A Brief Excerpt from Lamentation of a Warrior

The following is a brief excerpt from Lamentation of a Warrior,
the sequel to Sojourner's Dream.

CHAPTER FOUR

Kigali, Rwanda

June 1994

Blaise sat at his desk and listened to his phone ringing.  It was probably his wife, Blanche, he thought.  The phone stopped ringing.  He thought about the last time his wife visited his office two months ago.  It was a rainy April morning. The event played over in his mind.

Blanche entered Blaise’s office and smiled nervously.  She walked over to him and rubbed his shoulder affectionately.  Blaise sat stoically in his chair with his hands on his desk.  The fragrance of his wife’s perfume floated around him.  Her hair was styled and combed neatly, and she wore a pink dress which hugged her plump body.  A black beaded necklace sat on her large bosom.  She placed her hand on his and rubbed. He then noticed her painted pink nails.

“How was your day, my dear husband?”
“It was good, until I looked out the window and saw ten people killed within ten minutes, for no reason…  Other than that, the day is not too bad,”  Blaise said.

Blanche looked him in the eye and pressed her lips together. Then, she spoke.

“You must not let your colleagues hear you speak like that, my dear."

Copyright © 2007
By Angeline Bandon-Bibum
Purchase Lamentation of a Warrior at Amazon.

An Excerpt from Sojourner’s Dream, A Novel

PROLOGUE

    As she dreamed, she saw a handsome man walking through a tropical rain forest. The man wore military fatigues, and his boyish face glistened with sweat. Carrying an AK-47, he walked in a direction parallel to a stream. She noticed that the stream was red with blood. There was a primordial greenness and moistness about the forest. She could feel the thick, warm air. A monkey, sitting on a tree branch, yawned lethargically, as it watched the man walk by. The man started to run, and it seemed that he was pursuing someone. Suddenly, the forest gave way to a clearing. She saw the man stop running and look around. Green hills were everywhere. Then she saw the corpses of men, women, children, and babies. Some were clothed, and some were partially clothed. It was like a sea of human corpses, covering the hills; the people were so freshly killed that she hoped and anticipated that the bodies would move at any moment. However, to her despair, the bodies did not move. They just bled and began to rot. She wanted to call the man in her dream, as she saw him looking down at his military boots; blood had splattered over his boots. He looked up to the sky. Then he grasped the rosary around his neck and prayed. She heard him whispering the prayer of St. Michael the Archangel.

CHAPTER ONE

 Washington, D.C., September 1990
 

    Sojourner Brown felt giddy as a tall, dark brown complexioned attorney approached her in the law library of Livingston & Richards, a corporate law firm. Livingston & Richards was located in Washington, D.C., in an office building on Pennsylvania Avenue across the street from The Old Post Office Pavilion. The location was in walking distance to The White House, The Capitol, and The Supreme Court. That she was in close proximity to these institutions made Sojourner feel like she was in the center of the world’s most important location.

    The attorney approaching Sojourner was a lean man with an angular, boyish face and an aquiline nose. As the attorney approached Sojourner, he seemed to grow with each step. Sojourner estimated that he was about six foot four inches tall. She stood behind the counter of the law firm library, where she worked part time as a library assistant. The attorney’s name was Joseph Kalisa, and he was a new associate attorney at Livingston & Richards. Joseph’s name was included in the monthly employee newsletter, along with a note about the universities from which he had graduated, and his native country in Africa, Rwanda.

    “Good Morning, Miss,” Joseph Kalisa said. His voice was low and soothing. Sojourner detected a rich foreign accent.
    “Hi, Mr. Kalisa, how are you?” Sojourner said.
    “Fine, thank you. I would like to check out these books, please,” Joseph said, glancing quickly at the books he held in his arms.

    Joseph wore a chocolate brown three-piece suit, which seemed to be fresh from the racks of a couture designer’s studio, and a cream-colored dress shirt with a matching cream-colored silk tie. The cream and brown colors accented his smooth complexion, creating a vanilla and chocolate effect that made Sojourner’s mouth water. However, on the outside Sojourner was cool and professional.

