In the story Anansi African slaves are placed on a ship where it is almost completely dark(hold). In the hold their is a little girl who is scared of losing her life but and african woman keeps sharing anasi stories so that she could keep strong and it could prevent the european from brain washing her.The lady wasn't just telling the stories for fun but she told them to the little girl so that she could pass it on to her generation when she got free. It wasn't only the women telling stories but it was all the slaves in the hold Anansi's web was like a link for them. It made them form a bond even though the were complete strangers.
My views on my culture have really improved. I did know about the slavery and bad treatment of my ancestors but never really understand the depth of their struggle. The book vividly depicts how roughly and without value they were treated and I appreciate my ancestors more for what they survived through. I will personally start embracing my African culture more than the Europeans who belittled the unity of our ancestors. To embrace our culture we should do more traditional dances than those European dances created to belittle our race. I realise how much we actually degrade our culture to fit in with the European society. I see how the European straight hair has creeped into our African wild haired culture. The Europeans were threatened by the strength of the Africans unity and have succeeded in dividing us. I think this a great problem that cannot be rectified by one person but may come to pass when we stand together as one to fight for our African pride.
My views on cultural preservation has improved greatly after my reading of The Anansi by Alistair Campbell. Such cruelty was done to the African slaves on the transatlantic voyage. The white men treated the slaves as if they were less than their faces and never had no form of respect or gratitude for them. This taught me that I should always keep in mind all what my fore fathers went through for my freedom today. It also taught me that I should never allow myself to be brain washed by American cultures and I should preserve my rich African heritage for this was the reason the slaves fought for their emancipation so that they would be freed from what the white men wanted to force them to do.I am very glad that I read this book so that I can say out loud how proud I am to be a descendant of the Africans.
Oral tradition can be described as a community's or group's cultural and historical tradition passed down through stories or word of mouth or example from one generation to another . The Anansi stories are a perfect depiction of culture being passed down through oral tradition. The telling of Anansi stories was done primarily to preserve the African culture during and after the trans-Atlantic voyage . A representation of this preservation is shown in the character of the woman, who solely represents Africa's, the mother land. The woman's retell the Anansi stories to the girl which she connected to in the Hold of the ship. In the play, the woman is identified as audible and invisible as she cannot see the girl but they both connect spiritually. By reading , interpreting and understanding this play and the culture and history of both Africa and Anansi , I believe that this is perfectly applicable to our daily lives now more than ever. The trans-Atlantic voyage marked the beginning of colonization of the Africans by the Europeans. By the telling of stories , the woman helps the girl to find herself and shape her mind in order to prevent the impact of colonization on herself and consequently, the rest of their people. By the telling of the Anansi stories The woman teaches the girl to travel back to Africa in her mind because without the history of her home and her people she will be colonized. Nowadays , the people of African descent often fail to learn and hold on to their African culture by adapting to the ways of European living . They fail to realize how the Europeans tried to diminish and ruin their culture through abuse and slavery . As people of African descent we must uplift our culture and prevent further colization because as a joint people , we can conquer a nation.
The telling of the Anansi stories has shown me how unified the African people are and taught me to appreciate my culture. It has helped me to realise that back then, no matter how cruel the Europeans were to them, they were still unified, they were still strong and they still grew together. I am proud of my ancestors and my history, because I am not cruel to others and I am unified with my people. I have seen how loving the woman was to the girl who was a stranger and how cruel, unkind and cold the captain was to the boy who was his son, his own flesh and blood. I am glad that I am not from that culture. It is African culture to be united, nurturing and loving, especially through the telling of stories. I have learned to be united because it is my culture to build communties, grow together as a people and nation and to nurture each other.
I believe that cultural preservation plays an important part in our lives. We must know and understand the pain our ancestors went through, and what they did to keep strong on this rough and uncomfortable journey. We must be proud of where we came from and who we are. We must also continue the African culture.
In Alistair Cambell's 'Anansi' culture plays a huge role in the play. The little girl who had been taken from her home and bound in chains has nothing left to hold onto but her indentity. While in the hold the old woman tied next to her passes on the culture and traditions of Africa through storytelling to give this girl the strength and courage she knows she needs to survive when she arrives in Jamaica. She in turn will pass on is wisdom to the other Africans. After reading Anansi I realized that your culture is your identity and who you are and that is someone no one can ever take away from you. Preserving our culture is more than just eating the food and knowing the stories but embracing who we are as a people. The woman knew that if she didn't pass on the traditions of Africa to the girl she would be colonized like we are being now. The woman knew that the girl would be brainwashed when she arrived in the Caribbean if she didn't know her history, values, etc. like black people are being brainwashed nowadays. Instead of embracing only European culture we should be proud to be Africans instead of looking down on anyone who is seen as "too African" or "too black". As people of African descent we should know about our history and where we came from and not degrade ourselves because we want to be like the Europeans who captured, tortured, degraded and colonized our ancestors. We should be loving and nurturing and caring as is African tradition and build our communities on these values.
