Jun 01, 2018 sarah baartman also known as saartjie or the hottentot venus was born in the late 18th century in the eastern cape part of modernday south africa. According to this hierarchy, human life is valuable, while black life is valueless. Sarah baartmans iconic status as the hottentot venus as victimized african woman, mother of the new south africa, and ancestral spirit to countless women of the african diaspora has led to countless essays, biographies, films, interviews, art installations, and research centers, comprising a virtual archive that seeks to find some meaning in her persona. She was brought to the uk with a ship surgeon who profited from exhibiting sarah for the entertainment of the british public because of her steatopygia. Her mother died when she was aged two and her father, who was a cattle driver, died. Research projects saartjie baartman centre for women and. In 1810, when saartjie baartman was in her early twenties, she was persuaded by an english ships doctor, william dunlop, to travel to england to make her fortune. Chaseriboud wants to contest these notions in her novel the venus hottentot 2003 and to retell the story of sarah. Search for sara baartman and the hottentot venus books in the search form now, download or read books for free, just by creating an account to enter our library. Saartjie baartman 17891815, often known by her colonial nickname, the hottentot venus, is the tragic figure of the colonized body par excellence. Baartman, a south african woman who performed under the name hottentot venus in the early nineteenth century, and her theatrical persona in suzanlori. She was derisively named the hottentot venus by europeans as her body would be publicly examined and exposed inhumanly throughout the duration of her young life. Sara saartjie baartman south african history online.
Sep 22, 2018 sara saartjie baartman died in paris on december 29, 1815 at the age of 26 for unknown reasons. She was one of the most famous khoikhoi women who, due to their large buttocks. Sarah baartman, bedre kendt som hottentotvenus, engelsk. Born to khoisan family neat the gambtos river, she was orphaned during a commando raid after which she was ensalved by a dutch farmer near cape town. Saartjie baartman was considered a south african sexual freak by caucasian culture. A khoisan woman of south africa, she was lured to europe with the promise of fame and riches. Sara baartman and the hottentot venus is a book as much about the impossibility of uncovering historical truth as it is the story of a khoekhoe woman brought from south africa to. Sarah baartman biography facts, childhood, life story. They love hanging on me we encounter lots of health problems. Saartjie sara baartman was one of the first black women known to be subjugated to human sexual trafficking. The saartjie baartman story saartjie sara baartman also known as the hottentot venus was a famous khoikhoi woman exhibited as a freak show attraction in europe during the 19th century. The reader learns about how baartman s life was transformed once she became the hottentot venus, and is given a vivid snapshot of what the sociopolitical and ideological climate of europe was when baartman reached its shores. Sarah baartmans story saartjie baartman centre for women.
In 1810, saartjie baartman was brought to europe from south africa to be displayed as a sexual freak and example of the inferiority of the black race. It is the most exhaustive and thoroughly researched biographical account to date, spanning three centuries, from baartman s birth to contemporary. The paper presents african view of the ideal female figure and compares it with western view of the ideal figure. More than 1 million books in pdf, epub, mobi, tuebl and audiobook formats. African slave saartjie baartman who was paraded and displayed in europe due to her unique body features. Sara baartman and the hottentot venus princeton university. Brought to europe from her native namibia in 1910, saartjies enlarged hypertrophic genital organs and prominent buttocks made her a freak show. The reobjectification and recommodification of saartie baartman in suzanlori parkss venus jn 1810, amid public sensation, scandal, and debate, saartjie pronounced, in afrikaans, sarkey baartman, a member of the khoisan khoikhoi and san peoples of south africa, was put on nearnude public display in london and paris. The reason was that baartman, also known as sara or saartjie, had what was called steatopygia, resulting in extremely protuberant buttocks due to a buildup of fat.