    Sojourner opened the circulation binder and proceeded to show Joseph how to check out books from the library. Joseph signed his name for each book that he checked out, and she watched him. Joseph’s long, elegant fingers curled delicately around his expensive looking gold pen, showing clean, well-groomed fingernails. Ostensibly, Sojourner watched Joseph as if to help him in case he had questions about checking out the books.

    Standing near Joseph, Sojourner absorbed his scent, a light, clean, woody fragrance. His hair was closely cropped and neat, with a healthy sheen. Joseph carried himself with the dignity of royalty, and his disposition was serious and reserved. Although he made eye contact with Sojourner, his facial expression was almost blank. His dark eyes gazed, not at her, but through her. She was transparent to him, she thought. Sojourner was intrigued.

    Quickly glancing at her clothes, Sojourner thought about what she wore that day, a pale yellow Oxford shirt, beige gabardine pants, and brown Penny loafer shoes. The faux pearl necklace that she wore matched her faux pearl earrings. She was glad that she had taken some extra time that morning to style her hair in a chignon.
 

Copyright © 2005 by Angeline Bandon-Bibum

Purchase Sojourner's Dream (Kindle Edition or hard copy) at Amazon.

Some Reflections on a Church Journey

   As a young child, my attendance at church was often sporadic.  When I did go to church regularly, I went with my grandparents, who provided transportation. My mother approved of this and encouraged me to go to Sunday school. 

    As a teenager, I attended church more regularly with my grandparents who would pick me and my younger sister up and took us along with them to church. (I’m glad that they did.) The church that we attended was a medium to small Baptist Church in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Many of the members of this church knew my grandparents, and my parents. They represented the working and middle class African Americans of Atlantic City. 

  I cherished sitting with my grandmother in the church pews. My grandmother dressed elegantly, with a beautiful hat and high heeled shoes. She would sometimes quietly give us a piece of candy when we became restless, since church service was at least two hours. It was also expected that we were to dress lady-like when we went to church.  That meant neat hair and no pants for girls.

  My grandfather, who also dressed impeccably on Sunday, was a deacon, so he would sit in the front of the church with the other deacons (many of whom he had served with in the navy, decades earlier).  The deacons would sit in a cluster of hefty wooden chairs right below the pastor, who preached with traditional Baptist energy and style. They responded to the pastor's sermon by nodding their heads and saying "Well!"

 

   I listened to the choir, composed of mostly the older ladies of the church who seemed to pour their hearts into the songs they sang, regardless of the level of their singing talent. I liked many of the hymns, such as "This Little Light of Mine" and "Soon and Very Soon".  I even joined the youth choir which was small, along with a couple of other teenagers. I liked that experience, even though my singing was not the best either, and getting to church to practice for choir posed a challenge. I started to feel like I belonged to the church, even if my attendance was sporadic. That sense of belonging and warmth from other members of the church is something that I remember fondly.

 

   I knew the basics of being a Baptist Church member.  I liked church and wanted to be close to God. However, I knew much less about being a Catholic Christian. I knew about Catholic schools, where kids, whose parents could afford the tuition, would go. 

  
   That brings me to the present moment, three decades later.  My husband and I attend the Catholic Church, and we live in Silver Spring, Maryland.  I’m thinking about the confirmation process that our youngest child is going through. 

      Our two older children completed confirmation years ago.  This process culminates in the sacrament of Confirmation. It is organized by the Religious Education Department of the church, including the director and  Religious education teachers. The teachers are called Catechists and they teach the Catechesis, which is basic religious education. In the Catholic Church the Catechesis is a formalized curriculum.  It was good for our children to receive this detailed instruction.  I was happy that my children were on the path of spiritual growth and embracing their closeness with God.

