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"She was always so worried they would come and take you away from her." A Child Ghost

What are Flying Africans

Mystery of the Past

“I seen folks disappear right before my eyes. Just go right out of sight. They do say that people brought from Africa in slavery times could disappear and fly right back to Africa. From the things I see myself I believe that they could do this.” James Moore. (All God's Children Have Wings, Young)

Isolation from the World

"At night, she would tell you stories about the Luango people, who had wings and could fly back to Africa so long as they never ate salt." A Child's Ghost

If we were to look at the spirit's past, we would have a better understanding of her situation, but a problem arises, the past is never brought up. Instead, we are given snippets, clues that could help us understand this mystery. One of these clues are given when the spirit it watching the children run around freely. She becomes jealous, saying, "They smell so free it hurts — the kind of free that’s never known iron against their ankles or seen it weigh down their mothers’ wrists" (Emezi). This piece of information can lead us to believe that this spirit has dealt with being trapped before, linking to the history and belief of liying Africans.

During the terrible time of slavery, slaves created stories and beliefs, hoping that one day they could escape, creating the myth of Flying Africans. It would be said that slaves could grow wings and fly away from the plantations and boats whenever they pleased, having the chance to go back home to Africa. However, there are some stories that argue that only in death would they finally grow their wings. Even then, they would take that chance, as they felt that death was the only escape through slavery. Yet, they didn't view it in a negative way, but instead more fondly, as some would say they would see someone grow wings and fly, being happy.

In the beginning, our character watches both people and spirits go wherever they please, but she reminisces on how she doesn't have such liberty. She wants to be like the other spririt who visits her, to have that freedom, but whether she walks on land or tries to swim away, she always fades to black, returning to her place of death. Because of this, she would often think about the stories her mother would tell her about Flying Africans.

A Child's Ghost by Akwaeke Emezi

A Child Ghost is a story about the spirit of an unnamned child who is trapped on an island. She dreams of finally being able to leave the island, but when she finally gets that chance, she is forced to make a tough decision, a choice that might jeopardize her goal. In many ways, the story symbolizes the story of Flying Africans, a way to be free and fly home. In fact, our character mentions the stories about them, wishing to be one of them. Unfortunately, becoming one isn't an easy path, and in the end, she has to decide if becoming one is worth the sacrifice she has to make.

Igbo's Landing

“Heard about the Igbo’s Landing? That’s the place where they bring the Ibos over in a slave ship and when they get here, they ain’t like it so they all start singing and they march right down in the river to march back to Africa. But they ain’t able to get there. They gets drown. (All God's Children Had Wings, Young)

Igbo Landing was one of the many sad events in slavery. When a group of Igbos were captured and brought onto a boat to be sold, the Igbos fought back and gained control of the boat. However, led by their cheif, the Igbo people would then march into the water, drowning themselves. While a sad event, the stories about this event were told that the spirits of those who perished were able to grow wings and fly home. It shows us how desperate these people were to escape slavery, believing that through death could they escape by flying.

A Child's Ghost: The Story of a Spirit who Wants to Fly

By Ryan Francis

Thank you

A Chance to Be Free?

Outside Source

"Don't eat salt if you want to fly." (A Child's Ghost)

All God's Children Have Wings - Young, J. (2017). All God’s Children had wings: The Flying African in history, literature, and lore. Journal of Africana Religions, 5(1), 50–70. https://doi.org/10.5325/jafrireli.5.1.0050

When the child's spirit talks to a free spirit, the spirit tells her how to be free, by forgetting everything as well as giving her a piece of coral, granting her the ability to walk on land. When she walks on land, the first time since her death, she encounters a woman, saying that she'll help her escape the island. However, the lady gives her a warning, that in order to grow wings and fly, you must not consume salt.

The Aftermath

Importance of Salt in myths/Fantasies

Unable to Escape the Past

By consuming the salt, she became a slave to her memories. The story ends there with her destiny sealed, to spend who knows how long trapped, stuck in a cycle of returning to the same island. She dreamed of being free, becoming one of the Flying Africans, but in the end, she became the opposite, a trapped soul, unable to return home. But not all was lost, for she finally remembers her mother, and how it felt to love again, a sacrifice she deemed not worth making.

"You twist away from her — you have already decided, and it seems worth it, to remember how it felt to be loved." (Emezi)

When we think of the supernatural, salt is a commonly referenced element. In fact, in many supernatural stories, salt is used as a protective barrier to deter evil forces. Some might think of using salt as a way to combat bad luck or evade bad spirits. However, salt isn't viewed as protection in some stories of Flying Africans. Instead of protection, consuming salt actually hinders and prevents flight. In fact, you could say that this salt represents our character's prison, as she is surrounded by nothing except salt water, keeping her from the skies.

Our character is so close to being free, so eager to forget, but the woman tells her, "You have to remember before you can forget." And it's in that moment that our character remembers her mother, the feeling of love, and almost immediately, she is brought back to reality. The lady encourages the child to forget, she's at the end, but our character refuses. Believing that it's not worth forgetting her mother's love, she drops the coral, the only thing keeping her on land, and swallows the salt, fading away into darkness one more time.

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