The Journey Continues
photo below:
Slaves In Transit
H. 13" W. 36" D. 9" Portfolio # 82
Slaves in transit to the East African markets, possibly to be auctioned in Zanzibar.
East African Slave Markets
Sale Room in Ethiopia
H. 12" W. 36" D. 18" Portfolio # 82
In 1730 the Oman Arabs expelled the Portuguese from the coastal areas on the east coast of Africa from Zanzibar to Mozambique. Arab slavers spread out through East Africa, penetrating inland as far as Lake Victoria and the Congo. They brought back coffles of slaves, some of which contained as many as 4000 people, to be sold in the markets at Zanzibar. Some were obtained through trade with village chieftains, others from sacking and burning villages.
It is said so many dead were dumped into the waters at Zanzibar that the bottom of the harbor was white with their bones.
Source: Africa, by Basil Davidson, Hamlyn Publishing Group, Ltd, London, NY
Shaka Market
1994, Wire & Aluminum
African captives brought to Shaka Market in Kenya to be sold as slaves. This three dimensional work was inspired by a drawing in the book, Heroes Of The Dark Continent by J W Buel
West African Coast
Barracoons
"Castles" were erected along the west coast of Africa to house captives while awaiting transport. But many were also kept in cages called barracoons on the beaches, where many died from malnutrition and disease.
Branding
Many more of the captives would die before the journey across the Atlantic from Africa to the Americas was completed. When there were multiple "investors" the captives were branded before they were placed onboard ships.
32 x 15 31 inches
Wire
2006, p#223