   Now our youngest child, who is thirteen, is going through this process.  The confirmation process is detailed and didactic.  I adore The Bible, also known as Scriptures for Catholics.  I believe reading The Bible is critical and is the heart of Christian practice, as well as putting the core principles of The Bible into practice, as much as possible.  I also believe that the behavior of church members should encourage a feeling of acceptance and belonging, whenever possible. 

   I still seek that feeling that I attained, while attending church growing up, a feeling that I still long for after regular attendance and participation in church for more than two decades.  Maybe I am being too skeptical. I want to have generosity and compassion for all of humanity and not give in the urge to be pessimistic. 
 

   I have reminded myself that my commitment to church is a spiritual commitment to our Heavenly Father, the Creator of the Universe, and that I should not allow myself to be discouraged by what's going on in the world, and our human condition. Maybe that's it.  I go to church as a spiritual practice which prepares me as I immerse myself in the love of the Creator, our Heavenly Father.

   My sister still attends the Baptist Church, and I can see that she enjoys it.  It's a duty, but she also enjoys the actual experience.  Mostly, she says that she gains gratification spiritually and socially from her church.

 

   My husband and I have faithfully attended the Catholic Church for twenty-five years. (We've participated in various ministries, too.)  Yet,  I've often thought that the social experience leaves something to be desired, yet I'm not a social butterfly myself. 

 

   The core of my church journey is a desire to be closer to God, to continue to experience His love and compassion and to share it with humanity, and His creation as a whole.  When I focus on that purpose, God's love, I feel whole and happy. That's what I want for my children, husband, family, and all the world.

By  Angeline Bandon-Bibum 
 

A Season of Sacramental Preparation and Compassion

 

     As we stood in our church and watched our youngest child go through the "Rite of Enrollment" for the sacrament of Confirmation last week, I was happy to see her continue her Christian journey and commitment to being a compassionate and loving Christian person. Her older siblings completed this sacramental process which she is now going through.

      It is also good to see that our daughter is eagerly receptive of her mandatory volunteer service projects, which are a part of this process. There are many different types of volunteer projects from which the Confirmation candidates can select at least one, like volunteering for the Share Food Network of the Catholic Charities, collecting coats for people in the community in need of a coat, making Thanksgiving baskets for families in serious need, participating in Stations of the Cross during lent, and making greeting cards for those who serve in the military oversees. In these volunteer projects, Christian compassion is demonstrated and people's lives are positively impacted. I am thankful for this experience for our children, and other children, who will learn how to show compassion by helping other people.

     When I married my husband, I decided to be a part of the Catholic Christian faith. It has been a fruitful journey for more than twenty years. There are some aspects of the Protestant church, which I attended growing up, that I remember fondly and sometimes miss, like the music from the Baptist Church.

      As a young woman, I did not think it was a big matter to join the Catholic faith, since I was already a Christian. I thought a Christian was a Christian. It has taken me two decades to get use to the practices of the Catholic Church, yet I’ve benefited from the experience.

      My husband, however, grew up in a Catholic family, and we have raised our three children as practicing Catholic Christians. It has been worth it, as each of our children is a compassionate Christian person. For me, the heart of the Christian faith is God's compassion and love for us all. 

By Angeline Bandon-Bibum

Journey to Writer: A New Streamlined eCourse

A 7-Week Writing Webinar/Teleseminar
When: December 06, 2014 to January 24, 2015; Saturdays from 1:00pm to 1:50pm
Where: Webinar/Teleseminar
Webinar Dial-in-Details will be provided.  Cost: $97 (Almost Free rate ends Friday, at 6pm!)

Provided by
Angeline Bandon-Bibum

This is a fiction Writing eCourse for beginners, and those who want to review the fundamentals of fiction writing. You can complete this eCourse from the comfort of your home office, or sofa.
There is a story that you want to write, so sign up for “Journey to Writer” and starting working on that story.

