The Saltwater and the Seasoning (1619–1800)
It began not with a drift, but a drowning,
A process they called "Seasoning" a culinary word for breaking men.
They sought to wash the "saltwater" from the soul, to strip the "outlandish" skin,
To take the Akan, the Igbo, and the Mandinka, and force them to begin
As something new, something empty, something usable and tame,
Where the price of survival was the forgetting of one's name.
In the camps of the Caribbean and the fields of the South,
They crushed the tribal tongue to put English in the mouth.
The poem 'The Saltwater and the Seasoning (1619–1800)' powerfully captures the brutal reality faced by African captives forcibly brought to the Americas. The term 'seasoning' was tragically used to describe a cruel process designed not only to break the spirit of enslaved people but also to erase their cultural identities and languages. From personal accounts and historical research, it is clear that this forced transformation had devastating psychological and cultural effects. Surviving the Middle Passage was only the beginning of their suffering. Once on land, individuals from tribes such as the Akan, Igbo, and Mandinka were subjected to torture, repression, and cultural annihilation. Their original names, languages, and customs were forcibly suppressed to replace them with English and new identities imposed by their captors. This harsh conditioning was meant to make enslaved individuals more 'manageable' for plantation labor and transfer of power. From a personal perspective, learning about this painful history inspires reflection on the resilience of these communities. Despite such trauma, African descendants preserved fragments of their heritage through oral traditions, music, stories, and subtle resistance. The legacy of this "seasoning" period is complex—it highlights human ingenuity and survival, while also reminding us of the enduring scars left by this dark chapter. Understanding this historical context enhances appreciation for the modern cultural expressions rooted in African diaspora traditions. It also strengthens the call for greater recognition and healing of historical injustices. In communities today, the echoes of the past resonate in the ongoing struggle for identity, dignity, and human rights. This poem and its themes are a profound tribute to those who endured the unthinkable and a call to remember the individual human lives behind historical statistics. Engaging with this history invites users to deepen empathy and insight into the enduring impact of the transatlantic slave trade and cultural survival.
