On the fifth page of The New York Public Library website, displayed on a table, in two sizes lays an image on the Manilla. It is from the sample Noel Pittman Collection and the shape of this unique item. It lies somewhere between the form of a Horseshoe and the pull knob of the dresser. It originated in the 15 century and is currently used now in West Africa’s, It is made of out Bronze or copper and Comes in Bronze or Copper, and was used to pay for a slave. It’s said that a slave would cost twelve to fifteen Manillas and by the 1700s a slave might cost anywhere between 20 to 25.
I find it ironic that an item used widely in West Africa, was used to sell slaves, not only outside of the country but within the state. The circulation and development of the Minalla, to continuously be used in the home base, can remind one about the story of Oroonoko. Mainly the Kings willingness to sell Imonda to the Christians or the Heathens. There is something to be said about the openness of both cases, to the people in this book, slavery is worse than death, and yet just because of the whim of the king that is overlooked to achieve the goal. Much like the manilla, which was the currency of West Africa directly got integrated into the slave trade instead of gold, leaving the Manilla to be a symbolization of the objectified people.
Much Like Imonda from Oroonoko, who was sold to the highest slave traders. While the manilla was the real world symbolic figure of the slave trade, Imonda could as well be seen as the embodiment within the story. Seeing as she had been treated like property well before she was a slave. In the story, we see that with the blessing of the veil and even before that with the desire of just wanting Imonda to be their wife, Imonda being nothing but a stigma character becomes the passive rising action. Her only important quality is that she is sold to slavery and then eventually killed.
She much like the manilla, became a second-hand figure that was taken over by the more significant topic, Oroonoko, and Slavery respectively. Now, while the manilla continues to be an active currency in West Africa, despite its past, the same could not be said about Imonda. In fact as a character, One can say that Aphra Behn simply used Imonda as a scapegoat either, for some strange affection for Oroonoko or to show the peculiar mindset of “Death is better than slavery” that many of the people in this story once thought. It was the King in Oronoco, clearly states that to be true, yet when Imonda is incapable of becoming his possessions. His option is to sell her off, for no mere reason but the fact that it, pushes the story forward in a way. Moreover, as stated Before Imonda even before then was objectified merely because she was beautiful and probably because she was just around Even a veil that she wears given to her by the king is a symbol of her being an objectified as she is bound to the ownership of the king. It’s to the point where she even has to report that she cannot be with the king because Oroonoko has already taken that place She is then discarded by being sold and Oroonoko learns that she’s been put to death, and from that point on her character is not essential until after Oroonoko finds out that she’s actually in fact alive.
Imoinda once again becomes an important character after the fact that she becomes pregnant, Oroonoko plans the escape just so that he and his family can live. She once again becomes a rising plot only to be killed afterward, and not even with her consent. Oroonoko decides that it be best for them all for her to die then three days later he gets captured and killed himself. She’s a item and caught slave to her own life much like the Manilla where things just happen to it because it is not seen as anything import and against its will it is used for such maniacal stuff She has no right to her own life her death yet somehow she is an important character just like the Manila who had no son 8 in being a part of slave trade and became something important that was later forgotten by time
Image;
The New York Public Library’s The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture: “In Motion: The African American Migration Experience”:http://www.inmotionaame.org/gallery/detail.cfm?migration=1&topic=99&id=297998&page=5&type=image
Aphera Behn’s Oroonko