Journey to Writer eCourse consists of the following:

Module 1: Introduction: Story ideas • Presentation on Setting • writing Prompt #1 (300 words).
Module 2: Character: Presentation on Character • Writing Prompt #2 (400 words)
Module 3: Character and Point of View Presentation • Writing Prompt #3 (400 words)
Module 4: Plot • Presentation on Plot Writing Prompt #4 (400 words)
Module 5: Plot (Continued) Presentation • Writing Prompt #5 (400 words)
Module 6: Dialogue and Scene Presentation • Writing Prompt #6 (400 words)
Module 7: Description • Presentation • Writing Prompt #7 (400 words)

This eCourse is for you if you are:
 • Someone who has always wanted to be a fiction writer, but doesn’t know where to start.
 • Someone who has been putting off telling a story that's meaningful to you. (Fulfilling your dream is worth your time; it's uplifting and energizing, too.)
To purchase this eCourse, go to www.journeytowriter.com

Inspiration from Images of the Ancient Culture of Rwanda

A strong and graceful warrior is the main image of the following poem: Watutsi Warrior of Yore

The Watutsi warrior stood, with a spear in his hand, With the grace of a woman, but the strength of a man. In ceremonial regalia, he dances. With a smile on his face, he prances. The Watutsi warrior is thin and tall, From my imagination he will never fall From his wooden pedestal. He is more than a sculpture in a museum. He represents an ancient, proud people, Flesh, blood, and beauty. To write this poem is my duty. By Angeline Bandon-Bibum Copyright © 2005 by Ms. Angeline Bandon-Bibum  The following images are photos of the ancient Watutsi warrior style. (See Pinterest for source reference.) Watutsi Warrior Dance

Watutsi Warrior Dance (See images on Pinterest for more information.)



 Tutsi Royal Warrior
(See image on Pinterest)

Fierce Dignity of a Warrior Displayed

Watutsi Traditional Hairstyle - Vintage

 

 

Watutsi People - Vintage Photo

(See image on Pinterest for more information.)

 

Back to School Reflections: A Journey in Progress

For kindergarteners to graduate students, it is back to school season.  Likewise, all three of my children will be returning to school, from my youngest child to my oldest young adult.

Our son, the oldest of his siblings, is preparing to go to graduate school, a six hour drive away. That's a big difference from the close proximity of his undergraduate school. It is a big step, and I'm so proud of him.

It has been a beautiful journey to watch him grow up. I remember his first sonogram photo. My husband and I happily anticipated the birth of our son, our first child.

Years went by, and we continued our life as a family together. We had two more beautiful children, our daughters. Our eventful journey as a family continued. I thank God for his mercy and generosity, which made our progress possible.

Like all families, we experienced some problems along the way. Yet, through God's grace, life has been wonderful. Like many parents, we did the best that we could with the resources that we had. I must say that we have been blessed.

Now, it is like we are passing a baton to our son. It is his turn to join the race. (The practice sessions are over.) Yet, we remind our son that we, too, are still in this race, running with him and cheering him on, putting a glass of water in his hand, when he gets thirty.

We encourage him to try his best, to be kind to himself, and to continue to be kind to others. He knows, as we've communicated to him many times, that he should continue to have good standards. These standards will require him to work diligently towards his goals daily.

By  Angeline Bandon-Bibum

Get On Up Movie Honors a Music Legend

The movie Get On Up contains a vivid setting, strong characterization, and a reverse chronology, replete with flashbacks. The image of James Brown, the bold and brilliant entertainer who was also an abandoned and heartbroken boy, is like a haunting metaphor. Perhaps I’m waxing too profound, yet I think that James Brown’s music legacy deserves no less.

Also, the lead actor, Chadwick Boseman, plays the role of James Brown excellently. He seems to transform himself into the persona of the "Godfather of Soul." The list of supporting actors is star-studded, with Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Jill Scott, and Tika Sumpter, to name a few.

