Naomi Mireles

Professor Pressman

ECL 305

May 9, 2024

Ocean-Centric Maternal Identities

The Deep by Rivers Solomon is a thought-provoking fiction novel published in 2019. Drawing inspiration from the song of the same name by the group Clipping, Solomon crafts a novel that explores the lives of the Wajinru, descendants of African slave women thrown overboard during the Middle Passage, who then adapted to living underwater as Mermaids. The Deep presents a transformative narrative that illuminates and challenges Western, terra-centric paradigms of motherhood by incorporating a diverse array of maternal identities, including the Ocean itself, whales, and pivotal characters like Amaba and Yetu. Through this rich combination of maternal figures, the novel challenges narrow perceptions of motherhood as exclusively human or tied to terrestrial realms.  

The novel follows the Historian of the wajinru: Yetu who holds the memories of her ancestors for her community. Yetu embodies a profound form of motherhood as the keeper of memories for the wajinru. Yetu carries the collective history of both joys and sorrows of all the people before her. Yetu ensures that these memories are never forgotten, while her role also serves as a connection between past and present as she holds the heritage of her people. Maternal love manifests in Yetu’s deep empathy for the wajinru, specifically in her decision to return and save her people from the overwhelming burden of their memories. As the keeper of the memories, she intimately understands the pain that comes with carrying these memories. “The wajinru were her people, and for now they were held captive by the History, living lives of the ancestors from beginning to end.” (Solomon, 39). Yetus’s act of returning to her people showcases her deep sense of responsibility and love, as she prioritizes the health of herself and her people as a collective. Her selfless actions exemplify a form of maternal care, as she momentarily shoulders the weight of the memories, and in turn, the memories are shared as a collective, challenging the terra-centric idea that maternity is synonymous with sacrifice without personal gain, “They were two, Historian and her subjects. It was time for the two to be merged.” (Solomon, 148).  In Western narratives, motherhood is often depicted as a selfless act of giving, with no emphasis on agency or empowerment. However, Yetus’s journey subverts this notion by showcasing that after all she endured while being the Historian, she gained something much greater, her own identity and personal growth. Rather than perpetuating the idea that benefits after sacrifice is one-sided, the narrative challenges the terracentric idea that motherhood, while encompassing sacrifice can also be a source of personal fulfillment, growth, and empowerment. 

The Ocean serves as a central maternal figure in The Deep, though not explicitly mentioned until the end of the novel, “ In this remembering, there is a lone wajinru pup floating, alive and content. It was the ocean who was their first Amaba,” (Solomon, 149).  Solomon highlights the Oceans nurturing role as the first Amaba for the pup, which emphasizes that maternal care and protection can transcend human boundaries. The pup floating happily in the Ocean’s embrace presents a deep sense of security, belonging, and nurturance, one that is not seen in Western perceptions of the Ocean. The wajinru people, being born to African slave women thrown overboard, were born to dead mothers, the society and culture of the wajinru shifted so that anyone and anything could be their mother and share a deep sense of caring and joy for one another. Before the eighteenth century, if the perspective of the Ocean as a safe place of comfort and nurture was mentioned, it would have been surprising and disagreeable news. But, the Ocean was and had always been a constant for the wajinru, a place of safety and care, the way one misses a mother, Yetu often missed the deep Ocean when in the shallow water with the two legs, “..coveting the deep sea, its blanket of cold and dark.” (Solomon,71). The idea of the Ocean’s cold and darkness being comforting is a newer perspective, and one not seen too often in Western depictions of the Ocean. As seen in John Gillis’ The Blue Humanities, published in 2013, “The sea was portrayed as dangerous and repellant, ugly and unfit for literary or artistic representation.” (The Blue Humanities, n.d.). The lack of difference between the womb and the Ocean is shown throughout the novel, “..there is very little difference between a bornt pup and one still encased in the womb.” (Solomon, 150). The emphasis on this idea, that the womb and the Ocean are the same, breaks the barrier that the womb is strictly tied to individual human birth. The Ocean taught the wajinru how to breathe, and how to survive, the portrayal of the Ocean as mother serves as a reminder of the wajinrus interconnectedness of all life forms and shows why they share this idea of collectivity and community. The Ocean does not go through painful transformations or sacrifices to nurture the pups, nor does it struggle or lose anything by doing so. Terracentric views (and I must admit my own) on motherhood, tend to believe the idea that motherhood comes with the pain of losing a past self, and the struggle to become someone new. The Ocean remains the same before and after birthing and raising the wajinru, not having to lose their identity while being a mother, it remains constant regardless. Focusing on the Ocean as a mother challenges key factors seen in terracentric views on motherhood while simultaneously showing that motherhood can look different in different cultures, races, and ethnicities. 

