A collection of essyas reflecting an important structural feature of the slave trade: its circularity. Starting with the removal from Africa, the collection then carries into discussions of ethnic identity, religion and creolisation. Comparitive essays develop the theme of root experience in Africa against the facts of life for disenfranchised slaves, painting a picture of a cohesive worldview shaped by the slave voyage and African beliefs. The collection returns to Africa with analyses of the impact on Africa of formerly slaveholding nations.