During our second visit to the African Burial Ground in Lower Manhattan, my group and I focused on different aspects of the site from last time. For example, we examined a map of the burial ground carved into the monument, which showed us that the burial ground is a lot more extensive than we believed. I read that the remains of these Africans extended over 5 city blocks! It was depressing to us that none of us, and probably most Manhattanites, had ever realized that every time we get off the 6 train at City Hall, we are literally walking over thousands of remains. Below the streets of Duane and Broadway is essentially a giant cemetery, holding the bones and possessions of the ancestors of one of New York’s largest ethnic groups.
After filming and recording, my group and I decided to walk around the site again. We each explored the site individually. I noticed there was a circular ramp which leads viewers into and out of the monument, with a wall curled around it. On this wall was a series of symbols, most of which I didn’t recognize. I came across one particular symbol, which was shaped like an uneven spiral, hypnotically curling from the center outward. I asked a nearby tour guide about the symbol’s meaning, who told us that it was an icon symbolizing the Africans’ long, harrowing, and unpredictable journey to the New World. I immediately thought about how profound that was, and I instantly understood the meaning of the symbol, even though I have no African roots. I felt more emotionally connected to the site, and experienced its aesthetics more than I did last time around. I definitely plan on revisiting!
