Hottentot Haze: The Intoxication Narrative of Sara Baartman
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Sara Baartman was exhibited as a human curiosity in 19th century Europe due to her distinctive physical features. As seen in records of Hottentot Venus performance such as La Venus Hottentote, a hand-tinted engraving from Paris in 1814, Baartman smoked an opium pipe as she was viewed by her audience. Based on the interpretation of the archival engraving in tandem with historical review, there are two primary reasons for the inclusion of a pipe in Hottentot Venus performance: to appeal to a postcolonial audience and for Baartman to maintain the little power she had over her circumstances. With smoking, Baartman was a woman of color subdued for her spectators but was able to avoid confronting her harsh reality while adhering to South African tradition. Ultimately, intoxicants were involved in Baartman’s exploitation, contributing to the psychic and social repercussions that led to her physical death.
Keywords: Hottentot Venus, Sara Baartman, postcolonialism, intoxicants, opium pipe, racial exploitation, gender-based violence, performance studies
Academic department under which the project should be listed
COTA - Theatre and Performance Studies
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Thomas Fish
Hottentot Haze: The Intoxication Narrative of Sara Baartman
Sara Baartman was exhibited as a human curiosity in 19th century Europe due to her distinctive physical features. As seen in records of Hottentot Venus performance such as La Venus Hottentote, a hand-tinted engraving from Paris in 1814, Baartman smoked an opium pipe as she was viewed by her audience. Based on the interpretation of the archival engraving in tandem with historical review, there are two primary reasons for the inclusion of a pipe in Hottentot Venus performance: to appeal to a postcolonial audience and for Baartman to maintain the little power she had over her circumstances. With smoking, Baartman was a woman of color subdued for her spectators but was able to avoid confronting her harsh reality while adhering to South African tradition. Ultimately, intoxicants were involved in Baartman’s exploitation, contributing to the psychic and social repercussions that led to her physical death.
Keywords: Hottentot Venus, Sara Baartman, postcolonialism, intoxicants, opium pipe, racial exploitation, gender-based violence, performance studies