INTRODUCTION
Before settling down to write on April 19th, I went to Google News and did a a simple search, typing in the word "exodus." As expected, most of the stories were about Passover, the Jewish holiday that began Monday night and lasts for eight days. But the first item was a short blurb about the latest defector from Murdoch’s media empire. It had this headline: "EXODUS: Managing Editor of Rupert Murdoch’s ‘The Daily’ Jumps Ship for Reuters" (1). Beside the text was a photo of men in a lifeboat bailing water, as others were swimming toward it. Not only did the lifeboat clash with the more conventional imagery of the original Exodus–a multitude of people crossing the desert on foot–I also found it disconcerting since at breakfast I’d been reading in the New York Times print edition about another exodus (2). This flight to safety also involved a boat. It was a cruise ship hired to transport stranded migrants and other refugees from the Libyan port of Misurata, where the sitution is becoming more desperate by the hour.
Exodus is an iconic word, evoking a host of images that emerge from its original context and serve to intensify its meaning. It belongs to a whole set of historically-connected words (other examples are byzantine, griot, mandarin), whose connotations are much richer for anyone familiar with the setting, events, actors, or story lurking in the background. Whenever we encounter such a word, knowing the "back story" confers a deeper understanding of what the speaker or writer is trying to say. For students this is a matter of cultural literacy but also more than that–as it can greatly improve reading comprehension. Thus for teachers, especially world history teachers, infusing these back stories into our lesson plans is part of what we should be doing. In today’s world, of course, we should select vocabulary items from within the broad parameters of a global rather than Western perspective.
Without a doubt the word exodus has resonated across time and space because it is connected to a powerful story. In a generic retelling it is the story of a people in bondage, inspired by a reluctant leader, setting out on a journey towards freedom, saved by divine intervention, entering into a new covenant, and finally, after much wondering in the desert, reaching a promised land.
As told in the Book of Exodus, the story is part of the Jewish and the Christian scriptures, from where it has flowed into the Western cultural and literary tradition (3). Allusions to its specific elements (setting, characters, place-names, events) are fairly common: toiling on the banks of the Nile in Egypt, the contest of wills between Pharaoh and Moses, the parting and closing of the Red Sea, the Israelite multitude in the Sinai Desert, the Covenant and Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, the Golden Calf, and the land of Canaan. These appear not only in literature and art, but also in music and popular culture. Of course, for many Americans (of a certain age) the vintage Hollywood movie The Ten Commandments has implanted a particular version of these elements (4).
In Jewish communities the Passover meal, the Seder, is first and foremost "a teachable moment" whereby an ancient tradition is transmitted from one generation to the next. The youngest child asks, "Why is this night different from all other nights?" Then the family or congregation responds by telling of the Exodus story and eating of the foods that commemorate the journey out of Egypt, where the Israelites were slaves. Moses had asked Pharaoh to set them free but he did not want to let them go, for he had need of their labor. So G-d sent a series of plagues to change Pharaoh’s mind. When G-d sent the last plague, it killed the first-born sons of the Egyptians but passed over the homes of the Israelites. Pharaoh relented, Moses led the people out of Egypt, but Pharaoh sent his army after them. At the Red Sea G-d intervened, parting the waters so that the people might cross, then closing them so that the pursuing Egyptians would perish.
In the Exodus story, when the Israelites leave Egypt, they are on their way to a specific destination, the land of their forefathers (where Abraham had lived many generations earlier). For Africans and their descendants, enslaved in the Americas, this story of escape from bondage was a sustaining narrative--later an empowering narrative. Like the journey of the ancient Israelites, theirs was an intentional journey towards freedom. We can actually hear people making this connection in African American spirituals, such as "Let My People Go," and in the sermons and speeches of African American preachers (particularly before and during the Civil Rights era). The most well-known of these is Dr. Martin Luther King’s "Where Do We Go From Here?" (5). We can also hear it in "Exodus," Bob Marley’s reggae anthem, its inspiring beat resounding far beyond Jamaica and the Caribbean (6).
