Goree Island Book Review Essay Example

Goree Island Book Review Essay Example Goree Island Book Review Paper Goree Island Book Review Paper Review: Goree Island: Island of No Return, Saga of the Signares by Richard Harrison Goree. Gold Leaf Press, Mt. Clemens, MI. 1996. Often times a search for family history can lead to confusing twists and turns or shocking revelations. In the case of Richard Goree, the search for his family’s past led to a novel with much important knowledge for the rest of the world. Goree Island is a story revealing the importance of signares in economic success during the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and colonial period in Africa. Elevating themselves to respected and revered statuses, these mulatto women were considered the grease that kept the European (particularly French) economic machines moving. During the colonial period in Africa, mulatto (half white/half African) women came to power as the go-betweens for traders by utilizing their lighter complexion to initially gain a level of inherent trust. When an incoming trading ship ported at Goree Island, the French stationed there would send these women, signares, to the important shipmen on board in hopes that the gift of the company of these women would put them in a better mood to trade. : Throughout the years these women became vital to the success of the French at Goree Island. In a course about the history of African women the signares are bound to come as up as an essential part of the slave trade era. However, one of the main points of this book was primarily on everyday life and interactions between signares and other individuals; including their effects on the island’s economy, social and diplomatic relationships and ceremony. When Goree Island was a high traffic port for trading, the most important activities surrounding a ship’s arrival would be centered around the signares. When word of an incoming English ship came in to Monsieur de Drouin, he was extremely concerned about the incoming shipmen’s impressions of their signares. Without the involvement of these signares it is unknown how the transactions would have gone, but what is known is the length of preparations that were made to ensure their visitors were pleased and in return were generous in trade. Sasha and Helene-Marie, both Mothers of the signares at different times, were given the privilege of slave labor to build a stone parlor for their entertaining purposes. This was completely out of the ordinary for French society, however exceptions to the French rules were made daily for the signares, as shown by Andre Bruie’s conversation with a newly arrived factor. â€Å"They have the connections [signares]. So, if the rules don’t provide for them, then the rules must at least give them room to do what they do best† (115). The importance of signares was not underestimated in Goree Island and is evidenced by the French’s willingness to budge on previously unfathomable aspects of life, race relations. Another main point of this book is that the signares were not simply handed their positions but they were acquired through hard work and cunning. The aforementioned stone parlor was earned by Helene-Marie through an invention that was adapted by the French in their prisons on the island. After asking for permission to use slave labor, Bruie responded to her â€Å"she could have the men do it if she could secure them and still give them room to do the work. Then I laughed and dismissed the idea, she came back one week later with this† (116). He was referencing a collard invention that Helene-Marie devised in only one week. This shows that the signares were innovative enough to have created their own opportunities and acquire the position they are in by their own actions. The greatest contribution to helping understand the signares life choices was an early interaction between Helene-Marie and a young Sasha. Sasha inquired if Helene-Marie ever asked for anything in return from the European men they visited. Helene-Marie scolded Sasha for asking such a question and continued to enforce the fact that they are to expect nothing in return and to be obedient to their guests. This dialogue between the two is important to understanding that from a young age the signares were trained for their future. Once the signares had established their position on the island it was important to teach the young mulatto women and future signares their roles at a young age because often times it was unknown how young they were going to be requested by the traders. One of the things I would have liked to have added in this book would have been stories of interactions between the signares and the visiting traders. It was shown on more than one occasion that signares can become emotionally attached to their traders so there has to be some sort of poignant connections happening between them. These exchanges would also provide additional insight on how the signares were able to climb to the social position they have achieved.