Alistar Campbell's 'Anansi' had greatly improved my views on culture preservation. Through this story I have developed a true understanding of all the struggle and abuse my ancestors went through. The woman who symbolized Africa comforted and educationed the little girl about her heritage amd culture through the stories. These stories gave her bravery to bear being a slave and was passed on through generations. Even through they were controlled by the whites, their pride of their culture was never diminished As african decedents we are to be actively involved and appreciative of our roots rather than suppressing it with the trends of Europen society. We need to be as loving and caring for one another as the slaves were to each other in the hold. Be proud and embrace our heritage.
The knowledge of the importance of Cultural Preservation has impacted me greatly. My views on Cultural Preservation have broadened to a point from this as well, Particularly due to ready and understanding the real meaning(s) of the Anansi story/stories. In the Anansi story, the importance of Cultural Preservation plays a huge role in the deciding factor of whether the slaves (the girl more particularly) dies or lives to eventual freedom. From the initial behaviour of the girl, a slave, we can gather her feelings of fear- understandably- as she is in an unknown place that is dark, putrid smelling, without her mother, bound together with her people and laying in her own filth. She eventually meets the woman, who becomes a symbolization of her home, Africa, through her commendable and unfailing strength and the illustrative Anansi stories which were passed down through the generation of West African slaves. These traditional stories had imbued hope in the girl over time, from hearing that a seemingly weak spider could outsmart all the bigger animals of the forest. In a way, Anansi had represented the girl or what she would have become after being empowered by the stories. The girl had eventually realised and accepted that although the Europeans could tie her up and make her physical body weak, her mind (far more powerfully fortified than her body) is exceptionally strong and she would not allow herself to be colonised/brainwashed should she want to be free in the future. We as people today- black, white, of any colour should take the fully cultural story with the underlying meaning- no one should be the decider of our own destiny but ourselves, only we have the power to do so. Conclusively, it can be said that we have certain cultures, more specifically cultural backgrounds for a reason and they have a remarkable impact on each and every individual. The stories told by our ancestors can determine how we, individually, choose to live our lives. In the case of the African girl, it was only because of the traditional stories the girl was strengthened to move on. Cultural Preservation is important, and to know this we can conquer all issues that we have now that have carried on from the past. We can all learn something from our past.
My views on my culture have really improved. I did know about the slavery and bad treatment of my ancestors but never really understand the depth of their struggle. The book vividly depicts how roughly and without value they were treated and I appreciate my ancestors more for what they survived through. I will personally start embracing my African culture more than the Europeans who belittled the unity of our ancestors. To embrace our culture we should do more traditional dances than those European dances created to belittle our race. I realise how much we actually degrade our culture to fit in with the European society. I see how the European straight hair has creeped into our African wild haired culture. The Europeans were threatened by the strength of the Africans unity and have succeeded in dividing us. I think this a great problem that cannot be rectified by one person but may come to pass when we stand together as one to fight for our African pride.
In Alistair Campbell's 'Anansi' the theme of culture is displayed. My views on culture have been impacted significantly.In the play a part of African culture being story telling is occurring in hold where Africans are telling stories in order too stay alive. The woman in the hold telling stories to the little girl gives her a sense of hope and reminds her of her inner strength. The anansi stories are a treasure and holds value. The stories have allowed me to open my eyes and realize how much we are poisened by European culture and all they have enforced unto us. I am now determined to keep the flame alive and too appreciate my roots.I will now try my very best to neglect all the European traditions that have been imprinted in my mind and will embrace who I am AFRICAN.
Culture is defined by the Merriam Webster Dictionary as the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time. In the play, the captives embraced their culture by the telling of stories in the hold. This allowed the younger captives to get an opportunity to learn about their culture and be proud of themselves for their differences instead of allowing their future masters to colonize them, changing who they are and their love for where they came from. The telling of stories allowed the people to come together and never forgot their home, Africa. The woman telling stories to the girl not only educated her but gave her the courage she needed while she was on the voyage. The stories brought them together and made the girl wise and brave for the challenges she would face in her future life as a slave to people who would influence her into not appreciating who she is. The stories told were mainly about their home Africa and it's culture, this gave everyone a chance to remember their homeland and preserve their culture for future generations.
After reading Anansi my knowledge of the importance of culture increased. It allowed me to realize that culture is indeed important and needs to be embraced because it is what makes us unique. Our culture makes us different and differences makes us special. The play teaches us to forever hold on to where we come from and who we truly are in society today. It shows us that there will times where we may be surrounded by different people with different cultures but it is our job to continue being who we truly are.
Today, our appreciation for culture is decreasing because we are allowing ourselves to become colonized rather than bettering ourselves as true African descendants. Our African culture is still alive and therefore we must consider preserving our culture because it is what makes us one.
In Alistair Campbell, we were introduced to an innocent young girl who was captured and taken away from her mother in Africa, by the Europeans. she was taken away from her happiness in Africa and was brought on the ship with her arms and legs chained. At first we saw that she was greatly confused and very afraid. she had no knowledge about what was happening around her. she didn't understand why she was taken away from her mother and why is she tied with all these people. there was a woman in the hold who kept her calm, she gave the knowledge, wisdom and strengths that she needs to survive by telling her traditional stories of Anansi. this was done so that she wouldn't get brainwashed by the Europeans. That woman symbolized Africa and soon we see along the way the little girl was getting an understanding of what is happening and believes that she can survive. the Europeans didn't care about the Africans, they were fed once a day and stayed in their own filth. also, they were brought once a day to get fresh air. the Africans kept themselves strong by passing on their traditional stories.
when I read the Anansi it allowed me to see I was brainwashed and made realise that I am an African and I should be proud of ancestors because they thought for my freedom. culture is very important it gives us a reminder of where we come from and who we are. We should embrace our culture before we are completely brainwashed by society. it is important to know about our culture.we would easily get manipulated.