While the more general meaning of exodus is its literal meaning, "an exit or the act of making an exit," it is nearly always applied in situations where a large number of people decide to leave, defect, migrate, or flee. Thus any outward movement on a large scale may be referred to an exodus. Indeed the notion of "a multitude on the move" comes straight from the original story, where it is said that more than 600,000 left Egypt. So, if you want to imply a massive exit, exodus is the word for you.
The Exodus Story and Current Events
In today’s world an exodus may be a steady migration of adult men and women looking for economic opportunities in a new land. An exodus may result in a profound demographic shift–from one region to another within a country or from one continent to another. Labor migration, such as that of West Africans and Bangladeshis to Libya or South and Southeast Asians to Persian Gulf states, is often labeled "target migration" because workers intend to earn cash for a specific purpose (to get married, build a house, educate a sister) and expect to return home. But usually when the outward flow occurs on a large scale there are push factors operating, too. These include economic nepotism and corruption, political repression, political instability, ethnic discrimination, or a more general climate of uncertainty. Nevertheless, where economic survival tops the list of incentives, it is fair to say that what is happening is an exodus of people seeking an escape from poverty.
When we survey exodus stories in the news, however, we find far too many are about people fleeing from conflict, violence and war. These are the stories of refugees, on the move to find a safe haven--wherever they can find it, usually by heading for the nearest border.
Recent upheavals in North Africa (Tunisia, Egypt, Libya) and in West Africa (Ivory Coast, now Nigeria) have brought propelled many people from their homes. In Libya, conflict between the el-Qaddafi regime and the rebels has turned most migrant workers into refugees, many of them stranded near the border or in camps in Tunisia (though by now large numbers have been evacuated). Tragically, many were far from their homelands and without any means of returning. In this case an exodus of labor from West Africa and Bangladesh (and several other poor countries) to Libya turned into an exodus of refugees from Libya. In Tunisia (which received many refugees from Libya) and in Ivory Coast (many are still internally displaced) and its neighbors Liberia and Ghana, international agencies have hustled-- somewhat in a panic--to prevent the sort of humanitarian catastrophe that may result from an exodus of refugees. Here is list of refugee movements in North and West Africa, currently in the news:
- young people, worried about the economic impact regime change, from Tunisia to Europe
- tourists and other ex-patriates from Egypt
- migrant workers and ex-patriates from Libya
- Libyans fleeing from areas controlled by the el-Qaddafi regime to cities held by the rebels
- Libyan refugees (including wounded evacuees) to Tunisia and Egypt
- Ivorian refugees from both sides, displaced internally
- Ivorians to camps and borders towns in Liberia and Ghana
- Southerners (usually Christians) from northern cities in Nigeria to safer areas in the South
- Northerners (usually Muslims) from southern cities in Nigeria to safer areas in the North
Exodus in the the Headlines
- Nigeria poll unrest sparks exodus. BBC News. Tens of thousands of people have fled their homes because of post-election violence in Nigeria, the Red Cross says. Riots broke out in the north after Goodluck Jonathan, a southerner, emerged as the winner of the presidential poll...
2) CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR (headline/sub-headline, January 31, 2011):
- Egypt airport: More than 2,400 Americans trying to flee Egypt. Egypt exodus: The number of American's trying to get on US government-chartered evacuation flights has grown to more than 2,400, as anti-government protests continue in Egypt.
3) "Tourists Leave Egypt in Mass Exodus." AP/Associated Press ()
4) "Sharing Tales of an Exodus from Egypt." CNN (February 1, 2011).
5) "Tunisian ‘Exodus’ Exposes Europe’s Migrant Quandary." France24 (February 14, 2011).
6) "Deal Reached Over Tunisia Exodus." Al Jazeera English (February 15, 2011).
7) "Panic and Exodus Expected from Libya." Sidney Morning Herald (April 18, 2011).
8) "Tunisia’s Jews Ponder Modern-Day Exodus." MinnPost.com (April 20, 2011).
