The American Southwest and Beyond--16th Century
|
The Kindle Version is linked above and the PDF is here
fiction titled Khari and Ngozi Historical Events List |
Workshop Objective:
By the end of these reading and writing workshop sessions, students will 1) Analyze the historical context within a historical fiction text, identifying key events, figures, and social issues of the time period, 2) Understand how authors incorporate real historical events and settings into fictional narratives, and distinguish between historical fact and creative interpretation, 3) Evaluate the impact of historical setting on character development, plot, and themes within the story, 4) Compare and contrast historical fiction with other genres, focusing on the blending of history and fiction, 5) Develop critical thinking skills by making connections between the historical events portrayed and their relevance and 6) Demonstrate improved comprehension, interpretation, and analytical writing skills through discussions, essays, and creative projects related to historical fiction texts.
General Instructions:
Begin by reading the novella as a class. As students read, they should complete the Historical Thinking Guide. However, it can be shortened by modifying to focus on specific events. For example, the workshop might begin with a whole class reading of the entire novella, and then the workshop might consist of a single session or more. The goal is to engage participants in an exploration of history through historical fiction titled Khari and Ngozi, primary sources, and writing exercises that foster a deeper understanding of migration, cultural exchange, conflict, and resilience.
Reading & Writing Workshop Sessions
Conduct the group and individual activities highlighted below. Every session also incorporates one public-domain primary source—with a link provided—to enrich students’ historical context. Each session can stand alone, so the workshop is easily modified to fit schedule and time constraints.
Session 1: Portuguese Outposts & the Origins of the Slave Trade in Angola
Focus Chapters/Passages
Session 2: The Middle Passage
Focus Chapters/Passages
Session 3: Spanish Colonization in the Caribbean (Cuba) & Pearl Diving
Focus Chapters/Passages
Session 4: Encounters With Indigenous Peoples of the Gulf Coast (Karankawa)
Focus Chapters/Passages
Session 5: Spanish Missions & Pueblo Societies of the Southwest
Focus Chapters/Passages
Session 6: The African Diaspora & Khari’s Return Home
Focus Chapters/Passages
Tips for Implementation
By the end of these reading and writing workshop sessions, students will 1) Analyze the historical context within a historical fiction text, identifying key events, figures, and social issues of the time period, 2) Understand how authors incorporate real historical events and settings into fictional narratives, and distinguish between historical fact and creative interpretation, 3) Evaluate the impact of historical setting on character development, plot, and themes within the story, 4) Compare and contrast historical fiction with other genres, focusing on the blending of history and fiction, 5) Develop critical thinking skills by making connections between the historical events portrayed and their relevance and 6) Demonstrate improved comprehension, interpretation, and analytical writing skills through discussions, essays, and creative projects related to historical fiction texts.
General Instructions:
Begin by reading the novella as a class. As students read, they should complete the Historical Thinking Guide. However, it can be shortened by modifying to focus on specific events. For example, the workshop might begin with a whole class reading of the entire novella, and then the workshop might consist of a single session or more. The goal is to engage participants in an exploration of history through historical fiction titled Khari and Ngozi, primary sources, and writing exercises that foster a deeper understanding of migration, cultural exchange, conflict, and resilience.
Reading & Writing Workshop Sessions
Conduct the group and individual activities highlighted below. Every session also incorporates one public-domain primary source—with a link provided—to enrich students’ historical context. Each session can stand alone, so the workshop is easily modified to fit schedule and time constraints.
Session 1: Portuguese Outposts & the Origins of the Slave Trade in Angola
Focus Chapters/Passages
- Early chapters describing Khari’s village near the Kwanza River, the outposts at the river mouth, and the looming threat of Portuguese slave traders (roughly Chapters 1–2).
- Read aloud the section describing how Khari’s father and allied villages watch the Portuguese ships and create defenses.
- Guiding questions:
- What impressions do you get of daily life in Khari’s village before the capture?
- How does the presence of foreign forts (e.g., Elmina, Luanda) transform local power dynamics?
- Why might alliances and watchtowers be so crucial for these communities?
- Short journal entry: “Imagine you are one of Khari’s neighbors seeing the Portuguese fort for the first time. How would you describe it in a letter to a distant ally?”
- Source: Letter from King Afonso I of Kongo (Mbemba a Nzinga) to King João III of Portugal (1526), complaining about Portuguese slave raiders.
- Link (public domain translation):
https://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=79 - Activity:
- Distribute excerpts of the letter. In small groups, students read and highlight passages where King Afonso describes the impact of Portuguese encroachment.
- Compare/contrast King Afonso’s account with the novel’s depiction of Khari’s father organizing resistance.
Session 2: The Middle Passage
Focus Chapters/Passages
- Khari’s capture, forced march to the coast, and the journey across the Atlantic (Chapters 2–5).
- Read the passages detailing Khari’s abduction, confinement on the slave ship, and conditions in the hull.
- Guiding questions:
- What were the living conditions like for captives on the ships?
- How does the novel illustrate both physical and psychological hardships?
- Students craft a short, first-person diary entry as Khari or another captive during the voyage. Ask them to reflect on emotions, physical details, and hopes/fears.
- Source: The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano (1789) – first-person account of capture and the Middle Passage.
- Link (Project Gutenberg):
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/15399/15399-h/15399-h.htm - Activity:
- In small groups, read a short excerpt of Equiano’s narrative describing the ship conditions.