Alistair Campbells Anansi impacted my views on cultural presevation because i realized that you have to embrace your culture because it is important and it is what makes us,us without our culture we wouldn't be who we are today we would be mindless europeans with nothing better to do with their lives so i am very proud of my culture because we fought for what we wanted because we can do anything if we set our minds to it, this is why i am proud to be an african.
Alistair Campbell Anansi has opened my eyes to culture preservation. In the hold the africans used story telling to bring out their inner strenght against the europeans. They were able to be united as one no matter how bad the were treated by the white men. My ancestors went throught alot on that voyage and the story Anansi helped me understand how the was mistreates.The story telling in the hold help them be strong so they will fight against the colonizations of the whites men. I believe that the europeans are polluting our minds with their culture.
The cultural preservation in Africa is very focused on in the dramascript. The book tells of an older woman who is captured by the Europeans and placed on the hold of a ship.There was a young girl tied to her who did not know the values of Africa. The woman tells her the Anansi stories to give her morals and a true meaning of life. The girl, throughout the play, has grown mentally enough to understand what is going on around her. The woman tells her stories for her to remember where she came from and who she is before the Europeans colonised her. It is great to know that this woman saw this little girl in agony and, knowing that she was not developed in African heritage, comforted her by telling her these stories. She would pass these stories down to maybe her slave master's children or hers when she arrived to the Indies. Our Africans ancestors did not want us to be colonised by the 'evil' Europeans so they passed these stories to us. We should be Africans and not take on the ways of the Europeans who have passed on the negative parts of their culture to us. We have, as West Indians, embraced the ways of the Europeans like they were better than the Africans. The separation we see as a people today is caused by us taking on the way of life of the Europeans. The whites think that we are just bad or like beasts on our owns but fail to realise that we have taken this bad behaviour from them. Sometimes we even behave like slaves, accepting all what the white people are doing to bring us down and not realising it. We should learn to embrace our African heritage and not take on European ways. Not because our ancestors were enslaved by them means that that should define us. No, it should not. We should stand as a people together and fully take on our African culture which shows family spirit and togetherness.
Cultural preservation may be defined as the deliberate act of keeping the cultural heritage for the future. The telling of Anansi stories was done predominantly to preserve the African culture in the Transatlantic voyages and thereafter. In the drama, the relationship between the woman and the girl is an ideal representation of cultural preservation through 'word of the mouth'; the woman being Africa and held the message of redemption. She used the Anansi stories to teach the girl about their culture and values, preparing her mentally to withstand the cruelties she would suffer st the hands of slave trade. Reading and understanding the drama, has made me aware that I have neglected my heritage and embraced the Eurocentric way of life. I realize no that colonization is no longer 'a whip to the back' but presented in an attractive way, and many including myself have fed right into it, accepting our demise. Most importantly, it has increased my appreciation for their sacrifices so that I could have freedom.
I have always believed that culture is something that should be held onto, for it gives one a sense of identity and belonging. After reading the playwright it made my belief even stronger. Growing up I was told many stories by my parents about African tales and now after reading the story of Anansi this made me realize the values and lesson that they tried to instil in me which assist me to be one of the individuals who preserve our culture today.
In the play write the preservation of Africa is what the people aim for and indeed did succeed. Allister Cambells is one of the people who allows as to trace our root back to Africa and in doing so a story was unfold. The book indicate of an older woman being captured along with others, even though this was new to her she did not fight the Europeans, the the people who try to colonize us and brainwash us into to being like them but in reality they will never see us to reach their standards. The woman is accompanied by a girl from different tribe who is tied to a beam with her but, knows nothing about her identity and cannot see her, this is when we realized how easy it was to manipulate the younger Africans into taking a hold of their culture. Yes like anyone who was captured she was afraid and grieved for her family whom she was separated from ,adding to this hundreds of people like her were packed together in rows on floor or lied on a narrow shelves, here we realize the ill-treatment of the Africans. Though in the begging the girl didn't realize how important the woman was going to be in the voyage but they grew to have a mother daughter relationship. The woman represents Africa and in preserving the culture she told the Anansi stories to the girl who knew nothing about it through those stories she gained wisdom, hope, faith and most importantly her identity,as the stories were passed down from an elder to her, she was required to do the same. Unlike the Europeans; what held the Africans together was the web which was built through the art of story telling and in other to do that they needed each other. The world is greatly brainwashed by the Europeans but that can change if we only pay attention to what made us who we are and keep the story telling alive. This drama script made me realize how we take our culture for granted and praise other cultures who once treated us like dirt and killed us by the second. We need to learn to accept our culture because our ancestors went through so much for us, and today for us just to claim something else, which once tore us apart.