ACTIVITIES
LISTEN: To a recording of "Let My People Go" or Bob Marley’s "Exodus." Ask students to pick out elements borrowed from the ancient Exodus story. The Lynx strongly recommends Robeson's "Let My People Go" as an introduction to any of the following activities. (See note 5 and note 6.)
WORD SEARCH: Assign this activity to individuals or pairs of students, sending them to different sites. Using Google News or the web sites of major newspapers, students will search exodus to find headlines and/or stories where this word appears. Make sure students note the range of topics covered in these stories .
READ: Select an online text and ask students to take turns reading Exodus story from the Book of Exodus. Give students an opportunity to prepare for a dramatic in-class reading. DISCUSS the story’s literary qualities and its religious significance (as cultural information, not as doctrine).
DISCUSS: Write these countries on the board (or PowerPoint slide): Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Ivory Coast. ASK: What do these places have in common? DISCUSS recent events (briefly), noting that each country has had a change of government (in Libya, in only part of the country) involving upheaval, conflict, and violence. Students may not realize the extent to which events in each country triggered an exodus. SHOW headlines (use the collection below) to illustrate how journalists use exodus to stress the scale of what is/was happening.
READ/DISCUSS: Select a recent article about migrants or refugees for further discussion OR select two or more to compare the different kinds of exodus phenomena that have occurred recently (e.g. exodus of tourists from Egypt vs. migrant workers from Libya).
READ ALOUD: Martin Luther King’s "Where Do We Go From Here?" is well-suited to reading in class–either one paragraph per student or two students taking turns. See Resources (under "Exodus; Cargo of Hidden Stories").
RESOURCES
Scriptures
The Exodus story begins in Chapter 4 (or Chapter 7) of the Book of Exodus. References or partial accounts occur in other books of the Hebrew Bible (Christian Old Testament).
"Exodus 20." From A Hebrew-English Bible. Mechon Mamre: http://www.mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0220.htm
- Text of the Ten Commandments but from here you can access the entire book of Exodus
- Hebrew text on left (according to the Masoretic Text and the JPS 1917 Edition; HTML version, Mechon Mamre, 2005); audio of Hebrew text
- English translation on right (English HTML text based on electronic text by Larry Nelson, Cathedral City, California, USA)
- Access to Hebrew-French, Hebrew-Spanish, Hebrew-Portuguese Bibles
- See this site for its many illustrations.
- Posted for Craig White’s Literature Course; for how it fits into the course and why some text is in bold see the introductory page: http://coursesite.uhcl.edu/HSH/Whitec/texts/Exodus/exodusndx.htm
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus+7-12&version=MSG
- Christian site providing access to several other widely-recognized translations, including King James Version and English Standard Version
- See for translations into other languages, including Arabic, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Chinese
A version of the Exodus story is also included in the Quran, Verses 47-59 ("The Cow"). Access from any of several online texts of the Quran. Muslims consider Moses (Musa) a prophet, whose name appears 125 times in the Quran.
- For an English translation of "The Cow," (followed by comments from various points of view) see Jay Solomon: http://jaysolomon.wordpress.com/2008/09/10/quran-day-the-cow-47-59-recounts-exodus-and-gods-relationship-with-the-israelites/
- Solomon named his blog The Zen of South Park because he is writing a book about South Park (the animated TV series) and religion. After majoring in History and Religious Studies at the University of Pennsylvania, he earned an M.A. in comparative religion from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Discussion/Commentary on the Exodus Story
"Moses and the Exodus." NOVA interview with Carol Meyers (archaeologist and professor of religion). PBS (November 18, 2008): http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/moses-exodus.html
"Exodus: Cargo of Hidden Stories." Krista Tippett with Avivah Zornberg. On Being. PBS: http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2011/exodus/
- "The biblical Exodus story has inspired believers and non-believers, Jews and Christians–and more than a few Hollywood movies. But this is no simple story of heroes and villains; it is a complex picture of the possibilities and ironies of human passion and human freedom. If you're not familiar with Exodus, you're in for a deeply sensual experience; and, even if you're well-versed in the text, you just might be surprised."
