On November 28th at 4PM I hand the distinct pleasure of attending the seminar called Translating Freedom; Translating Slavery held within the Hatcher Library Gallery and presented by Martha S. Jones, Jean Hébrard, Françoise Massardier-Kenney and moderated by our own Professor Merrill.
The discussion was exceptionally interesting, though much of it centered on the translation of texts referring to slavery rather than tackling the issue of translating the concept of slavery itself. For example, a point which was emphasized during the discussion was that the works of the abolitionist movements frequently shared and modified by each other (especially between England and France)… Beyond simple localizations to make the [usually] novels more appealing to a given audience, one of the more interesting changes between language occurred after an English novel discussing the mistreatment of an enslaved African prince and his family [who died, leading to his dramatic self-immolation] was translated into French. The French version of the story lacked the heart-rending end and actually had the prince returning to Africa and living out his days in peace. The dramatic change was explained as motivated by the French citizenry’s lack of familiarity with Atlantic-style slavery, a byproduct of the percentage of Africans within France being exceptionally small, that is, the author thought that the French audience would simply refuse to believe the veracity of the story because it was so cruel.
More interestingly, many of the early abolitionist writers were women who, living in a society with very limited opportunities for women, identified with the struggle for liberty and began framing the issue with feminine/maternal ideals, especially focused on the continent of Africa. Presumably, some of the narrative involved Africa’s children being stolen away from her. This translation of an abstract concept that most people simply did not have familiarity with (slavery) into the framework of an issue that at least half the population had first-hand experience with, and its effectiveness in helping to dismantle the institution of slavery, is a valuable example of translation at work.
Another important part of the seminar discussed the translation of liberty through the questioning of where said liberty derives. This case is best exemplified by the experiences of a young woman on the island of what is now known as Haiti. The island had an interesting system of servitude wherein it was required to not only be ‘freed’ by one’s ‘master’, but also to register with the government as newly ‘freed’. This usually went on without major issue under French-dominated Saint-Domingue, however this system was further complicated by the British incursion into the island. The British would largely keep the French system intact, though the government would be able to rescind ‘liberation’ from a slave-holder if there weren’t enough laborers in a region of the island. This goes on simultaneously with the French imperialists trying to fight the British off and offering freedom as a method by which to attract soldiers. (The decree calling for the liberation of the soldiers’ families itself was an interesting text in terms of translation because one of its objectives was to move news of the decree as quickly as possible to mount a speedy defense, and was therefore written in transliterated Creole and posted in town squares all over the island) Going back to our young lady from earlier, there were many times in which she was free according to her ‘master’ or the French, but was still considered to legally be a slave because of the British invasion. We frequently lament the loss of meaning through translation; however I would sincerely hope that none of us have lost our freedom because of it. Finally, she flees to Spanish-held Cuba lacking the proper documentation to guarantee her freedom in the new land. She counters this concern by claiming that her freedom did not derive from any one person or any government, but from the simple fact that she is a human being.
This, for the most part, concluded the discussion. I was able to speak with one of the speakers before leaving with the library’s stash of cookies, carrots and celery, though. We discussed the translation of slavery into modern terms. I used the example of the United Arab Emirates, where employers are prone to confiscate the passports of their employees to prevent their free movement throughout the region. She responded that such things were actually quite common here, in Ann Arbor. Usually the victims of this despicable practice are undocumented immigrants with few other options other than complying with a potential employer, for fear of being reported and deported. Usually this practice is referred to as ‘human trafficking’, but in its major points meets the definition of slavery. She proceeded to lament that the word ‘slavery’ has almost become a liability in fighting against slavery. She explains: the common conception of slavery, especially for those from the Americas, is one that is exceptionally brutal. So brutal, in fact, that only the actions that come close to the level of depravity exhibited during the Atlantic Slave Trade can be considered ‘deserving’ of the title ‘slavery’. While actions similar, but not as severe, generally go ignored or marginalized. This serves as an example of where translation still has work to do.
Nicholas German
