'Forced labour for little or no pay under the threat of violence'
Encyclopaedia Britannica definition of slavery
Learning and Teaching Scotland and Action of Churches Together in Scotland (ACTS) have collaborated to create a series of primary resources to mark the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade. The Religious Observance (RO) events are set out in the template format which can be found on the Religious Observance website.
The example below is aimed at P1-P3, but teachers may wish to adapt the ideas for use throughout the primary school stages.
The story of Olaudah Equiano's life can be told in three parts:
Each part of the story is made more engaging by the use of a story sack. The story sacks are large cloth bags full of items and pictures related to Equiano’s life. If you are sharing the story with a single class or a small group of children you can pass the items around so that pupils experience each item first hand.
Take a look at our Stolen in Africa section.
Introducing the idea of slavery and the experience of one person who was enslaved.
Story sack containing sun, pineapple, rope, chains, sailing ship, money
Olaudah Equiano’s life began in Essaka in West Africa, an area of great heat. His family grew crops including pineapples. One day when he was aged 11 his family were out in the fields and Olaudah and his sister were left at home. They were kidnapped, tied up and taken away. He was forced to work as a slave in an African village. Later Olaudah was sold to white slave traders and was chained up on a slave ship to be taken across the Atlantic.
Themes and feelings: Sometimes things happen that are not fair. That is why we are marking the bicentenary and remembering Scotland’s part in the slave trade and its abolition. Men, women and children were kidnapped for the slave trade. Think about how scary that must have been and how unfair it was.
Introducing the idea that even in difficult circumstances there is hope and we can learn new things about ourselves and others.
Story sack containing sailing ship, small quantity of bread and water, fish, snow, book, pencil, holy water, cannon
Olaudah had to work as a slave in America. Then he was put on a ship bound for England as a present to an English family. On the voyage the food he lived on was a little bread and water. While on board he was frightened by the strange varieties of fish that he saw. On arriving in England, after a 13-week voyage, Olaudah saw snow for the first time and thought it was salt. While in England Olaudah learned to read and write and was baptised. He returned to sea and was caught up in a sea battle against the French navy.
Themes and feelings: Olaudah must have felt anxious and uncertain about what would happen to him. He had to travel across the sea and experience many new and strange things. Remember that even when the journey is difficult there is hope.
Introducing the idea that it is a good thing to stand up for other people.
Story sack containing chains, map or globe, money, Bible, letter to Queen Charlotte
Olaudah was sent back across the Atlantic to the Caribbean. He saw how badly many slaves were treated by their masters. Olaudah saved enough money to buy his freedom so he was no longer a slave. Olaudah became an active Christian and helped others by making speeches, writing a book about his life and campaigning against the slave trade. He wrote to the Queen asking for freedom for slaves in the West Indies.
Themes and feelings: When Olaudah finally had his freedom he decided to fight to end slavery. He had learned to read and write and was able to tell his story and write to Queen Charlotte. Think about how it would feel to finally be free and to use your freedom to help others.
If you would like to find out more about Olaudah Equiano’s life his book The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano is freely available from the Project Gutenberg website.
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano
Available in print in a number of editions including: Penguin Classic (ISBN 0142437166), Dover Thrift (ISBN-10: 048640661X) and Random House Modern Library Classics (ISBN 0375761152).
Son of Africa
This 24 page book tells the story of Olaudah Equiano and the campaign against the slave trade. Chris Hudson, Religious and Moral Education Press, 2006 (ISBN 1851753419). Also available in packs of 15 books (ISBN 1851753451).
Olaudah Equiano, or, Gustavus Vassa, the African
A scholarly look at the life of Olaudah Equiano presented by Brycchan Carey, a Reader in English literature at Kingston University, Surrey.
Word file: Religious Observance templates (159 KB)
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