- Compare Equiano’s real-life descriptions with Khari’s fictional experience. Students note similarities/differences in sensory details or emotional responses.
Session 3: Spanish Colonization in the Caribbean (Cuba) & Pearl Diving
Focus Chapters/Passages
- Khari’s arrival in the West Indies (Cuba), meeting Don Velasquez, the pearl-diving operations, and everyday life in Baracoa (Chapters 6–7).
- Read the passages describing Khari’s new life in Cuba, his first impressions of sugarcane fields, and the pearl divers.
- Guiding questions:
- In what ways did Spanish colonists profit from natural resources like pearls?
- How might life in the hacienda compare to Khari’s earlier experiences in Angola?
- “Compare Khari’s sense of freedom and opportunity in Cuba to his sense of home in Angola. How does he cope with displacement?”
- Source: A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies by Bartolomé de Las Casas (published 1552).
- Link (Project Gutenberg):
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/20321/20321-h/20321-h.htm - Activity:
- Share relevant sections illustrating Spanish exploitation of resources and treatment of Indigenous peoples.
- Students highlight Las Casas’s critique of Spanish colonizers and discuss: How does this historical critique compare with Khari’s experiences under Don Velasquez (who is portrayed as more benevolent)?
Session 4: Encounters With Indigenous Peoples of the Gulf Coast (Karankawa)
Focus Chapters/Passages
- Khari’s shipwreck in the Gulf of Mexico and contact with the Karankawa people on the Texas coast (Chapters 8–9).
- Read the scenes depicting the wreck, Khari’s survival at sea, and his first meeting with the Karankawa fishermen.
- Guiding questions:
- How did the Karankawa’s local knowledge of fishing, canoe-making, and mobility shape their response to outsiders?
- What role does language play in Khari’s acceptance by the Karankawa?
- Students write a short compare/contrast paragraph: “How does Khari’s relationship with the Karankawa echo or differ from his childhood friendship with Ngozi in Angola?”
- Source: Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca’s La Relación (1542), one of the earliest European accounts describing the Karankawa.
- Link (Project Gutenberg):
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/12514/12514-h/12514-h.htm - Activity:
- Students read a brief excerpt describing Cabeza de Vaca’s interactions with coastal tribes.
- In small groups, they note how the Karankawa in his account compare to the welcoming group that rescues Khari.
Session 5: Spanish Missions & Pueblo Societies of the Southwest
Focus Chapters/Passages
- Khari traveling with the priest (Father Rendon) across the Southwest, meeting Pueblo communities, and references to conflicts with Apache/Navajo (Chapters 10–12).
- Read the passages that detail Khari’s role as a language interpreter, his friendships with the Picuris (especially Ahote), and the description of life in a mountain Pueblo.
- Guiding questions:
- How did Spanish missions change life for Pueblo groups?
- In what ways did Khari’s experience differ from other forced assimilation stories?
- What larger social or political forces are shaping these interactions?
- Have students write a reflective piece: “Imagine you’re a member of the Picuris Pueblo encountering Khari. How do you welcome a stranger who is neither Spanish nor Pueblo?”
- Source: Memorial of Fray Alonso de Benavides, 1630 – a Franciscan’s account of missionary efforts among the Pueblos.
- Link (Internet Archive):
https://archive.org/details/memorialoffrayal00benarich - Activity:
- Read an excerpt on how missionaries described Pueblo religious practices.
- Compare/contrast with the novel’s portrayal of Father Rendon’s gentler approach and the Picuris spiritual/cultural life.
Session 6: The African Diaspora & Khari’s Return Home
Focus Chapters/Passages
- Khari’s decision to return to Angola and his emotional reunion with Ngozi (Chapters 12–end).
- Read the culminating chapters in which Khari finds a ship headed to West Africa and rejoins Ngozi.
- Guiding questions:
- What does Khari’s rare return journey illustrate about the African diaspora?
- How might his experiences change how he sees his homeland?
- Students write a concluding reflection or short essay: “How does Khari’s story highlight both the global impact of slavery and the enduring cultural resilience of African communities?”
- Source: Many first-person narratives of formerly enslaved people do not include a literal return to Africa; however, you could use a document showing the scope of the Atlantic Slave Trade (for instance, from the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade Database or an 18th- or 19th-century re-settlement account of freed persons to Sierra Leone).
- Sample Link (Slave Voyages Database):
https://www.slavevoyages.org/ - Activity:
- Explore visual data (maps, charts) on forced migration.
- Discuss how extraordinary Khari’s fictional return is compared to the historical reality for most captives.
Tips for Implementation
- Begin Each Workshop With a Whole-Class Reading of Khari and Ngozi
- Re-read key excerpts aloud to ground everyone in the narrative and give context before diving into historical documents.
- Balance Group & Independent Work
- After the read-aloud, use a short whole-group discussion to clarify events and set learning objectives. Then move into smaller groups or individual writing/reflection to ensure each student engages deeply.
- Leverage the Primary Sources
- Focus on short excerpts. Have students practice close reading by marking interesting words, phrases, or emotional responses in the text.
- Encourage Cross-Session Connections
- Guide students to see how the events are interconnected (e.g., the same global networks—Portuguese, Spanish colonization, etc.—shape both Africa and the Americas).
- Culminating Project
- You might have students create a final project synthesizing their insights—for instance, a short presentation or an essay comparing multiple historical sources to the fictional events in Khari and Ngozi.