Spreading the African culture is spreading strength. The stories the Africans share assure us of who we are and where we come from. Knowing who we are is important for our inner survival and for the survival of the spirit of Africa.
Reading 'Anansi' has shown me that embracing my culture is important and makes a difference. It has shown me the strength and warmth of Africa; things that I should be proud of. 'Anansi' has changed my views and made me appreciate my culture and want or keep it.
To be honest I never really paid much attention to my culture, Dominican and African roots wise. To me it was just another day of learning history, after reading, going through and explaining every part of the script, realization of how important it is for me to know about my past in like today's era, that will later affect my future. In the play script it gives a vivid example of cultural preservation, where the woman passes down cultural actions by the sharing of folklores such as Anansi to the young girl, the woman is ensuring that the African beliefs would go on in the younger generation by which she told the girl of it. Which I believe was a great idea because of how the young generation is being influenced by American trends these days, example of the dances, I speak for myself that I shamely don't know how to dance the traditional dance but after reading the script its my duty to learn so, the language, we tend to quickly adapt the American slangs and languages instead of our original language Creolé, and the way we dress, we prefer to dress with the trends made by the American instead of embracing our national and cultural wear. I can say that the script written by Alistair Campbell opened up my mind on the importance of preserving, accepting and embracing my cultural heritage.
Staying true to my culture is staying true to myself. My culture not only just provides me with strength and empowerment but also instills in me values and morals that I will need everyday of my life. After having read "Anansi" I came to the conclusion that I would never again take for granted what my culture has given to and taught me. I firmly believe that cultural preservation is key in the upbringing of any child. I will not discard or dishonour my culture but rather stay faithful and hold onto it because in a dog eat dog world it is my most valuable weapon.
In the book 'Anansi' by Alistair Campbell, we learn of the horrors that our African ancestors had to face by the merciless Europeans. Knowing that i would not have been able to bear a quarter of what they went through, it makes me proud of their bravery and strength. These days, a lot of children, sadly including myself, tend to take on the culture of the Europeans instead of embracing our own culture. We want to dress and act like the Europeans, where as we should be taking part in cultural shows, eating our local food and reading historical books about our ancestors. I didnt even know who Nelson Mandela was until he died and that says a lot. Embracing our culture should be one of our top priorities instead of embracing the culture of the people who tried to bring us down because they thought they were better than us, that we were monsters and enslaved our ancestors.
We need to embrace our culture to know our identity. We must know who we are, where we come from and know that Africa is our mother. When we learn this, we should not only keep it, but pass it on to future generations.
my views on cultural preservation has been greatly impacted after reading this marvelous book called 'Anansi'. this book talks about a young girl who was taken from her home, africa and brought on a ship. She felt lost, lonely and she missed her mother. then, there was a wise and strong minded lady who comforted the girl through the voyage, this lady symbolized Africa. She gave the girl hope to carry on by telling her anansi stories, which is a reminder of her home. Only then i really understood cultural preservation and how important it is. It helped a little girl who was once confused and heartbroken be strong and wise just like anansi was. We should preserve our culture because it is what makes us who we are. If we don't know where we came from and don't fully understand how important our culture is we will be brainwashed. And this is happening even in today's age, where people forget their culture and how important it is and therefore, they become brainwashed and adapt another culture.
my views on cultural preservation has been greatly impacted after reading this marvelous book called 'Anansi'. this book talks about a young girl who was taken from her home, africa and brought on a ship. She felt lost, lonely and she missed her mother. then, there was a wise and strong minded lady who comforted the girl through the voyage, this lady symbolized Africa. She gave the girl hope to carry on by telling her anansi stories, which is a reminder of her home. Only then i really understood cultural preservation and how important it is. It helped a little girl who was once confused and heartbroken be strong and wise just like anansi was. We should preserve our culture because it is what makes us who we are. If we don't know where we came from and don't fully understand how important our culture is we will be brainwashed. And this is happening even in today's age, where people forget their culture and how important it is and therefore, they become brainwashed and adapt another culture.
Culture should be preserved, it makes up our country. Culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts. During the journey the Africans were seen to keep their culture. They sang songs and spoke in their language. The girl, being in a place she didn't know was confused and terrified. The woman was there to guide her through. The woman passed on the Anansi stories to the girl. The woman is a symbol of Africa. Our culture comforts us in bad times. This makes me feel that our culture should present every day. It should be passed on to generations to come. We try to embrace the new 'European culture' when we are true Africans. The youth need to get involved in more cultural songs , dances plays. Culture makes us who we are.
My views on cultural preservation has been greatly impacted and it plays an important role in our lives. Though the Europeans were cruel to the Africans. They were treated like they had no value, like they had no purpose on this earth. This taught me that I should always be grateful and thakful for what my ancestors did for me and on a day like today I have been set free.