Sep 10, 2019 the saartjie baartman story saartjie sara baartman also known as the hottentot venus was a famous khoikhoi woman exhibited as a freak show attraction in europe during the 19th century. Life and death of saartjie baartman, born 1789 buried 2002 2007, and another biographical narrative, clifton craiss and pamela scullys sara baartman and the hottentot venus. As the hottentot venus, she was seen by westerners as alluring and primitive, a reflection of their fears and suppressed desires. The centre commissioned a preliminary research study, which identified the following as the main areas that needed to be researched. The hottentot venus, 9 now more correctly identified as sara or saartjie baartman, has known two distinct moments of popularity in the west. Some of the body parts remained on display until 1974. The tragic story of sarah baartman and the enduring. It points out that saartjie baartmans presence in europe precedes the time of victorian dress. Pdf the venal hottentot venus and the great chain of being. Saartjie, a south african showgirl in the early 19th century, was a small, beautiful woman, with an. Nap time in the new creche watching dvds on my computer. Saartjie baartman was twentyone years old when she was taken from her native south africa and shipped to london. Sarah baartman, the first known black female victim of trafficking, died on 29 december 1815. Scholars, scientists, artists and authors have paid homage to saartjie baartman as the hottentot venus in various ways and in various disciplines.
The hottentot venus saartjie baartman was considered a south african sexual freak by caucasian culture. Saartjie sarah baartman was born in the gamtoos valley of south africa. Sarah baartman also known as saartjie or the hottentot venus was born in the late 18th century in the eastern cape part of modernday south africa. The story of sarah baartman with the artist name the hottentot venus from south africa. Sarah baartmans story saartjie baartman centre for. Feb 20, 2002 in 1810, saartjie baartman was brought to europe from south africa to be displayed as a sexual freak and example of the inferiority of the black race. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no. Sara saartjie baartman died in paris on december 29, 1815 at the age of 26 for unknown reasons. Sara baartman and the hottentot venus offers the authoritative account of one womans life and reinstates her to the full complexity of her history.
Sara grew up on a colonial farm where her family most probably worked as servants. Displayed on european stages from 1810 to 1815 as the hottentot venus, sara baartman was one of the most famous women of her day, and also one of the. The legacy of sarah baartman is a provocative and timely collection of essays on sarah baartman. The saartjie baartman centre recognised the importance of having a research programme soon after inception of the centre in 1999. Gilman uses sarah baartman, the socalled hottentot venus, as a protagonist in showing how medical, literary, and scientific discourses work to construct images.
Displayed on european stages from 1810 to 1815 as the hottentot venus, sara baartman was one of the most famous women of her day, and. Jan 06, 2016 saartjie baartman became the hottentot venus. See more ideas about black history, african history and american history. She was a south african entertainer and objectified black woman. Baartmans physical characteristics, not unusual for khoisan women, although her features were larger than normal, were evidence of this prejudice, and she was treated like a freak exhibit in london. The saartjie baartman centre for women and children is an npo reg.
Sarah baartman was a south african woman who became a source of amusement for the europeans in 19th century due to her abnormally large buttocks. In 1810, when she was 20, she was convinced to leave her homeland for fame in england. Vol remembering sara baartman, venus, and aphrodite. Jan 14, 2007 the story of saartjie baartman the hottentot venuss real name is inherently fascinating, and littered with a diverse cast of highly unlikable characters, ranging from baartmans lowly. The birth of saartjie baartman in 1789 is celebrated on this date. This is the true story of saartjie baartman, an 18 year old girl who was put on display as a bit of erotic meat in 1810. The story of saartjie baartman the hottentot venuss real name is inherently fascinating, and littered with a diverse cast of highly unlikable characters, ranging from baartmans lowly. Sara baartman and the hottentot venus princeton university press. See more ideas about black history, african american history and african history. She was transported to england in 1810 and exhibited on stage in a cage as a freak known as the hottentot venus. Sara baartman and the hottentot venus is a book as much about the impossibility of uncovering historical truth as it is the story of a khoekhoe woman brought from south africa to europe in the 1800s. The saartjie baartmans body shape versus the victorian dress. In doing so, the book raises questions about the possibilities and limits of biography for. The reobjectification and recommodification of saartjie.
