Slavery is a historical occurrence that had far reaching implications on the holistic wellbeing of the slaves
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James Williams
Introduction
Slavery is a historical occurrence that had far reaching implications on the holistic wellbeing of the slaves. The conditions that the respective individuals were exposed to were overwhelming and adversely affected them both physically and psychologically. The British were afraid of the freed slaves and put measures in place to expose them to devastating conditions. It can not be disputed that slaves provided the European community with important labor. With slaves, this community was assured of continued economic production especially because the labor provided by the slaves was free. This can be used to explain why the thought of losing the slaves threatened the Europeans. Essentially, this implied that they would important labor that supported their economic production. One o systems that were put in place to address the loss of slaves pertained to the apprenticeship system. Slaves in this regard were exposed to disabling conditions as a way of punishing them for their mistake. The slaves under this system took several measures to combat or reduce the brutality as well as physical pain that they were exposed to by the system. Although the measures were not very fruitful, they were instrumental in reducing the physical pain that the community struggled with.
As aforementioned, the apprenticeship system was characterized by immense physical as well as psychological suffering. The communities were exposed to immense suffering in the workhouse as well as in the tread mill. Compared to the work house, the punishment in the tread mill was severer. The main aim of this was to make the slaves to comply with the conditions that are provided by their masters. In order to reduce the physical pain and ameliorate the suffering, the slaves devised certain strategies. Most of these were not approved by their masters. Nonetheless, they provided the apprenticeship communities with temporary relieve from the physical pain and suffering.
One of the strategies that were assumed by the apprenticeship community pertained to running away. Whenever the conditions got worse and the punishments severe, the relative individuals would in some instances run away from the work house. This was in a bid to relieve them selves from the physical pain and have time to recuperate before returning to the work house. In the Narrative of Events, the narrator runs away and seeks for the help of the governor during the time that he is away (Paton 6). Although he does not manage to see him, the effort was worth trying and provided him with temporary relieve.
However, the British authorities in most instances caught up with them before they would go far. Although they were relieved from the every day punishment in the tread mills or the workhouse, this did not last for long. In most instances, they were returned in these conditions and exposed to even more suffering. In this regard, they would be punished severely once they returned to the work house. Arguably, there running away exposed them to more pain and was not helpful. It did not entirely ameliorate their physical pain but rather exposed them to more suffering. Nonetheless, the period that they spend away temporarily relieved them from the violent and abusive conditions that characterized the work house.
Another measure that the apprenticeship community employed included seeking medical attention. In most cases, the flogging and dancing in the mill left them with physical bruises and immense pain. This was attributed to the chaining that was employed in the respective environments. The chains were employed as a punishment as well as a safety measure. Besides bruising them, the chains tore their clothes and exposed them to suffering. The exposure in the mill left some of the dead. This was particularly common with sick or elderly individuals who were also weak and could not dance as expected. The flogging on the other hand bruised their skins and exposed them to suffering. In a bid to ease the physical pain, the community members in some instances sought medical attention.
According to the Narrative of Events, they did not get the required attention but were in most instances turned down by the officials (Paton 7). This is because they were not entitled to the medical provisions. The seeking of medical attention is an exemplification of optimism by the apprenticeship community. Although they knew that the relative officials would not provide them with the facilities, they still went ahead to seek them and hoped that the officials would pity them for their physical conditions. From a psychological point of view, the relative hope helped them to feel better but the outcome did not ameliorate the physical pain and suffering that they experienced. At this point, it is worth appreciating that the thoughts of an individual tend to be manifested physically and greatly influence the activities and decisions that individuals make. In this consideration, it can be argued that the hope that the apprenticeship community exhibited while seeking medical attention benefited them physically too.
In some instances, the apprenticeship community simply disobeyed the orders that they were given by the British officials. This particularly happened when the respective orders had adverse implications on their general wellbeing. For instance, the narrator in the A Narrative of Events disobeys the orders of the magistrate when he is asked to report to the court (Paton 6). Instead, he runs away in a bid to seek for help from the governor. It can not be disputed that disobeying the orders was a bold step in an attempt to relieve oneself from physical pain and suffering. In this regard, the magistrate wanted the narrator to be punished by flogging for disobeying the orders of his master earlier on. This was regardless of the fact that the accusations brought against the narrator were false. Although this did not entirely ameliorate the physical pain he was suffering, it temporarily relieved his pain and suffering.
The apprentice community also engaged in hunger strikes in a bid to relieve the physical pain that they were exposed to. This occurred after they had been accused falsely and exposed to severe punishment. Fundamentally, involvement in hunger strikes was an exemplification of some resistance to the treatment that the respective apprenticeship community was being exposed to. Although this did not have direct and immediate impact on the treatment that they were being accorded by the British authorities, it contributed significantly to their physical wellbeing. This is because it made the British authorities to review their practices and moderate the punishment that they giving the slaves.
Another measure that was sustainable in relieving the apprenticeship community of violence and physical pain included purchasing of their freedom. According to the documentary of A Report of Evidence, the freedom of the slaves in the Apprenticeship community was valued in monetary terms (Paton 56). They had the option of working hard in order to raise sufficient financial resources that would enable them to purchase their freedom and deliver them selves from the physical pain and suffering. Notably, this was the only sustainable alternative. However, it was difficult to attain it because the financial resources that were required were significant.
In the Additional Documents, it is indicated that the apprenticeship community members in some instances resorted to prayer in a bid to ease their physical suffering (107). Prayer in this regard was emotionally consoling especially for the faction of this population that was spiritual. The reconnection with the Higher Power gave them hope that they would at some point in time be delivered from their adversities. Although this did not directly relieve their pain, it gave them the strength they required to carry on. This can be used to explain why they persevered and in mot instances refused to give up completely.
Conclusion
As it has come out from the study, the measures that the apprenticeship community undertook to ease their physical pain were instrumental in reducing the negative implications of violent physical abuse that they were exposed to. Apart from the act of purchasing their freedom, others did not ameliorate their physical pain. Rather; they gave them temporary relieve from the physical punishment that the system exposed them to. Apart from running away, the apprenticeship community engaged in hunger strikes, sought medical help, deliberately disobeyed orders and engaged in prayer. This gave them temporary relieve from the physical pain they were struggling with.
Bibliography
Paton Diana (ed). A narrative of Events, since the First of August, 1834, by James Williams, an Apprenticed laborer in Jamaica. USA: Duke University Press, 2001.
