National Geographic August 2002 [antikvár]

From the Editor DAVID ALAN HARVEY One Afričan was sold into slavery by another. Packed into the holds of slave ships in unimaginably horrifie conditions, the survivors arrived on a new continent doomed to a future without freedom or hope. Two articles in this issue examine aspects of this tragic legacy. Archaeologists are excavating the remains of the Henrietta Marie, sunk in 1700 after delivering some 250 Africans to Jamaica. The sight of tiny shackles meant for children made my blood run cold—as did the sad fact that those children grew up to see their own children live in slavery as well. We also explore Brazil's state of Bahia, where 80 percent of the population is of Afričan descent. Brazil received 3.5 million slaves, more than any other country. The wealth they created for plantation owners enriched Salvador, Brazil's first capital and the first slave market in the Western Hemisphere. The cultural traditions the slaves brought with them are still alive here. Many Bahians practice Candomblé, a blend of Afričan traditions, Catholicism, and indigenous Indian beliefs. Salva-dor's Festival of Black Beauty (above) celebrates Afro-Brazilian music and dance. The shackles found on the Henrietta Marie will eventually rust away, but the spirit of the Africans who wore them is made of more durable stuff. I'm confident the Bahians will never forget the ways of their ancestors. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC • AUGUST 2002