Review Of Eve Trout Powell’S “Tell This In My Memory: Stories Of Enslavement From Egypt, Sudan And The Ottoman Empire”

The reading, “Huda and Halide and the Slaves at Bedtime”, which is a chapter from Tell This in My Memory: Stories of Enslavement From Egypt, Sudan and the Ottoman Empire (Stanford University, 2012) by Eve Trout Powell, tells personal stories of slaves and slave owners, during the Ottoman Empire, by relaying information taken from their personal stories. Huda and Halide tell the stories of the slaves, who were an intimate part of their lives growing up, and how these people shaped their views of what maturity and independence should mean for themselves and of the women of their country. Their stories bring to light such discussions as race, gender equality, social status and economic status.

Powell discusses these issues, several times, in detail throughout the whole story. Powell successfully captured, at times through caricatures, what a highly respected, strong woman Huda came to be and how her relationships shaped her. Both Huda and Halide talk about the important male servants they had in their lives. Huda speaks of Sa’id Aga and Halide speaks of Ali. Sa’id helped raise Huda, beginning in her childhood, and continuing well into adulthood. He played a pivotal role in her observation about slavery and Egyptian society and, as stated by Beth Baron, “was more of a man than the leading politician of Egypt’s Wafd Party (Powell 117). ” We can only assume his role changed after her marriage and having children of her own, but his presence in her household did not. Sa’id Aga provided constant loyal service to Huda throughout her entire life. As Egyptians began to move up the economic ladder, and began to get higher roles of employment, men usually chose to marry Turkish women or purchased them as concubines. When children of these unions were born, these upper class Ottoman Egyptian households “one of the most important social formations unraveled (Powell 118)” in part because “foreign born slave mothers could not be entrusted to raise good patriots (Powell 118). ”

“The new nation could not be built on households that included haram slaves from the Caucasus, retainers from Central Asia, concubines from Ethiopia, eunuchs from Africa, and patriarchs from Antolia or the Balkans (Powell 118). ” The type of relationship that Huda talks about, with Sa’id Aga, is relevant as it shows that being a slave during the Ottoman Empire was not as condescending as slavery in America. Slaves were either sold by their parents into slavery or, when they were old enough, joined slavery on their own accord hoping to become of great status and wealth. Leila Hanum discusses in her memoirs the different types of slaves. “Some slaves were priced high for their beauty, but the absence of even one tooth, or flat feet, could send a slave girl’s price down (Powell 129). ” But one thing Hanum mentions is that even with all of this, the Circassian slaves knew what to expect. Sadly this was not the case for African females who knew nothing of what would lie ahead for them. Powell also discusses the different types, or ranks, of slaves. For example, there were those who were kept in the household and those who were strangers to the families and would hold no status.

One of the saddest observations that comes through in her memoirs is Huda’s observance of how differently males and females are treated. Females were viewed as just a sex object for their owners and they had absolutely no input on their sexual participation, or if they were even able to carry a pregnancy to term. One disturbing example of this is the story of Semsigul. Semsigul tried desperately to keep her child but “was forced to give up her child, a child she clearly and tenaciously had tried to keep (Powell 123). ” Huda also learns this on a personal level when her brother is treated differently than her. When asked to explain Mama al-Kabira tells her “But you’re a girl and he’s a boy…and not only that but also you’re not the only girl and he’s the only boy, whose responsibility it will be to perpetuate the family name (Powell 132). ” Huda also learned that she was not awarded the same academic opportunities as her brother.

This led to great frustration and despair for Huda as she stated that “I began to hate my femininity because it deprived me of the joys of studying, or engaging in the sports that I loved so much, just like it would impede the freedom for which I so yearned (Powell 133). ” I enjoyed this story and I feel that Eve Trout Powell provided a clear message into the lives of slaves, and their owners, during the Ottoman Empire. It is touching to see that Sa’id Aga continued to play an important role in Huda’s life, well into adulthood and, possibly, until the time of her death. Similarly, Halide speaks of Reshe who was “as pretty as an Abyssinian girl could be (Powell 142)” that remained in the household with Halide even after she was free. By no means am I stating that slavery was an easy life, or a good life, but Powell is successful in providing a glimpse into the personal and emotional relationships formed.