- Resources at this site include the text of Martin Luther King’s "Where Do We Go From Here?" (URL: http://being.publicradio.org/programs/2011/exodus/speech_king-wheredowego.shtml
Migration and Refugees
United Nations High Commission for Refugees: www.unhcr.org
International Organization for Human Migration: www.rescue.org
International Rescue Committee: www.iom.int/jahia/jsp/index.jsp
Tunisia
"Tunisian ‘Exodus’ Exposes Europe’s Migrant Quandary." France24 (February 14, 2011):
http://www.france24.com/en/20110214-tunisia-migrants-lampedusa-italy-europe-struggle-cope-illegal-immigration
"Deal Reached Over Tunisia Exodus." Al Jazeera English (February 15, 2011):
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2011/02/201121513182181420.html
- Includes video "Tunisians Flee to Lampedusa" (1:44); reporter uses exodus in voice-over
Egypt
"Sharing Tales of an Exodus from Egypt." CNN (February 1, 2011):
http://articles.cnn.com/2011-02-01/world/egypt.turmoil.exodus_1_egyptian-people-riot-police-protests?_s=PM:WORLD
El-Tablawy, Tarek. "Tourists Leave Egypt in Mass Exodus." AP/Associated Press. MSNBC (January 31, 2011): http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41371484/ns/travel-news/#
Libya
Cowell, Alan. "Refugee Agency Reports ‘Humanitarian Emergency" as Multitudes Flee Libya."
New York Times (February 28, 2011): http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/01/world/europe/01refugee.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=cowell+refugee+agency&st=nyt
Pianigiani, Gaia and Rachel Donadio. "250 Missing After Boat Sinks Off Italy." New York Times (April 6, 2011): http://nytimes.com/2011/04/07
"Panic and Exodus Expected from Libya." Sidney Morning Herald (April 18, 2011): http://www.smh.com.au/world/panic-and-exodus-expected-from-libya-20110418-1dljj.html
Ivory Coast
For more resources see HistoryLynx posts on March 26, March 30, and April 5.
"Liberia: Refugee Crisis Needs World’s Attention Says Oxfam as UN High Commissioner," Oxfam (March 21, 2011):http://oxf.am/Zb7 http://www.oxfam.org/en/pressroom/pressrelease/2011-03-21/liberia-refugee-crisis-un-high-commissioner-refugees-Antonio-Guterres-Ivory-Coast; Permalink: http://oxf.am/Zb7
"Ivorian Refugee Crisis–in Pictures." Guardian (March 30, 2011):
http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/gallery/2011/mar/30/ivory-coast-refugees-liberia-in-pictures
Nigeria
"Nigeria Election: Red Cross Says Many Fleeing Violence." BBC News (April 20, 2011):
- Google News link goes to this article–with sub-headline: "Tens of thousands of people have fled their homes because of post-election violence in Nigeria, the Red Cross says." BUT word exodus does not appear in the article–despite Google News headline.
NOTES
1) Glynnis MacNicol, Business Insider (April 19, 2011): http://www.businessinsider.com/rupert-murdochs-daily-reuters-jim-gaines-2011-4. By April 20, 2011 this story had been demotes to 6th place.
2) C. J. Chivers, "Safely Out of War’s Way, Describing Fearful Limbo, New York Times (April 19, 2011).
3) See "Scriptures" in the Resource section (provided for use as primary sources, not to promote any particular religious beliefs). Note that the Exodus is included in a somewhat different (though very recognizable) form in the Quran.
4) For The Ten Commandments see Dave Kehr, "When DeMille Parted the Red Sea," New York Times (April 3, 2011).
5) VIDEO: "Let My People Go" (performed by Paul Robeson, 2:03 mins): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtLcELU1brA. Text of King’s speech (see Resources).
6) VIDEO: "Exodus" (performed by Bob Marley, Santa Barbara, California, 1979; 6:13 mins): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NHbOqmNVm8. For lyrics go to http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Exodus-lyrics-Bob-Marley/41A1A975451EE48948256945000D2A3F:
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