The African Perspective

Africa on the globe

Authors: Allison Khan

The Africans present on La Amistad that conducted the insurrections were the Mende peoples of Sierra Leone. They traditionally lived in small rural communities and specialized in farming rice. In this society, their practices focused on the whole group, and communal education and politics were highly favored among this people group. This may help in explaining their unification onboard La Amistad to perform an uprising against their oppressors and later gain independence for themselves. The Mende peoples valued education as well as the practical application of their skills and knowledge. Unfortunately, many of these people were captured illegally and taken on ships like La Amistad and taken to places like Cuba and later different regions in the Americas. From understanding their communal living and emphasis on the education of the youth and others, historians can better piece together the inspiration and execution of their uprising on board.

Ferme, Mariane C. "Sitting on the Land: The Political and Symbolic Economy of the Chieftaincy." In
Out of War: Violence, Trauma, and the Political Imagination in Sierra Leone, 147-170. Oakland, California: University of California Press, 2018.

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