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ReplyDeleteIn the story Anansi African slaves are placed on a ship where it is almost completely dark(hold). In the hold their is a little girl who is scared of losing her life but and african woman keeps sharing anasi stories so that she could keep strong and it could prevent the european from brain washing her.The lady wasn't just telling the stories for fun but she told them to the little girl so that she could pass it on to her generation when she got free. It wasn't only the women telling stories but it was all the slaves in the hold Anansi's web was like a link for them. It made them form a bond even though the were complete strangers.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMy views on my culture have really improved. I did know about the slavery and bad treatment of my ancestors but never really understand the depth of their struggle. The book vividly depicts how roughly and without value they were treated and I appreciate my ancestors more for what they survived through. I will personally start embracing my African culture more than the Europeans who belittled the unity of our ancestors. To embrace our culture we should do more traditional dances than those European dances created to belittle our race. I realise how much we actually degrade our culture to fit in with the European society. I see how the European straight hair has creeped into our African wild haired culture. The Europeans were threatened by the strength of the Africans unity and have succeeded in dividing us. I think this a great problem that cannot be rectified by one person but may come to pass when we stand together as one to fight for our African pride.
ReplyDeleteMy views on cultural preservation has improved greatly after my reading of The Anansi by Alistair Campbell. Such cruelty was done to the African slaves on the transatlantic voyage. The white men treated the slaves as if they were less than their faces and never had no form of respect or gratitude for them. This taught me that I should always keep in mind all what my fore fathers went through for my freedom today. It also taught me that I should never allow myself to be brain washed by American cultures and I should preserve my rich African heritage for this was the reason the slaves fought for their emancipation so that they would be freed from what the white men wanted to force them to do.I am very glad that I read this book so that I can say out loud how proud I am to be a descendant of the Africans.
ReplyDeleteOral tradition can be described as a community's or group's cultural and historical tradition passed down through stories or word of mouth or example from one generation to another . The Anansi stories are a perfect depiction of culture being passed down through oral tradition. The telling of Anansi stories was done primarily to preserve the African culture during and after the trans-Atlantic voyage . A representation of this preservation is shown in the character of the woman, who solely represents Africa's, the mother land. The woman's retell the Anansi stories to the girl which she connected to in the Hold of the ship. In the play, the woman is identified as audible and invisible as she cannot see the girl but they both connect spiritually. By reading , interpreting and understanding this play and the culture and history of both Africa and Anansi , I believe that this is perfectly applicable to our daily lives now more than ever. The trans-Atlantic voyage marked the beginning of colonization of the Africans by the Europeans. By the telling of stories , the woman helps the girl to find herself and shape her mind in order to prevent the impact of colonization on herself and consequently, the rest of their people. By the telling of the Anansi stories The woman teaches the girl to travel back to Africa in her mind because without the history of her home and her people she will be colonized. Nowadays , the people of African descent often fail to learn and hold on to their African culture by adapting to the ways of European living . They fail to realize how the Europeans tried to diminish and ruin their culture through abuse and slavery . As people of African descent we must uplift our culture and prevent further colization because as a joint people , we can conquer a nation.
ReplyDeleteThe telling of the Anansi stories has shown me how unified the African people are and taught me to appreciate my culture. It has helped me to realise that back then, no matter how cruel the Europeans were to them, they were still unified, they were still strong and they still grew together. I am proud of my ancestors and my history, because I am not cruel to others and I am unified with my people. I have seen how loving the woman was to the girl who was a stranger and how cruel, unkind and cold the captain was to the boy who was his son, his own flesh and blood. I am glad that I am not from that culture. It is African culture to be united, nurturing and loving, especially through the telling of stories. I have learned to be united because it is my culture to build communties, grow together as a people and nation and to nurture each other.
ReplyDeleteI believe that cultural preservation plays an important part in our lives. We must know and understand the pain our ancestors went through, and what they did to keep strong on this rough and uncomfortable journey. We must be proud of where we came from and who we are. We must also continue the African culture.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn Alistair Cambell's 'Anansi' culture plays a huge role in the play. The little girl who had been taken from her home and bound in chains has nothing left to hold onto but her indentity.
ReplyDeleteWhile in the hold the old woman tied next to her passes on the culture and traditions of Africa through storytelling to give this girl the strength and courage she knows she needs to survive when she arrives in Jamaica. She in turn will pass on is wisdom to the other Africans.
After reading Anansi I realized that your culture is your identity and who you are and that is someone no one can ever take away from you. Preserving our culture is more than just eating the food and knowing the stories but embracing who we are as a people. The woman knew that if she didn't pass on the traditions of Africa to the girl she would be colonized like we are being now. The woman knew that the girl would be brainwashed when she arrived in the Caribbean if she didn't know her history, values, etc. like black people are being brainwashed nowadays.
Instead of embracing only European culture we should be proud to be Africans instead of looking down on anyone who is seen as "too African" or "too black".
As people of African descent we should know about our history and where we came from and not degrade ourselves because we want to be like the Europeans who captured, tortured, degraded and colonized our ancestors.
We should be loving and nurturing and caring as is African tradition and build our communities on these values.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteAlistar Campbell's 'Anansi' had greatly improved my views on culture preservation. Through this story I have developed a true understanding of all the struggle and abuse my ancestors went through. The woman who symbolized Africa comforted and educationed the little girl about her heritage amd culture through the stories. These stories gave her bravery to bear being a slave and was passed on through generations. Even through they were controlled by the whites, their pride of their culture was never diminished As african decedents we are to be actively involved and appreciative of our roots rather than suppressing it with the trends of Europen society. We need to be as loving and caring for one another as the slaves were to each other in the hold. Be proud and embrace our heritage.
