It's so nice to see you! I was just thinking about you.
It sounds like an absolutely fantastic idea for a story. I've been reading Diana Gabaldon's books lately (the Outlander series), and one of her central characters is a witch who practices dark magic and travels through time. She lands on an island (can't remember which one) and Diana explores some of the local voodoo type culture prevalent among the African slave population. It's so rich with imagery and possibilities!
Pirates absolutely attacked slave ships - they were valuable cargo and some of the slaves became pirates. The Franklin Institute has a recent exhibit on pirates - http://www2.fi.edu/exhibits/traveling/pirates/
The Wydah, the ship whose wreck they're examining, used to be a slaver. Even the ship is valuable.
Hey, I'm glad to see you again! And I'm glad you're NaNo-ing again this year. I'm doing a pirate story this year, too, only mine is not set in the real world we live in, so in a way, mine is easier. It just has to make sense, and it doesn't have to stand up to historians going over it with a magnifying glass.
One thing you might want to research is whether a slave ship would have allowed any rich women aboard. They might have, but it would be good to check for sure, since you're doing historical fiction.
Ooh, more pirates! I have this anal thing - I don't like mixing the real world with fantasy. When I write fantasy, I try to avoid, as much as possible, anything "real world", to the point that when people ask me if it's a Medieval setting, I tend to say, "If I wanted to write something in a Medieval setting, I'd write historical fiction". That's just a bizarre quirk of mine. But yes, I personally find creating culture to be easier than researching culture (although I know others who feel the opposite).
As for researching rich women on slave ships, yes, that's why I had that part in parentheses - if I can make it plausible (via known research), I'll put something like that in, maybe. I haven't entirely decided on that part yet.
There were pirates in all sorts of times--we tend to think of the end of the 1600s/beginning of the 1700s, but that was just the height of Caribbean piracy. You can choose other times.
Other things that might be useful: There was a history of African slavery (that is, Africans selling other Africans), and some of the slaves for the American market were purchased from African slavers.
The French were active in the Caribbean, too, though being English-speakers we mostly hear about the English. The Dutch, also.
There were pirates--corsairs?--expressly around Africa at a different time. One of Sabatini's novels deals with them--the French are a little more prominent (though it might just be that novel; I can't recall).
Some pirates did in fact ransom wealthy people, to make a bigger profit. On many ships, the Quartermaster was the real leader except in combat--then it was the Captain. (And the cook was, surprisingly, important: He was the person entrusted with a flame on a wooden ship.)
I'm glad you're going to join in for NaNo again this year, at a more sensible rate for yourself given your situation (which, in itself must have been a tough decision to come to), and your premise sounds absolutely wonderful!
Thanks! Yeah, I'm worried I'm going to get obsessed anyway, and screw up my life... It probably would have been best to stay away entirely. But I don't think I can do that :(
Yes, voodoo is a religion, and deals with spirits (loa or orisha). Hoodoo is a magical practice, that is, a folk magical practice. It involves more rootwork, herbalism, etc. I'm interested in the spirit contact.
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It sounds like an absolutely fantastic idea for a story. I've been reading Diana Gabaldon's books lately (the Outlander series), and one of her central characters is a witch who practices dark magic and travels through time. She lands on an island (can't remember which one) and Diana explores some of the local voodoo type culture prevalent among the African slave population. It's so rich with imagery and possibilities!
Can't wait to see what you come up with.
*hugs*
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The Wydah, the ship whose wreck they're examining, used to be a slaver. Even the ship is valuable.
Suelder
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One thing you might want to research is whether a slave ship would have allowed any rich women aboard. They might have, but it would be good to check for sure, since you're doing historical fiction.
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As for researching rich women on slave ships, yes, that's why I had that part in parentheses - if I can make it plausible (via known research), I'll put something like that in, maybe. I haven't entirely decided on that part yet.
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Other things that might be useful: There was a history of African slavery (that is, Africans selling other Africans), and some of the slaves for the American market were purchased from African slavers.
The French were active in the Caribbean, too, though being English-speakers we mostly hear about the English. The Dutch, also.
There were pirates--corsairs?--expressly around Africa at a different time. One of Sabatini's novels deals with them--the French are a little more prominent (though it might just be that novel; I can't recall).
Some pirates did in fact ransom wealthy people, to make a bigger profit. On many ships, the Quartermaster was the real leader except in combat--then it was the Captain. (And the cook was, surprisingly, important: He was the person entrusted with a flame on a wooden ship.)
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Chris
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I can't remember, but is there a difference between voodoo practices, and hoodoo? I'd be curious to see.
I'd decided to jump into NaNo this year too, so I'll see you during that crazy month!
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