DR ISHWARDEO R.DHOOWOOAH
Preamble
‘Legacy of a Wounded Destiny’ is a marvellous book published in July 2024. It delves into the intricacies and the conundrums underpinning the African diaspora worldwide. A sort of hazy, mysterious shroud clouding the diaspora is still, after several centuries, bearing the brunt of lack of recognition, respect, and appreciation. The factors incurring the ‘lagging behind’ phenomenon ascribed to the African Diaspora could be attributed to ‘this shockingly understudied area’ as commented upon by Prof. Richardson, University of Hull, British most authoritative slave historian. Much remains to be researched into and explored in terms of terrain, people involved, culture and the vast amount of untapped aspects and domains pertaining to the diaspora in question. Cover Legacy of Wounded… 
About the Authors
This historical novel is the outcome and output of the joint authorship of Dr A. D. Awootar, Ph.D, D.Litt and his son, Yasheel Awootar, holding a Bachelor in Psychology and a Master’s degree in Health Psychology, Westminster, U.K.
Dr Awootar earned his BPE (Gwalior, India) First Class First and was the Gold Medallist too. He achieved his PGDip (Curriculum Development) and a Master’s degree in US. Subsequently, he completed his doctoral and post-doctoral studies. His rich experience, cutting-edge expertise as well as participant and non-participant observation of the lives, culture, legacy and evolution of the African diaspora that span several decades on a planetary scale have found expression in the shaping up of the book.
The Triggers
Dr Awootar harboured a keen, absorbing interest in the fabulous and fantastic repair works and masterpieces of Mauritian artisans, carpenters, plumbers, masons, electricians, tinsmiths who were slave descendants. Year in year out, his fascination assumed growing proportions, and it sank into his mind that slave descendants were equally happy and delighted in situations of abundance and dearth. He was, however, still intrigued while dissecting the problematic. Why? This one incomprehensible factor incurs exploration, close scrutiny into the psyche of the people themselves, wherever they might have settled round the globe.
A profound interrogation arose in his mind and he began to wonder: ‘Why, despite centuries of living in Europe and other colonies, the African diaspora is still in a comparatively less enviable shape relative to all other diasporas who are of more recent vintage?’
In sum, inquisitiveness and interest in the predicament of the African diaspora, ignited in his student days in India, USA, Kenya, were fuelled with his diverse postings in Rodrigues, at the Mauritius Institute of Education in his capacity as academic, at EIILM and Aberystwyth University respectively, and with UNESCO. Subsequently, he developed deeper insight into African diasporic affairs from the cohorts of students with whom he had interacted and who came from a whole range of backgrounds but belonged essentially to the African diaspora.
The Discourse
The text so meticulously composed and strategies opted for by the authors mirrors a genre of fiction blending the underpinning elements of fiction and non-fiction along with a thorough and precise depiction of minutiae and societal cultures and ceremonials of a particular era. This historical fiction adequately enables manipulation, and portrays with poignancy the events in the era of historical occurrences. Ingredients of a dramatic approach are present in the text as well.
The four protagonists – Simon Matumbe, Ogadingo Onadinwara, Tony Lewis and Andy Noekale – are the spokespersons through whom the writers paint the landscape of the African diaspora in such an ingenious manner that allows for a setting whereby the perpetual dialectics on slavery are unveiled. Moreover, through their lens, it becomes possible to have a panoramic view of the dense and extensive topography of African slavery which affords an integral and equilibrated picture of planetary and ongoing polemics.
The language resorted to underscores the seriousness and gravity of the issue unfolded. It is impressive, expressive, viewed from diverse perspectives, rich, formal and the register proves to be very appropriate to the theme treated. It has been marvellously and deftly managed to sketch the scary and stigma-scarred picture of African slavery across the continents.
Dr Awootar has had recourse to an amalgamated formal and informal style since there is, inherent in the narrative, use of conversation as the main support mechanism. We have to concede that content is enriched and rightly presented; indeed his mastery and command of the English language is laudable. Humour and other figures of speech are part and parcel of the historical account.
Slaves and Their Posterity
One glaring offshoot of the Atlantic slavery has been the Blacks’ contributions to the economic and demographic transformation of the West, which culminated into the indisputable international leader in a range of human activities. It is sad to note that that this element is the least conceded as yet.
The Atlantic slavery is perhaps the most prominent embodiment in the history of humankind wherein the happening has extended so far and so intensely, leaving in its trail the ironic lot of the slaves.
The master stroke of the pen of the authors is evidenced by the verve and perspicacity with which they account for and highlight the tragic experiences and hurtful ordeals the slaves had been subjected to but valiantly endured.
The very concept of ‘slavery’ has not been thrashed out to date as no international consensus has yet been reached even in this post-five centuries era of slavery practices. The truth might dwell somewhere in the calculated attempt to skip payment of compensation and the huge sum incurred for repairs.