ReplyDeleteThe knowledge of the importance of Cultural Preservation has impacted me greatly. My views on Cultural Preservation have broadened to a point from this as well, Particularly due to ready and understanding the real meaning(s) of the Anansi story/stories. In the Anansi story, the importance of Cultural Preservation plays a huge role in the deciding factor of whether the slaves (the girl more particularly) dies or lives to eventual freedom. From the initial behaviour of the girl, a slave, we can gather her feelings of fear- understandably- as she is in an unknown place that is dark, putrid smelling, without her mother, bound together with her people and laying in her own filth. She eventually meets the woman, who becomes a symbolization of her home, Africa, through her commendable and unfailing strength and the illustrative Anansi stories which were passed down through the generation of West African slaves. These traditional stories had imbued hope in the girl over time, from hearing that a seemingly weak spider could outsmart all the bigger animals of the forest. In a way, Anansi had represented the girl or what she would have become after being empowered by the stories. The girl had eventually realised and accepted that although the Europeans could tie her up and make her physical body weak, her mind (far more powerfully fortified than her body) is exceptionally strong and she would not allow herself to be colonised/brainwashed should she want to be free in the future. We as people today- black, white, of any colour should take the fully cultural story with the underlying meaning- no one should be the decider of our own destiny but ourselves, only we have the power to do so. Conclusively, it can be said that we have certain cultures, more specifically cultural backgrounds for a reason and they have a remarkable impact on each and every individual. The stories told by our ancestors can determine how we, individually, choose to live our lives. In the case of the African girl, it was only because of the traditional stories the girl was strengthened to move on. Cultural Preservation is important, and to know this we can conquer all issues that we have now that have carried on from the past. We can all learn something from our past.
ReplyDeleteMy views on my culture have really improved. I did know about the slavery and bad treatment of my ancestors but never really understand the depth of their struggle. The book vividly depicts how roughly and without value they were treated and I appreciate my ancestors more for what they survived through. I will personally start embracing my African culture more than the Europeans who belittled the unity of our ancestors. To embrace our culture we should do more traditional dances than those European dances created to belittle our race. I realise how much we actually degrade our culture to fit in with the European society. I see how the European straight hair has creeped into our African wild haired culture. The Europeans were threatened by the strength of the Africans unity and have succeeded in dividing us. I think this a great problem that cannot be rectified by one person but may come to pass when we stand together as one to fight for our African pride.
ReplyDeleteIn Alistair Campbell's 'Anansi' the theme of culture is displayed. My views on culture have been impacted significantly.In the play a part of African culture being story telling is occurring in hold where Africans are telling stories in order too stay alive. The woman in the hold telling stories to the little girl gives her a sense of hope and reminds her of her inner strength. The anansi stories are a treasure and holds value. The stories have allowed me to open my eyes and realize how much we are poisened by European culture and all they have enforced unto us. I am now determined to keep the flame alive and too appreciate my roots.I will now try my very best to neglect all the European traditions that have been imprinted in my mind and will embrace who I am AFRICAN.
ReplyDeleteCulture is defined by the Merriam Webster Dictionary as the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time.
ReplyDeleteIn the play, the captives embraced their culture by the telling of stories in the hold. This allowed the younger captives to get an opportunity to learn about their culture and be proud of themselves for their differences instead of allowing their future masters to colonize them, changing who they are and their love for where they came from. The telling of stories allowed the people to come together and never forgot their home, Africa. The woman telling stories to the girl not only educated her but gave her the courage she needed while she was on the voyage. The stories brought them together and made the girl wise and brave for the challenges she would face in her future life as a slave to people who would influence her into not appreciating who she is. The stories told were mainly about their home Africa and it's culture, this gave everyone a chance to remember their homeland and preserve their culture for future generations.
After reading Anansi my knowledge of the importance of culture increased. It allowed me to realize that culture is indeed important and needs to be embraced because it is what makes us unique. Our culture makes us different and differences makes us special. The play teaches us to forever hold on to where we come from and who we truly are in society today. It shows us that there will times where we may be surrounded by different people with different cultures but it is our job to continue being who we truly are.
Today, our appreciation for culture is decreasing because we are allowing ourselves to become colonized rather than bettering ourselves as true African descendants. Our African culture is still alive and therefore we must consider preserving our culture because it is what makes us one.
In Alistair Campbell, we were introduced to an innocent young girl who was captured and taken away from her mother in Africa, by the Europeans. she was taken away from her happiness in Africa and was brought on the ship with her arms and legs chained. At first we saw that she was greatly confused and very afraid. she had no knowledge about what was happening around her. she didn't understand why she was taken away from her mother and why is she tied with all these people. there was a woman in the hold who kept her calm, she gave the knowledge, wisdom and strengths that she needs to survive by telling her traditional stories of Anansi. this was done so that she wouldn't get brainwashed by the Europeans. That woman symbolized Africa and soon we see along the way the little girl was getting an understanding of what is happening and believes that she can survive. the Europeans didn't care about the Africans, they were fed once a day and stayed in their own filth. also, they were brought once a day to get fresh air. the Africans kept themselves strong by passing on their traditional stories.
