 | "It
was brutally harsh..."
Kwame McKenzie | Kwame
McKenzie investigates slavery's legacy |
The
Legacy of SlaveryThe slave trade was abolished 200 years ago, but
its legacy may still be with us. Some experts believe that the sheer breadth
and scope of slavery's assault on black people and their spirit created an extreme,
long lasting trauma. It's thought that this trauma may have been passed
from one generation of Black Britons of Afro-Caribbean descent to the next. Inherited
traumaCould this idea of 'inherited trauma' help explain why young black
pupils over the age of 10 don't perform at school as well as their counterparts
from other ethnic groups?  | | Rapper
Akala talks of slave's tentacles reaching out today |
Could
it help explain why some studies show that incidences of schizophrenia in Afro-Caribbean
people are between two and eight times higher than in the white population? Could
it even help explain the 'Baby Father' syndrome where many black fathers absent
themselves from their role in bringing up their children? Senior Lecturer
in Psychiatry at University College London, Kwame McKenzie, meets people with
strong views on either side of this controversial debate. What's in a
name?During slavery Africans had their traditional names stripped away
from them and were forced to adopt European ones instead. Dr Lez Henry says: "I
know that I聮m an African but it聮s taken me a bit of time to do some
research into what peoples like me have contributed to civilization for millennia.
"But if... the only introduction you get to being an African is being
a slave, and that you were freed and that you are still catching up, of course
you would want to disassociate yourself from that history and this is what happens
in schools."
 | | Claire
Felix - a name speaks volumes |
For some mental health experts
like Rethink's Claire Felix, these feelings of alienation are deepened by not
being aware of your cultural heritage or identity. She says that this can
extend to something as simple as a name which can lead to an identity crisis: "If
my name is Claire, where do I come from? what does that tell me? It tells me nothing
about my past, it tells me nothing about my family or heritage聟 "Taking
away their name was one way of dehumanising them. "So by removing
someone聮s name we聮re saying that you are nobody, again it聮s way
of control, taking control聟 "A name is important it tells you
who you are, it聮s a way of maintaining tradition."
Traumatic
legacy?
Supporters of Post Traumatic slavery syndrome also believe
that slavery聮s legacy has got inside the black community聮s heads. They
believe that it helps account for the high levels of serious mental health problems
found within the African Caribbean community.  | | Black
men weren't allow to show emotion during the slave trade |
They
say that this might account for why some studies show that incidences of schizophrenia
in Afro-Caribbean people are between two and eight times higher than in the white
population Could Post Traumatic slavery syndrome also go some way to explaining
the 聭Baby Father聮 syndrome where many black fathers absent themselves
from their role in bringing up their children? For some this is seen as
simply modern day men running away from their responsibilities, but supporters
of Post Traumatic slavery syndrome believe that it could be something to do with
what happened during slavery. They believe the experience of today聮s
single families can be partly explained by the brutally harsh lives lived on the
plantations. Slave masters tried to keep control of their slaves by splitting
up families, and stopping slaves from forming normal relationships. Musician
Akala has his own strong views on this: "If you showed
any emotion or any love for a female you would be killed or you would be separated
from her, because the slave master knew that if you love a woman and you love
your children, then you have an attachment to them. "You are going
to fight for their freedom at some point."
Akala also
draws direct links between life on the plantations and life on the streets of
London today. Looking to the futureMany people argue that focussing
on slavery simply ignores the long history and deep heritage of African Caribbean
people's and promotes a victim culture.  | | Thomas
Clarkson's historic slave trade drawings. AP Images |
Others
are equally adamant that it's something that needs to openly dealt with - in order
to move on. No one is suggesting that all society's ills can be laid at
slavery's door. But if we are serious about to building a better future
for our children, Post Traumatic Slavery Syndrome raises questions which hard
to ignore.
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听听Coming
Up : Inside Out - London: Friday March 2, 2007