It is comforting to note that the African diaspora even as of now feel united by the fetters of racism, inferiority and discrimination. This bonding is further consolidated by the denigrating and disgraceful concept ‘descendants of slave’. The latter lexis perpetuates the complex of inferiority.
The seemingly positive modern phrase ‘Descendants of Survivors’ has been substituted for the condescending term ‘Descendants of Slaves’. The novel epithet is in perfect conformity with the slaves’ physical, mental, emotional and moral resilience so essential to tide over such horrendous experiences and circumstances.
The lexical term, ‘survivor’ is disdainful; it is really reminiscent of those thousands of captives snatched away from their family milieus, and callously slung overboard as feed to sharks and predators, incapable of withstanding the insalubrious and inapt health conditions on board the slave ships.
The Scars and the Stigmas
The book is made up of seventeen chapters which house and unfold the awful realities of slaves, the heart-rending phenomenon of slavery, and the soul-wrenching lives led by them in the sordid atmosphere of bondage. In contrast, the Whites, the slave-masters, were leading lives of easy sauntering comfort and revelling in the lap of luxury, completely unconcerned about the ‘other humans’ whom they reckoned as ‘baggage’, ‘beasts of burden’, ‘objects’.
At the outset, as is usual, the scene for the problematic is laid, the four protagonists introduced, and the concluding phase of the initial chapter alluding to Le Morne Mountain in our island-state is brought to the fore. The awesome mountain stands in all its glory and majesty as the symbol of slave resilience, stoutness, refusal to surrender to the callous White masters, obviously Europeans, cosily ensconced in their palatial abodes.
The seventeen chapters constituting the bulk of the magnum opus have been wisely and warily devised. The determinant phase highlights the ‘Serendipitous Encounter: Sweet to Sour to Bitter’.
The captions housing each chapter are evocative and generate titillating waves of deeply entrenched interrogations in the psyche. For instance, Chapter 2: ‘Journey of Unknown Unknowns’ unravels the pathetic conditions of Loro, showcased as the ‘entirely traumatised human cargo’ ‘amidst horrendous ship conditions’.He was a captive, the focal point of attraction, owing to his immobility and ‘seemingly dumb muteness, always wearing a distant gaze glued to the ceiling’.
Loro’s reflection is framed thus:
Lucky are those who can sleep fearlessly and remorselessly. Many like me,
though alive, consider themselves already dead, only waiting to be buried.
Plantation life and recreational activities encapsulate story telling, sirandanes, songs and dances, slave mutiny of the Guinea Coast, slave revolts in Multiple Countries, the Bussa Rebellion, the enslavement phenomenon in Madagascar, Reunion Island, Mauritius and other places.
The narrative meanders through glimpses of pre-slavery Africa, the Church, skin complex/colour bar, Blackness and Black names disparaged, home ownership, employment (the sole survival tool), police violence and alleged racism which are all the highlights and emphases viewed holistically.
Towards the final phase of this dissertation, we encounter the tussle, the controversy between the White Views and the Black Views. This chapter encompasses all the multifarious views, opinions, biases, age-long prejudices, refusal to concede the blatant truth about the universal human saga which gives rise to the dichotomy.
By Way of Conclusion
This text, which is of primordial importance, has been conceived in an unconventional style, and it furnishes in a scholarly and appealing fashion a profound insight into the Atlantic slavery and its offshoots in connection with the African diaspora. The authors paint a candid, analytical and considerate picture of humankind’s gloomiest stigma. They highlight in forceful terms the African slaves and their descendants’ immeasurable contributions in shaping the modern world. However, the irony is that their own destiny had constantly been and keeps on being wounded and disparaged!
The serious and humorous language and the sharp literary rhetorical style should, beyond the shadow of any doubt, serve as a powerful tool to address academics and non-academics equally.
A persuasive, resounding message is conveyed by the authors regarding the historical event stripped of complexities and intricacies and lucidly presented, with regard to the limits of humanity’s perversity and callousness. Besides, in line with this logic, we may go further and question the setbacks and inhibitions the African diaspora has been subjected to in carving their place in the socio-economic and cultural fabric in force in the country of adoption or the transshipment of their ancestors.
Is this due to institutionalised racism, even presently practised in these countries, that must be decried and fought by everyone? Should such hurdles be eliminated on the basis of more elaborate explanations? These two interrogations have been formulated by Professor Carpooran in his appraisal of the work of Dr A. Awootar and Y. Awootar.
End-Word
Legacy of a Wounded Destiny is ‘a priceless gift that should occupy pride of place on any bookshelf’ (Dr Sobnack). This is a plea and an appeal to readers of all age-brackets, racial groups, sex orientations, castes, creeds, or faiths to read with alacrity the text and ruminate on the perspectives from which concrete action could be initiated to redress the anomalous, undeserved, irrational injustice borne by the African diaspora and the descendants even in this civilised, twenty-first century! Enjoy an excellent read!