ReplyDeletewhen I read the Anansi it allowed me to see I was brainwashed and made realise that I am an African and I should be proud of ancestors because they thought for my freedom. culture is very important it gives us a reminder of where we come from and who we are. We should embrace our culture before we are completely brainwashed by society. it is important to know about our culture.we would easily get manipulated.
Alistair Campbells Anansi impacted my views on cultural presevation because i realized that you have to embrace your culture because it is important and it is what makes us,us without our culture we wouldn't be who we are today we would be mindless europeans with nothing better to do with their lives so i am very proud of my culture because we fought for what we wanted because we can do anything if we set our minds to it, this is why i am proud to be an african.
ReplyDeleteAlistair Campbell Anansi has opened my eyes to culture preservation. In the hold the africans used story telling to bring out their inner strenght against the europeans. They were able to be united as one no matter how bad the were treated by the white men. My ancestors went throught alot on that voyage and the story Anansi helped me understand how the was mistreates.The story telling in the hold help them be strong so they will fight against the colonizations of the whites men. I believe that the europeans are polluting our minds with their culture.
ReplyDeleteThe cultural preservation in Africa is very focused on in the dramascript. The book tells of an older woman who is captured by the Europeans and placed on the hold of a ship.There was a young girl tied to her who did not know the values of Africa. The woman tells her the Anansi stories to give her morals and a true meaning of life. The girl, throughout the play, has grown mentally enough to understand what is going on around her. The woman tells her stories for her to remember where she came from and who she is before the Europeans colonised her. It is great to know that this woman saw this little girl in agony and, knowing that she was not developed in African heritage, comforted her by telling her these stories. She would pass these stories down to maybe her slave master's children or hers when she arrived to the Indies. Our Africans ancestors did not want us to be colonised by the 'evil' Europeans so they passed these stories to us. We should be Africans and not take on the ways of the Europeans who have passed on the negative parts of their culture to us. We have, as West Indians, embraced the ways of the Europeans like they were better than the Africans. The separation we see as a people today is caused by us taking on the way of life of the Europeans. The whites think that we are just bad or like beasts on our owns but fail to realise that we have taken this bad behaviour from them. Sometimes we even behave like slaves, accepting all what the white people are doing to bring us down and not realising it. We should learn to embrace our African heritage and not take on European ways. Not because our ancestors were enslaved by them means that that should define us. No, it should not. We should stand as a people together and fully take on our African culture which shows family spirit and togetherness.
ReplyDeleteCultural preservation may be defined as the deliberate act of keeping the cultural heritage for the future. The telling of Anansi stories was done predominantly to preserve the African culture in the Transatlantic voyages and thereafter. In the drama, the relationship between the woman and the girl is an ideal representation of cultural preservation through 'word of the mouth'; the woman being Africa and held the message of redemption. She used the Anansi stories to teach the girl about their culture and values, preparing her mentally to withstand the cruelties she would suffer st the hands of slave trade. Reading and understanding the drama, has made me aware that I have neglected my heritage and embraced the Eurocentric way of life. I realize no that colonization is no longer 'a whip to the back' but presented in an attractive way, and many including myself have fed right into it, accepting our demise. Most importantly, it has increased my appreciation for their sacrifices so that I could have freedom.
ReplyDeleteI have always believed that culture is something that should be held onto, for it gives one a sense of identity and belonging. After reading the playwright it made my belief even stronger.
ReplyDeleteGrowing up I was told many stories by my parents about African tales and now after reading the story of Anansi this made me realize the values and lesson that they tried to instil in me which assist me to be one of the individuals who preserve our culture today.
In the play write the preservation of Africa is what the people aim for and indeed did succeed. Allister Cambells is one of the people who allows as to trace our root back to Africa and in doing so a story was unfold. The book indicate of an older woman being captured along with others, even though this was new to her she did not fight the Europeans, the the people who try to colonize us and brainwash us into to being like them but in reality they will never see us to reach their standards. The woman is accompanied by a girl from different tribe who is tied to a beam with her but, knows nothing about her identity and cannot see her, this is when we realized how easy it was to manipulate the younger Africans into taking a hold of their culture. Yes like anyone who was captured she was afraid and grieved for her family whom she was separated from ,adding to this hundreds of people like her were packed together in rows on floor or lied on a narrow shelves, here we realize the ill-treatment of the Africans. Though in the begging the girl didn't realize how important the woman was going to be in the voyage but they grew to have a mother daughter relationship.
The woman represents Africa and in preserving the culture she told the Anansi stories to the girl who knew nothing about it through those stories she gained wisdom, hope, faith and most importantly her identity,as the stories were passed down from an elder to her, she was required to do the same. Unlike the Europeans; what held the Africans together was the web which was built through the art of story telling and in other to do that they needed each other.