 

By Angeline Bandon-Bibum

 

A Writer's Genocide Research Reflections

I researched the topic of my novels, Sojourner's Dream and Lamentation of a Warrior, for years before, during, and after writing these novels. As a part of my research, I read many books, journals, newspaper articles, and more than a hundred news information website articles on the subject of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, and the Rwandan history that preceded the genocide. Also, I watched many historical documentaries on this topic, and I interviewed a Rwandan person who lost his family in the Rwandan Genocide of 1994.

Hence, I accumulated some boxes and disks filled with the research materials on this topic. Within these books, boxes, and disks is more than a decade of researched information which I've read. It often provided inspiration for some of the most poignant scenes of both of my novels. If you're a writer, or a storyteller, you'll, at some point, need to do research on your topic.

When researching, you may also need to explore into the depths of your topic. So, since the core of my topic was genocide, I also did some research into other genocides in various time periods and parts of the world, for example The Holocaust, the Khmer Rouge, the Nanking Massacre, and even the Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre.

I'm passionate about history, so I was able to pursue researching this topic with great interest. When researching a topic in depth, it is best to have a strong interest in it. So, this worked in my favor. Though much of what I read during my research on this specific subject was profoundly heartbreaking, and often left me speechless with horror, I learned a great deal about it.

In the mist of the deep sorrow of the topic, there were moments of beauty and insight. For example, there are normally at least a few extraordinarily kind people who risk their lives to help others. The physical beauty of the geography of Rwanda is remarkable, and showed that in even in this midst of such a lovely natural setting, extreme terror can erupt.  Finally, the history of Rwanda, as it relates to other historical topics of African history during the colonial period, provided me with insightful reading.

By Angeline Bandon-Bibum, Author

Fulfilling the Dream of Becoming a Writer

    As a wife and working mother of three, a son and two daughters, I know what it is like to put a dream on hold and devote oneself entirely to the care of family.  I suppose it's what most of us parents do at one time or another.

    Growing up, I knew that I wanted to be a writer. In college, I choose a liberal arts major, English literature, for that same purpose, to be a writer. Yet, when I graduated from college, and entered graduate school, I chose Public Administration as my graduate course of study, a subject that I was not passionate about. I chose it because I thought it would be a more practical course of study.

    I married my college sweetheart, and we had three children.  I entered the IT field a few days before the Y2K scare. Hence, I seemed to be moving even farther away from my creative writing aspiration.

    I was happy to put my husband and children first. Still, I always thought about my dream of being a writer. So, in 2002, I took my first steps towards writing a novel. It was not easy with my schedule. Yet, it was fun, so I found a way. Through the grace of God, it happened. I completed my first novel, Sojourner's Dream, in 2006.

    My second book, Lamentation of a Warrior, took one year, however. I had compiled information, tools, and methods which greatly shortened the time it took to write my second novel.

    I would like to share what I've learned with aspiring writers who want to contribute to the world in a positive way through their writing. It is for that reason that I developed Journey to Writer, an eCourse. Here is more information about it:

 

Journey to Writer

A 7-Week Writing Webinar/Teleseminar

When: October 11, 2014 to November 22, 2014; Saturdays from 1pm to 2pm

Cost: $297

     It's a step by step plan for you to place pen to paper, finger to keyboard, and share your book with the world. In seven weeks, you'll have obtained the foundational tools and information you need to:

• Gain the confidence to write your book for the world to see.
• Take action on your dreams of being an author or writer.
• Be the author signing books at your own book signings.
• Have the basic tools to create the book.

***And, this is all from the comfort of your home office, or sofa.

If you are an aspiring writer, you don't have to let your dream wait, or die. You can be a writer, if you're willing to put in the time and effort.  Try Journey to Writer.

A First Born Graduates

 

   A first born of first born parents, our son graduated from UMBC, with a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering, on Thursday. It was a joyous occasion. I reflected and clearly remembered that twenty-two years ago, my contractions were painful enough to prompt me to awaken my husband, who was scheduled to go to work that morning. Seeing the pain that I was in, my husband took me to the hospital. Eight hours later, our first born child, a son, was born. Hence, that began our beautiful journey into parenthood. I was amazed and enraptured by the sight of my newborn son. In my heart, I vowed to give our son all that I could, especially love, affection, attention, and training.