Y ou might not know sarah baartmans face, but you know her body sarah baartman also known as saartjie or the hottentot venus was born in the late 18th century in the eastern cape part of modernday south africa. The body of saartjie baartman, better known as the hottentot venus, has had a greater influence on the iconography of the female body in european art and visual culture than any other african woman of the colonial era. Crais and scully literally recover baartman the public spectacle and the scientific discoveryas so much more. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. They call me hottentot venus saartjie baartman library size book. A woman whose original name is not even known became saartjie baartman, who became the hottentot venus. The life and death of saartjie baartman, born 1789buried 2002 2007. Sara saartjie baartman was born in 1789 at the gamtoos river in what is now known as the eastern cape. Displayed on european stages from 1810 to 1815 as the hottentot venus, sara baartman was one of the most famous women of her day, and also one of the least known.
The saartjie baartman centre has pioneered the onestop partnership approach for tackling violence against women and believes that this is proving to be a good practice model in the sector. Remembering sara baartman, venus, and aphrodite oxford. Sara baartman and the hottentot venus project muse. A ghost story and biography princeton, 2008, is a crucial reference work in the scholarship on baartman. Mar 25, 2015 the body of saartjie baartman, better known as the hottentot venus, has had a greater influence on the iconography of the female body in european art and visual culture than any other african woman of the colonial era. Wikimedia commons the life of the hottentot venus still feels familiar for those used to being gawked at. The paper examines close similarities of the bustle dress silhouette structure with saartjie baartmans body shape and argues that since saartjie baartman had been displayed prior to the development of the victorian dress coupled with very. Saartjie, a south african showgirl in the early 19th century, was a small, beautiful woman, with an irresistible bottom. They call me hottentot venus saartjie baartman library. The venal hottentot venus and the great chain of being.
At the same time, this is a collection that has much to say about enduring discourses on black women that find circulation today. She belonged to khoikoi community from africa and was a freak show attraction, termed as hottentot. Sara baartman and hendrik cesars in cape town and london, chicago journal 47 no. The new creche teaching them about rice krispie treats. Jan 07, 2016 sarah baartman died on 29 december 1815, but her exhibition continued. Scullys recent book on sara baartman, sara baartman and the hottentot venus. Gilman uses sarah baartman, the socalled hottentot venus, as a protagonist in showing how medical, literary, and scientific discourses work to construct images of racial and sexual difference. Not entirely dedicated to baartman, but nevertheless dealing with. Her brain, skeleton and sexual organs remained on display in a paris museum until 1974.
Representation and black womanhood the legacy of sarah. The first occurred in nineteenthcentury europe at the height of colonialism when the hottentot venus was exhibited as a freak in london and then paris on account of her african origin and the. With regard to saartjie baartmans name, we are aware that according to her baptism certificate saartjie was baptized in england, her name is written sara bartmann. Who is saartjie sarah baartman, and why have we named our womens centre after her. Based on research and interviews that span three continents, sara baartman and the hottentot venus tells the entwined histories of an illusive life and a famous icon. The saartjie baartmans body shape versus the victorian. Sara saartjie baartman was born in 1789 at the gamtoos river in what is now. She was in 1789 exportet to europe and travelled around in eroupa in a freak show as an example as a missing link because of her baboon apron extreemly oversized labia. She belonged to the cattleherding gonaquasub group of the khoikhoi. Within weeks, she had made the headlines and become the talk of the social season of 1810, hailed as the hottentot venus for her exquisite physique not least her shapely and irresistible bottom and suggestive seminude dance.
Underpinning this is the ontological conceptualisation of. Jan 05, 2017 sarah baartman, the first known black female victim of trafficking, died on 29 december 1815. Kirby, a scottish musicologist, wrote articles about her based on research done in south africa during the 1940s and 1950s. During her short existence, and even after, her body has been the fetish of sadism one can think of sades justine in its spectacular, racist and colonialist aspects. She belonged to khoikoi community from africa and was a freak show attraction, termed as hottentot venus. The desire to embark on a project of reimagining saartjie baartman began with a book by rachel holmes entitled, the hottentot venus. The hottentot venus she was called the hottentot venus, hottentot being a name given to people with cattle. The story of sara baartman, the socalled hottentot venus. Secondary housing for battered women sleeping sisipho. In most writings, she is referred to as sarah or saartjie baartman, where saartjie is the afrikaans diminutive of sarah.