lit Group! Cheers to reading our first book, that's awesome.

From the onset, I found Barracoon to be an interesting and timely read. While I was expecting something more along the lines of Fredrick Douglas' Narrative of a Slave, I was equally harrowed by Hurston's interpretation of Kossola's own story. As far as style goes, I appreciated that Hurston transcribed Kossola's story in his own words. Although at times I had to re-read passages (and others I moved on bc ya know), the bare emotions of the major events in Kossola's life spoke for themselves. Props to Hurston for acting as a stage for the storyteller rather than interpreting her own meaning for the audience.

During my reading I paid particular attention to two things: 1) treatment of Kossola and people by slaves already residing in the US (for simplicity's sake I'll refer to this as treatment Africans by African-Americans) and 2) Kossola's memories and yearnings-for of his homeland.

Kossola distinguishes himself and his brethren from "de american colored folks" in a way that suggests social hierarchy among slaves. The Clotilda brought its prisoners to the US nearly 50 years after the trafficking of slaves was prohibited. This allowed for a full generation to pass before Kossola arrived in Mobile (of course there were other illegal trips made).

I expected more cohesion between the first generation and subsequent generation slaves, but after reading, Kossula distinguishes "us" and "them." This difference is made more apparent following the conclusion of the Civil War when "de american colored folks ... dey say we savage and den dey laugh at us and doan come say nothin' to us." Kossula and his people go on to form their own town, build their own church, and adhere more closely to African customs. I think it is interesting to highlight the in/out groups that slavery created amongst African themselves; that after generations of slavery a sort of Africanness was lost (including culture, language, food, etc), but a new African-Americanness was also formed.

To my second point, I also particularly liked whenever Kossula talked about "afficky soil". In my opinion, these moments were his richest memories and most sought after dreams. Music and dance are often referenced in the same thought or sentence. For Kossula, the "afficky soil" embodies not only the physical land that he was stolen from but also the customs he had been raised with. (my fav was when he asked to take his photo without his shoes but in his nice suit). Kossula sitting on his porch reminiscing on his homeland, for me, really embodies the back-to-Africa movement, especially in its earliest days.

So I ended reading in the appendices where Hurston's reliability as a narrator is called out. It sucks that she plagiarized, but I don't think that affects Kossula's own story.

Anyways, good read and a good pick! Sorry for the essay, but I had a lot of time on flights recently :)