The world is greatly brainwashed by the Europeans but that can change if we only pay attention to what made us who we are and keep the story telling alive. This drama script made me realize how we take our culture for granted and praise other cultures who once treated us like dirt and killed us by the second. We need to learn to accept our culture because our ancestors went through so much for us, and today for us just to claim something else, which once tore us apart.
Spreading the African culture is spreading strength. The stories the Africans share assure us of who we are and where we come from. Knowing who we are is important for our inner survival and for the survival of the spirit of Africa.
ReplyDeleteReading 'Anansi' has shown me that embracing my culture is important and makes a difference. It has shown me the strength and warmth of Africa; things that I should be proud of. 'Anansi' has changed my views and made me appreciate my culture and want or keep it.
To be honest I never really paid much attention to my culture, Dominican and African roots wise. To me it was just another day of learning history, after reading, going through and explaining every part of the script, realization of how important it is for me to know about my past in like today's era, that will later affect my future.
ReplyDeleteIn the play script it gives a vivid example of cultural preservation, where the woman passes down cultural actions by the sharing of folklores such as Anansi to the young girl, the woman is ensuring that the African beliefs would go on in the younger generation by which she told the girl of it. Which I believe was a great idea because of how the young generation is being influenced by American trends these days, example of the dances, I speak for myself that I shamely don't know how to dance the traditional dance but after reading the script its my duty to learn so, the language, we tend to quickly adapt the American slangs and languages instead of our original language Creolé, and the way we dress, we prefer to dress with the trends made by the American instead of embracing our national and cultural wear. I can say that the script written by Alistair Campbell opened up my mind on the importance of preserving, accepting and embracing my cultural heritage.
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ReplyDeleteStaying true to my culture is staying true to myself. My culture not only just provides me with strength and empowerment but also instills in me values and morals that I will need everyday of my life. After having read "Anansi" I came to the conclusion that I would never again take for granted what my culture has given to and taught me. I firmly believe that cultural preservation is key in the upbringing of any child. I will not discard or dishonour my culture but rather stay faithful and hold onto it because in a dog eat dog world it is my most valuable weapon.
ReplyDeleteIn the book 'Anansi' by Alistair Campbell, we learn of the horrors that our African ancestors had to face by the merciless Europeans. Knowing that i would not have been able to bear a quarter of what they went through, it makes me proud of their bravery and strength. These days, a lot of children, sadly including myself, tend to take on the culture of the Europeans instead of embracing our own culture. We want to dress and act like the Europeans, where as we should be taking part in cultural shows, eating our local food and reading historical books about our ancestors. I didnt even know who Nelson Mandela was until he died and that says a lot. Embracing our culture should be one of our top priorities instead of embracing the culture of the people who tried to bring us down because they thought they were better than us, that we were monsters and enslaved our ancestors.
ReplyDeleteWe need to embrace our culture to know our identity. We must know who we are, where we come from and know that Africa is our mother. When we learn this, we should not only keep it, but pass it on to future generations.
my views on cultural preservation has been greatly impacted after reading this marvelous book called 'Anansi'. this book talks about a young girl who was taken from her home, africa and brought on a ship. She felt lost, lonely and she missed her mother. then, there was a wise and strong minded lady who comforted the girl through the voyage, this lady symbolized Africa. She gave the girl hope to carry on by telling her anansi stories, which is a reminder of her home. Only then i really understood cultural preservation and how important it is. It helped a little girl who was once confused and heartbroken be strong and wise just like anansi was. We should preserve our culture because it is what makes us who we are. If we don't know where we came from and don't fully understand how important our culture is we will be brainwashed. And this is happening even in today's age, where people forget their culture and how important it is and therefore, they become brainwashed and adapt another culture.
ReplyDeletemy views on cultural preservation has been greatly impacted after reading this marvelous book called 'Anansi'. this book talks about a young girl who was taken from her home, africa and brought on a ship. She felt lost, lonely and she missed her mother. then, there was a wise and strong minded lady who comforted the girl through the voyage, this lady symbolized Africa. She gave the girl hope to carry on by telling her anansi stories, which is a reminder of her home. Only then i really understood cultural preservation and how important it is. It helped a little girl who was once confused and heartbroken be strong and wise just like anansi was. We should preserve our culture because it is what makes us who we are. If we don't know where we came from and don't fully understand how important our culture is we will be brainwashed. And this is happening even in today's age, where people forget their culture and how important it is and therefore, they become brainwashed and adapt another culture.
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ReplyDeleteCulture should be preserved, it makes up our country. Culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts. During the journey the Africans were seen to keep their culture. They sang songs and spoke in their language. The girl, being in a place she didn't know was confused and terrified. The woman was there to guide her through. The woman passed on the Anansi stories to the girl. The woman is a symbol of Africa. Our culture comforts us in bad times. This makes me feel that our culture should present every day. It should be passed on to generations to come. We try to embrace the new 'European culture' when we are true Africans. The youth need to get involved in more cultural songs , dances plays. Culture makes us who we are.
ReplyDeleteMy views on cultural preservation has been greatly impacted and it plays an important role in our lives. Though the Europeans were cruel to the Africans. They were treated like they had no value, like they had no purpose on this earth. This taught me that I should always be grateful and thakful for what my ancestors did for me and on a day like today I have been set free.
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