Mothering Across Cultures: Postcolonial Representations

258 Pages·2001·1.4 MB·English

by  Angelita Reyes

Mothering Across Cultures
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Mothering Across Cultures
Postcolonial Representations
Angelita Reyes
University ofMinnesota Press
Minneapolis
London
Part ofchapter 1 originally appeared as “Using History as Artifact to Situate
Beloved’s Unknown Woman:Margaret Garner”in Approaches to Teaching the
Novels ofToni Morrison,edited by Nellie Y.McKay (New York:Modern Language
Association,1997);reprinted by permission ofthe Modern Language Association.
Part ofchapter 5 originally appeared as “From a Lineage ofSouthern Women:She
Has Left Us Empty and Full ofHer”in Unrelated Kin: Race and Gender in Women’s
Personal Narratives,edited by Gwendolyn Etter-Lewis and Michèle Foster (New
York:Routledge,1995);reprinted by permission ofRoutledge and Taylor &Francis.
Lines from Lorna Goodison’s poems “For My Mother (May I Inherit HalfHer
Strength)”and “Nanny”are reprinted by permission ofthe poet.
Lines from the poem “For strong women”from The Moon Is Always Femaleby
Marge Piercy copyright 1980;used by permission ofAlfred A.Knopf,a division of
Random House.
Lines from the poem “Ethnic Monitoring or a Geography Lesson”by Makilo
Zahno used by permission ofthe poet.
Lines from ¡dundunbanza!(WCD041) Sierra Maestra used by permission and
courtesy ofWorld Circuit Records,UK.
Every effort was made to obtain permission to reproduce copyrighted material.
Ifany proper acknowledgment has not been made,we encourage copyright
holders to notify us.
Copyright 2002 by the Regents ofthe University ofMinnesota
All rights reserved.No part ofthis publication may be reproduced,stored in
a retrieval system,or transmitted,in any form or by any means,electronic,
mechanical,photocopying,recording,or otherwise,without the prior written
permission ofthe publisher.
Published by the University ofMinnesota Press
111 Third Avenue South,Suite 290
Minneapolis,MN 55401-2520
http://www.upress.umn.edu
Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Reyes,Angelita Dianne.
Mothering across cultures :postcolonial representations / Angelita
Reyes.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 0-8166-2351-1 (alk.paper) — ISBN0-8166-2353-8 (pbk.:alk.paper)
1. Blacks in literature. 2. Slavery in literature. 3. Women in
literature. 4. Literature,Modern—History and criticism. I. Title.
PN56.3.B55 R49 2001
809'.933520396—dc21 2001003296
Printed in the United States ofAmerica on acid-free paper
The University ofMinnesota is an equal-opportunity educator and employer.
12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
In memory ofmy mother,
Bettie Shields Reyes
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Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction:I’m Not Mad,I’m Postcolonial,a Woman,and
a Mother 1
ONE
Taking Flight and Taking Foot:From Margaret Garner to Beloved 33
TWO
Surrogate Mothering:Maroon Nanny,Jean Rhys,and Marronage 78
THREE
Refusing to Live on Scent:Textures ofMemory by Way of
Pluie et vent sur Télumée Miracle 113
FOUR
Crossing Bridges and Memory-Telling:Une si longue lettre 142
FIVE
From a Lineage ofSouthern Women:
She Has Left Us Empty and Full ofHer 172
APPENDIXES
A.Legacies ofMargaret Garner 193
B.From Periodical Accounts Relating to the Missions ofthe Church ofthe
United Brethren Established among the Heathen 205
Notes 207
Bibliography 219
Index 239
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Acknowledgments
Alice Walker described how the spirit of her ancestors supported her
own creative energy for writing about her mother’s memories and sto-
ries.Because ofthose connections to the past she was able to “gather up
the historical and psychological threads ofthe life [her] ancestors lived,
and...felt joy and strength and [her] own continuity.”Likewise,I have
been honored to have the strength ofmy ancestors who constantly gath-
ered around me during the challenges and continuity of this research,
fieldwork,and writing.I felt their joy and presence that was,indeed,en-
abling for my continuity.
I cannot count the ways in which many people have contributed to
the successful completion of this book.They come from diverse back-
grounds,ethnicities,and cultures.For their time and enthusiasm I thank
my research assistants, Catherine Linstead, Cheryl Ting, and Jennifer
Horne.I give many thanks to Tom Washington,Klass van der Sanden,
Jenneke Oosterhoff,and April Knutson for their assistance with transla-
tions.For his technical expertise I give a special thank you to Reed Mun-
sen at the University of Minnesota. I am very grateful to my editor,
Richard Morrison,and the production team at the University of Min-
nesota Press for their time and energy regarding this project.
I am deeply appreciative to my multicultural Nottingham family who
welcomed me and made my stay very wonderful.I thank the community
who shared their beliefs and energy with me that kept ideas running
and working.I thank the Nottingham Business and Technology Group
ix