Aside from the Ocean and Yetu as a mother, The Deep holds significance as it challenges anthropocentric ideologies by acknowledging maternal qualities inherent in non-human entities, in this case, whales. Whales are more than just marine creatures but as nurturing, protective, and essential maternal figures within the wajinru community, “We live only by the graciousness of the second mothers, the giant water beats… who feed us, bond with us and drag us down to the deepest depths were we are safe.” (Solomon 42). Whales are seen as, “second mothers,” which carries layers of meaning, considering that their first mothers died tragically. The first mother’s physical presence was lost to the Ocean, but the spirit and resilience live on through the wajinru and their connection to the whales. In Western perspectives, motherhood is equated with biological mother-child relationships that emphasize genetics and reproduction. The connection with whales as the mother goes beyond biological ties. The idea that whales nurture and protect not through genetic connection but through emotional bonds, guidance, and communal care. The whales in their guidance challenge the idea that motherhood is only defined by genetic lineage. Whales mother as a community, in contrast to Western views that motherhood is individualistic, the wajinru have an array of mothers and share a communal approach to maternity. 

Yetu and Amaba share a complex relationship characterized by an interplay of love, and tension. Their initial bond is displayed with a lack of understanding while they navigate their roles within the wajinru community. They constantly find themselves at odds because of their differing perspectives and experiences.  When Yetu returns to the deep, their relationship is shifted as Yetu is determined to save Amaba. There is Yetu’s willingness to challenge roles of dependence and protection, where mothers are seen as the central roles of protectors and saviors. Amaba’s response reflects her shift in perspective and a recognition of Yetu’s strength that she had before undermined or overlooked. Amaba stands by Yetu and reassures her that this is not something she can do alone, “I would sooner die than let you suffer this alone.” (Solomon, 147). After having lived through the rememberings, Amaba is now more understanding than ever of all her daughter endured. Rather than a one-sided dynamic of protection and sacrifice, this mother-daughter relationship evolves to showcase mutual support and understanding. They share their burdens and sorrows, challenging the notion that mothers must bear the weight of caregiving alone. Rivers Solomon’s The Deep presents an exploration of motherhood that challenges traditional Western paradigms and anthropocentric ideologies. Through the several identities of the Ocean, whales, Amaba, and Yetu, the novel illuminates a transformative perspective that expands our understanding of maternal roles beyond terracentric customs. The Deep contradicts that motherhood is solely defined by sacrifice, pain, and genetic ties. It does so by recognizing the diversity and complexity of maternal experiences. The Ocean as the first mother, showcases a nurturing role that transcends human boundaries while also contradicting the Western perspective of the Ocean as devoid and dangerous. Yetu’s role as Historian embodies a deep form of motherhood that pushes the idea that maternity is not synonymous with sacrifice without personal gain. The significance of whales as maternal figures allows us to recognize maternal qualities in nonhuman entities. Motherhood is much more than biological ties, motherhood transcends a multitude of human standards to encompass a complex web of emotions and connection. Motherhood is not just pain, guilt, trauma, and sacrifice as seen in a terracentric human perspective. Motherhood is a multifaceted experience that encompasses love, resilience, and a shared journey of mutually shaping and guiding each other’s lives and futures.

Citations

Solomon, R., Diggs, D., Hutson, W., & Snipes, J. (2019). The deep. Hachette UK.

The Blue Humanities. (n.d.). The National Endowment for the Humanities. https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2013/mayjune/feature/the-blue-humanities