BY MSM YAQOOB
Due
to his firsthand attempt to highlight the excruciating condition of slaves and
opposing the slave trade, Olaudah Equiano is generally regarded as the
originator and abolitionist. He was a writer with a controversial origin, born
in Eboe now called Nigeria in 1745, according to his writing. Equiano, a
kidnapped slave who spent much of his early life serving Captain Pascal and
subsequent merchant masters, visited many African as well as European
countries. Different masters changed over time and finally Robert King, a
Quaker merchant allowed him to exchange his small business, so Equiano can buy
his freedom and he succeeded as well in 1766. After getting freedom, he
attended school and visited many countries as a vessel trader.
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His autobiographical work can be divided into
two volumes. In the first volume, he portrayed his country, Africa, its
culture, traditional values, religious beliefs, and customs. The first past
also dealt with the theory of the black color of the people as it is due to the
tropical climates. He openly opposed slavery and made a lineage that Africans
may be the indirect relatives of Christian Europeans through their Jewish
ancestry. He added; "Let the polished and haughty European recollect that his
ancestors were once, like the Africans, uncivilized, and even barbarous. Did
Nature make them inferior to their sons? And should they too have been made
slaves? Every rational mind answers, No".
Equiano
has extensive experience of traveling, "sometimes by land, sometimes by water,
through different countries and various nations, till… [he] arrive[s] at the
sea coast" In his autobiography, he described the difficulties he
came across as a slave. The depiction occasionally showed the childish wonder
of the young Equiano at the time of his voyage, but it also reflected his
culture shock at his introduction to European and European treatment of slaves.
He noticed the brutal force being applied to slaves even in North America he is
purchased and put to work on a Virginia plantation. In 1757 he has been to
England with his master Captain Michael Henry Pascal and here his name has also
been changed to Gustavus Vassa. Here Equiano gradually accepted Christianity as
his religion and once when he asked who made the snow. He answered very clearly
in these words. "A great man in the heavens, called God." Over time,
he found European culture interesting that is so strange for him initially. "I
ceased to feel those apprehensions and alarms which had taken such strong
possession of me when I first came among the Europeans"
The
growing relationship with the master led him to imitate and imbibe the European
tradition and English culture even he can speak English very well. Due to the
extensive support of Miss Guerins he kept his study continue and religious beliefs
become strength but unfortunately, his visits were always very short to
England. The journeys are always fraught with danger, and he describes numerous
skirmishes and sieges throughout the Mediterranean, Atlantic, and West Indian
Oceans. Pascal sold him to another voyage Captain James Doran where Equiano
denied to be a slave with the argument that Pascal "could not sell me to
him, nor to anyone else. I have served him many years, and he has taken all my
wages and prize money. I have been baptized, and by the laws of the land no man
has a right to sell me"
After
Doran tells Equiano he talks "too much English" and threatens to
subdue him, Equiano begins service under a new master, for he is "too well
convinced of his power over me to doubt what he said"
Equiano
is now fearful by his new adaptation of the life and considered it the
punishment of God for his sins. He came back to West Indies with his new master
and terrified to be sold again "land of bondage . . . misery, stripes,
and chains". He is hired by a kind-hearted merchant Quaker and
gave him different positions from loader to clerk. Later he shifted to North
America with Thomas Farmer, a king's boat captain. Here Equiano began trading
and starts his own enterprise during each visit. He struggled hard to get
freedom. He has a strong resolution to be freed, "determined to... obtain
my freedom, and to return to Old England" King boosted him if he
gets enough money to purchase his freedom, he will be set free. In his own
words he added, "To purchase my freedom . . . he would let me have it for forty
pounds sterling money, which was only the same price he gave for me".
After bearing all the hardships and difficulties finally, he finished his
autobiography in these words. "Thus ended my adventures in 1764; for
I did not leave Montserrat again till the beginning of the following year"
The second volume primarily dealing again with his personal life in which
Equiano narrated his life as an independent person, his adventures as a
world-traveling tradesman, and his spiritual transformation.
