Re: [xml-dev] Memorable quotes from Balisage 2013

[Ihe Onwuka <ihe.onwuka@gmail.com>]

On Mon, Aug 12, 2013 at 4:29 AM, Uche Ogbuji <uche@ogbuji.net> wrote:

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Igbo_in_the_Atlantic_slave_trade 60% of African Americans have an Igbo ancestor -  a state of affairs which my forefathers are primarily responsible for as I am an Aro . I'm told we never sold our own, part of the reason why there have been calls for the Aro's to apologize and make reparations to the rest of the Igbos.

Wow.  I hadn't heard such calls.  That sounds like a sure way to open up an economy sized can of worms!  I hear you, though.  My Mum's from near Calabar and my Dad from near Owerri, and I've heard the joke before that my Mum's ancestors used to be in the business of selling my Dad's.

My mum is from the Old Cross River State as well. 

According to my father other Igbo towns used to round up their troublemakers and hand over to the Aros for slave trading, which would make them willing accomplices (so much for the reparations argument).

To end this historical off topic diversion, note from the wikipedia link

"In the United States the Igbo slaves were known for being rebellious. In some states such as Georgia, the Igbo had a high suicide rate"

Our people did not accept their situation passively.