   As a first born, our son received his generous share of our attention. From kindergarten to 12^th grade, we never missed a back to school night, where we would introduce ourselves to all his teachers and would get copies of the syllabuses and book lists. His homework and academic development was a priority. We did the same for his sisters, too, yet as a first born, the expectations were even higher for him.

   My husband and I would often take our son, and his sisters, to the library during the school week. Much time was spent supervising and helping him with his homework, as we did for his sisters. I remember those days fondly, yet, my son often has a different view on those study sessions, as filled with strictness. Yet, as a result, he did well in school.

   As the first born, when his sisters were born, our son would smile adoringly at them.  As a big brother, he continues to be secure in his role of first born and the leader of his siblings. That’s the benefit, instant leadership, which our son earned throughout the years, and continues to earn.  Congratulations, son!!

By Angeline Bandon-Bibum

May 23, 2014

Mother’s Day Musings

As mothers, we know there will be days filled with love, joy, fulfillment, fatigue, and, sometimes, frustration. These emotions are all a part of the beautiful experience of parenthood. Today, mothers are thanked for their enormous efforts to care for and raise their children to be good, responsible, and productive people.

As mothers, many of us realize how hard our own mothers had to work to raise us. Hence, we understand the no nonsense approach that many mothers had to use. Mothers these days have a small, if any, support system and are faced with trying to be everything to their kids. This leaves mothers with less time for themselves for renewal and personal projects. For mothers, the bottom line is that the children’s needs normally come first.

As a mother, you try to do your best, with the knowledge, skills, and abilities that you have. Yet, sometimes we can be critical of ourselves, when normal life challenges happen. So, we mothers have to remember to be gentle on ourselves and to give ourselves a pat on the back when we know that we have really tried our best.

Trying to be a great parent is not easy. Yet, the effort of going the extra mile, as often as you can, without totally exhausting yourself, often has its rewards. Extraordinary patience is necessary to realize these rewards.

Each child is different, and each requires attention to his/her needs. There are physical needs, spiritual needs, emotional, and intellectual needs. Each need must be nourished in a positive way to obtain a positive outcome. Yet, one only has so much time in the day, and only so much energy.

I remember what a priest said during mass on Good Friday. He said "real love often costs nothing less than everything."  That’s what a mother gives real love.  It costs a lot, yet it is worth it.

Happy Mother’s Day!!

Angeline Bandon-Bibum

Everyday Life and Genocide

  

  What is normal everyday life for people in a city, community, or neighborhood? At its core, it is family and community life activities: cooking, cleaning, caring for family members, going to work, going to school, or attending events such as weddings, graduations, births, and other ceremonies. Scenes of family life occur daily, such as going to church, synagogue, or temple, or some other place of religious, or spiritual, worship. These are the normal activities of people in a society. Ironically, stories of genocide often begin with normal everyday life. As a part of normal life, people in a community interact, and businesses, large and small, operate. These normal community activities stop when genocide starts.

     Night, by Elie Wiesel, and Left to Tell, by Immaculate Ilibagiza, are both true stories about genocides, one that occurred during World War II and one that occurred in 1994. Both books start with families living their normal lives in their vibrant communities. Yet, the outcomes of these true stories are that each story ends with hundreds of thousands, and millions, of people being murdered as a result of genocide.

     I visited the Holocaust Memorial soon after it first opened in Washington, D.C. I remember that a part of the exhibit contained artifacts which consisted of the personal belongings of genocide victims. These items ranged from toys to shoes, clothing, furniture, photographs, and many other household items, all as old as one would expect, 60 years later. These items showed evidence of the owners’ previously normal lives, before the genocide started.  So, it is clear that genocide happens to normal people who live normal lives. It is important to remember that genocide can happen to normal everyday people.

