River Sing Me Home

This theme begins as a description of Mama B’s philosophy and comes full circle as a method for viewing the past, present, and future as states in conversation with one another. This mirrors the links that the novel paints between members of the Caribbean population who are oppressed due to colonialism. While slavery and colonialism have forced different characters to live in proximity to one another, Eleanor Shearer examines sites of intercultural production by portraying the liberation village in Part 2, which includes not only self-liberated Black people but also captives and Indigenous people. Through this theme, Shearer illuminates the interconnections that build Caribbean identity.

Through Mama B, Shearer establishes this theme as something that Rachel must realize for herself. Rachel refers to this theme whenever she is reminded of Mama B; for example, “Rachel was reminded of Mama B, in the northern forest of Barbados, what seemed like a lifetime ago. Thomas Augustus and the other runaways were truly living by Mama B’s philosophy” (206). Though connected to nature, Rachel’s ability to see connections between herself and other people, places, and things shifts the boundaries of the theme, which deconstructs colonialist senses of hierarchy or human sovereignty over nature in its emphasis on connection.