Slavery and Slave Revolts.

Overdosed with Wilberforce yet? If only our important Welsh Historical Anniversary got such attention in the media, libraries and schools. This aside, Wilberforce why not? However, let us keep in mind that regards this commemoration of the Abolition of Slavery, it is necessary to remind European Nations involved the Atlantic Slave Trade, of a dark bloody stain on their histories. One good thing I like about this commemoration is that it does not just dwell on Wilberforce and the British abolionists, much has been made of Black Slave Resistance and Revolt, as that of the Jamaican Maroons and the later Sharpes Rebellion of 1831. It was this latter rebellion which finally brought slavery in the Carribean to an end by 1838, so please study up on these two, and other black revolts. See 'The Welsh Were Slaves Too' in The Welsh Patriot http://welshpatriot.blogspot.com This commemoration has also witnessed a ''Political Correctness'' which has other wise proved greatly ''Historically Correct'' and not just one sided. There has been excellent material broadcast on the Arab involvement in Slavery and of African involvement in slavery, making much very clear. Unfortunatly much of this has been broadcast at night on the BBC World Service, and so not available to a wider public. There is no doubt at all that the henious cruelty perpetuated on African Slaves was about as inhumane as such evil could ever be, one of the worse features of the slave trade was in the Atlantic transportation of slaves, with stories of dead and dieing slaves being thrown over board into the sea. Equally, the internal African Slave trade that witnessed slaves being bought at brought from Slave Markets miles in land, saw slaves being marched to the coast to be sold off to the whites. This led to trails through the jungle of rotting corpses and picked bones, of slaves to weak to make the journey to the coast, perhaps sad to say a merciful relief to what awaited those who did make the coast, perhaps cross the atlantic to end up as a plantation slaves. Not least of great interest is the spread of Islam into Africa and it founding of an even greater demand for slaves, thus encouraging Africans to sustain a growing slaving industry long before Europeans arrived on the scene. An interesting development of Isalamic involvement in slavery in Africa, is of course the period of Moorish Corsairs of the Barbery Coast practise of carrying out slaving in the 17th and 18th centuries that witnessed their raids on the South Coast of England, Cornwall and their slave raid ships, even being sighted off the coast of Cymru.

NB: Black Atlas is a play on tour dealing with subject of Slavery. (see web for details)

This commemoration does not deal with the slave industry of the Spanish and Portuguese, this is an entirely different matter, but of equal interest. You can as easy read up on all this via a web search. However, I will emphasize the areas that might slip past you. The Spanish Conquest of the Canary Islands, Resistance to Colonisation by the native peoples 'Guanches', their being removed into slavery in Spain. However, not this is an highly debatable matter due to the Catholic Church denouncing this Slavery, some say too late. For even though many 'Guanches' were freed, many could not return home and thus remained as an underclass in Spain. This reality and inter marraige within an 100 years see the 'Guanches' seemingly die out as a distinct people. There is today a much revived interest in the 'Guanches' roots and heritage which has given much motivation to a Canario Nationalist Movement and Struggle. So, do check out 'Guanches' via the web/Wikapedia. At the same time do not forget that before the first African was enslaved on the Carribean, the indigenoues native peoples were to be conquored and eventually ''Killed off'' by oppressive exploitation and disease. The conclusion to all this, is of course that there is no one group of people who can cry ''innocent'' when it comes to slavery, the Inca enslaved and brutally sacrificed fellow tribes, and indeed the Cymry enslaved Cymry and sold them off to Irish Slavers. Slavery seems equally part of the human condition of all nations, at one time or another, not least of all ancient civilizations, the Roman Empire. At this point let me not only remind of the greatest Slave Revolt ever, that led by SPARTACUS 73 - 71 BC, but prior to Sparttacus there were two slave revolts on the Island of Sciliy. The First Slave Revolt 135 - 132 BC and the Second Slave Revolt 104 - 100 BC. Plenty of Information on these. will be found on the web, also check out BLACK HISTORY MONTH.

In conclusion, I can only say that 'Adfywiadwyr Cymru' must consider themselves ''Brothers/Sisters of the Ox'', in our own historical context as well as internationally . To 'Adfywiadwyr Cymru' I would say that when ''push comes to shove'', they must be with our 15th Century ''Barefoot Welsh Doggies'', 16th Century ''Pobl y Comin'', 17th/18th Century ''Pobl Ceffyl Pren'' and 19th Century ''Insurrectionists'' and ''Scotch Cattle''. If not sure about that then come aboard my new blog: http://redremembrancer.blogspot.com

Lotta Continua.

A Future Posting will deal with Marcus Garvey and ''Black Consciousness'', in the mean time you can check up on the matter of PEURTO RICA AND IT'S STRUGGLE FOR INDEPENDENCE, consider this well, comparing with Cymru today. While your at it, in such directions, check out how the Yanks got hold of Hawaii and Panama. AMERICA'S MANIFEST DESTINY AND ALL THAT, Watch Out Cuba?

Gethin.