Enslaved women preserved their humanity by clinging to traditional African practices

Evidence

One way of asserting this sense of agency was by adhering to African cultures, values and belief systems. In practice (and among other things), this meant clinging to their knowledge of the medicinal powers of plants; following remembered birthing and weaning practices; adapting stories, musical instruments and festivals; and reinventing traditional leadership roles. By passing this collective wisdom on to each new generation, enslaved women were able to mount a concerted and enduring defence against their owners’ daily assaults on their humanity. — Stella Dadzie, A Kick in the Belly- Women, Slavery and…, 380

Categorization

• XREF: XREF roots of resistance in cultural continuity — connects to: Enslaved women transmitted cultural knowledge to ensure survival across generations — Stella Dadzie, A Kick in the Belly- Women, Slavery and…, 331; Enslaved women staged small daily acts of resistance against plantation owners — Stella Dadzie, A Kick in the Belly- Women, Slavery and…, 287; Enslaved women preserved their sanity by adapting smuggled African cultural practices — Stella Dadzie, A Kick in the Belly- Women, Slavery and…, 47 (+16 more)
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Stella Dadzie, A Kick in the Belly- Women, Slavery and…, 380

Broader Connections

• Enslaved women preserved their sanity by adapting smuggled African cultural practices #qualifies (0.85) — Stella Dadzie, A Kick in the Belly- Women, Slavery and…, 47