A Slave’s Story 1781-now

1781- A young African girl Araba is on the farm with the rest of the village. She is really excited. About getting married. Araba was abducted along with her fiancé and many of her fellow villagers. A friend of the village was responsible for their capture and was cursed by Araba. “There will never be happiness in your family and amongst your descendants till there is joy in mine….. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf2_Iuq2kGg

1805- Missy. The baby Araba carried in her womb from Africa to America. She worked cotton fields on the on the Lincoln plantation till she till her first child. She then worked in the kitchen of the plantation. Slaves who had opinions or tried to run away were dealt with harshly. Jonah, Missy’s husband and missy herself, were sold on to different plantations to pay off a gambling dept. Lil Ali, their child was left on the Lincoln plantation. She would be a farm negro because her face was shiny black. Lighter colour skin became a status. 

1839- Alabama (Ali) she lived on the Lincoln. She wasn’t made to work because she had gleaned medicinal skills from Mama Augusta. An old slave woman who brought Ali up after her mother was sold off to another plantation. She played up being crazy so she could speak her mind.

1859 Blessing Ali’s (Alabama’s) daughter. She was sold on to another plantation. She had to carry books to school for the new master’s daughter. She learnt a lot by sitting on the floor by the master’s daughter during lessons. An old African slave Ulysses shared African stories with her. He believed he was her great grand father Adama. He helped her escape. Blessing was involved with Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. They helped slaves escape up north and into Canada.

1878 Freedom - the first child born outside captivity. She grows up in Chicago. Free but not equal. “If you white you alright if you brown hang around but if you black step back before you get attack”. There was the fear of the likes of the Ku Klux Klan who tortured and killed black Americans and even some sympathetic whites. Successful black businesses were attacked. Any attempt to form a protection group such as a union was quickly and violently discouraged. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p74MM_BU0eE

1920 Olive - Freedom’s daughter moved to England with her husband. An academic. He had fought in the Great War like lots of other black people. Typical of the time, the part they played was not fully acknowledged. Many forgot the bravery of their black comrades in peace times.

1948 Hope - Olive’s Daughter went to university in England. Both her husband and son were academics. Her husband passed away. Her son was shot while trying to protect one of his students from a drug gang. Hope was left to pass on her experience to her grandson.

1978 Pamela and Jessica - Hope’s great grand daughters. Grew up with the rise of the National Front and racism in the early 70’s tensions. The riots in Brixton and the Anti Nazi league were reactions to this. Black artists were still struggling to be taken seriously.

TODAY – ARABELLA. The ancestral curse is broken.

A Slave’s Story 1781-now

The Spirits of the Ancestors – Melvina Brown and Yaw Asiyama

The Band
Steve McDaniel - MD. Tom and Kenneth McDaniel are playing the bass
and guitar with Chris Pulleston on percussion

Choir/ extras
Cast + Andre Anglin, Joel Maddix Asiamah, Kane Walcott, 
Romi Maddix Asiamah, Jeanette Roper, Hope Brown, April Brown
Rhiannan Francis, 

Lighting
Guy Jones Set Design – Michelle Masarati Stage Manager – Helen Cunham


All lyrics - Yaw Asiyama
Adamah Anansie, Even Jonah, Lamentations, Mr Ob’seeer , I Shall Rise*, Alabama’s Dancing.

All melodies. - Yaw Asiyama (*Except - I Shall Rise by Andrea Carnegie)

All Musical Arrangements- Steve McDaniel

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