     Another question is do the victims of genocide see the genocide coming? Years, months, or weeks before genocide happens, victims often suspect something very bad is going to happen. Yet, they are hopeful that what they suspect won’t actually happen. They may even attribute their fears to paranoia and decide to just not think about it. This happened in the books Night and Left to Tell.  In, Night, there was a sequence of fearsome signs that something very bad would happen to Elie and his family and community. For example, the first sign came from the quiet, poor neighbor of Elie’s family, Moshe the Beadle, who warned his neighbors continually of the eventual fate of the members of his community. He told them repeatedly that he saw people taken from their community and killed by Nazis. Yet, no one believed him. Then, Elie’s family, along with all the members of their community were forced from their homes and forced to walk to a crowded ghetto, with only as much as each family could carry. There, the families set up a temporary community structure, and tried to live within it. The community people adapted to the poor living conditions and remained hopeful. Another opportunity to escape presented itself when their former housekeeper found them and pleaded with them to come with her so she could hide them from the Nazis.  The offer was declined, and they remained in the ghetto, hoping for the best. Their hope was that the allied forces of World War II would stop Adolf Hitler’s army. Then, the ghetto social structure they’d constructed was very quickly dismantled, and, Elie and his family and community were loaded into an overcrowded cattle train car and taken a Nazi concentration camp where the children were the first to die.  Elie's parents and siblings would not survive the concentration camp. In Left to Tell, the author’s parents chose not to flee their home days before the genocide started. It may have been that the presence of so many U.N. soldiers prior to the genocide that made the people feel safer, yet when the genocide started the U.N. soldiers did not take action to stop genocide.  Immaculate's parents, and most of her siblings, except for one who’d travelled out of Rwanda, were brutally murdered.

     Elie’s parents had a grocery store and were respected members of their community, and this happened to them and other people in their community. Likewise, Immaculate’s parents were teachers who were beloved and industrious people who were respected by members of their community, and they were murdered during the genocide. Genocide destroyed the lives of these families. It's sobering to know that genocide happens to normal and good people.

     In both stories, there was a similar theme that the victims had hoped that somehow the genocide would be stopped, or that reason would prevail. The books Night by Elie Wiesel and Left to Tell by Immaculate Ilibagiza depict this phenomenon of the victims' being hopeful in spite of signs of something extremely bad to come. In both stories, the help comes only after the genocide had almost run its course. 

 

 

By Angeline Bandon-Bibum

Author of Sojourner's Dream, A Novel and Lamentation of a Warrior

 

Henrietta Marie, A Poem

Henrietta Marie

 

In my dream, I am a child, playing on the beach.

The air is warm and humid, as the waves of the Atlantic roll to shore.

 Briny and warm, the water feels soothing to my feet, ankles, calves, and knees.

The sun displays its affection for me, turning my skin from cinnamon, to sienna, then to mahogany.

In my pink bathing suit, I rush to greet a frothy wave, as it tumbles gracefully to shore.

On the horizon is a massive ship, of an ancient design, a schooner.

She floats, coming closer and closer to shore.  She captivates me; mouth open, I stare at her.

Christened “Henrietta Marie,” she is a slave ship.  A vessel designed to hold a living human cargo,

 

on wooden shelves, like canned fish.   I recognize her from my history book.

Henrietta Marie floats imperiously, her passengers

immersed in agony and humiliation.   She is gloriously gruesome.

Copyright 2006

By Angeline Bandon-Bibum

Respect and Appreciation for the Ancestors

As Black History Month comes to a close, l express my deep respect and appreciation for the numerous ancestors who often suffered brutal physical and mental abuse during the Transatlantic Slave Trade.  The artifacts from the wreckage of Henrietta Marie, a merchant slave ship from the 17th century, are some of the remaining symbols of the horrors of the Middle Passage, one stage in the Transatlantic Slave Trade, which took place over three centuries.
Transatlantic Slave Trade Henrietta Marie