I have always hated the first day of school. The teacher goes down the list and reads the names of students to record attendance. Mine is always written somewhere at the beggining...
"Joy...Aw...Awo" The teacher struggles, So I help them out.
"Awoniyi" I say. I usually sound a little annoyed. Mostly because it is pronounced the same exact way it is spelled. Ah-Wo-Nee-Yee. If they would really try, Im sure they could figure it out.
"Interesting." He/She usually comments. "Where are you from?"
"Nigeria" Now, I know that I wasn't really born there, and that I have only visited twice. But, I have no problem claiming Nigeria as my country.
Everyone in the class usually stares at me, as if I somehow turned into some sort of barbarian. Throughout the year people ask if I've chased a lion, or a tiger. They ask if my family back home is starving or if I have seen any of them on the "feed the children" commercials. My answer is always no.
Eventually, when someone finds out that I have lived in America my entire life, they tell me "You are a true African-American." Usually, the person is black so I tell them "You are too."
The response I get is offending and very annoying. All of a sudden, they become defensive. "I'm not African. I'm just black."
Yes, I have heard this comment many times. I have been the subject of jokes by "blacks" because of my African parents. But the truth is, we are all African. So-called-"blacks" are always talking about the importance of knowing our history, but what good is it when you don't accept that the people who are still living on the continent are your brothers and sisters?
We know that originally, whites stripped us of our dignity, our hope, and our history. For many years we were told that we don't have a history. But Black history didn't start with Harriet Tubman or any of the first slaves. It started in Africa. We are all Africans. Maybe you are from the Carribean, maybe you can't trace your ancestors past the United States, maybe you are a black-hispanic....I dont really care. We are African.
Why be so ashamed of what you truly are? If we want to truly be free from the chains that bind us, we should at least embrace who we are....Africans. All of us. I think the ignorance should stop.
So blacks...Want to do something progressive? Lets stop ignoring and degrading our OWN people. Lets start treating them like the family that they are. Of course, its easier for me to say, a lot of my family is still living in Nigeria. But at some point, all blacks should come to grips that our home is in Africa.
**If all Africans came together to do one thing, there is nothing that anyone in the world could do to stop us***
I know a lot of black people whose family don't hail from Africa at all. Why pressure them to claim a continent they were never from?
And for that matter, I know several African Americans who simply don't feel comfortable with claiming any ancestory to Africa. Not because of shame or anything like that - simply because they can't connect to a place they've never been to and can't identify with.
There's a lot of truth to the old adage, "home is where the heart is." Everyone should be proud of their history and their heritage - no matter where they've come from. But claiming to be from Detroit rather than claiming to hail from Kenya shouldn't be a source of disgrace and shouldn't be viewed as ignorance. It's what they view as their home - how they identify themselves and, most importantly, how they've come to find their place in the world around them.
That is progress.
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"when you have nothing else to say, "Fwonk" is always the perfect thing."
"yeah well, fwonk"
--Devon
Fanaile Essence
The truth of the matter is that most "blacks" do hail from Africa in one way or another. Whether their ancestors were taken captive to Europe first, to Mexico first, the Carribean, or the U.S. Yes, the majority are from Africa...So I have to disagree with you. I haven't really met any blacks that are not African. A lot of them cant trace their ancestors past slavery anyway.
Africans were stripped of thier names and languages, forced into a religion, and TAUGHT that this place called the United States is thier only home. They were taken away from their families until their original culture disinegrated. I don't think that they should disregard the U.S as thier home, I just think they should accept that their ancestors are African.
I think it is very important to accept this because a part of who you are is understanding what you come from. It influences your decisions and your values. It has an effect on the way you treat and relate to certain people.
I call America my home. I have lived here for my whole life. But there also is no problem with claiming Africa as my home either because it is my Native Land.
Okay - but how does saying "African American" do that? I mean, I have to agree with Kiota here - if people started referring to me as "European American" - I would be pissed off. Why? Because I am Irish and Scottish - not German, not French, not Spanish, not Polish...Irish and Scottish.
And beyond that, to be called "European American" would lump me in with every other European asshole out there. I'm no longer a unique person with views - I'm just another "one of them". Not quite European...not quite American. Just some seudo-mixture that doesn't really fit in anywhere.
To use a blanket term like "African American" does just as much to rob these people of their identity. Unless, of course, every nation in Africa shares the exact same culture and lifestyle? I highly doubt that. I haven't been there - and I'm obviously no expert - but I'm willing to bet that the people living in Nigeria live very differently than the people in Sierra Leone or Tanzania. I'm also willing to bet that if you approached someone in Kenya and asked them where they were from - they would not answer "Africa".
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"when you have nothing else to say, "Fwonk" is always the perfect thing."
"yeah well, fwonk"
--Devon
Fanaile Essence
You have the luxury of knowing that you're specifically Irish and Scottish. Most Black people don't. Our situations are not the same. If I knew exactly what country in Africa I'm from, I would want to be called as such, but that's not the case. In this case, saying "African American" does not rob us of any identity because we didn't really have one to begin with in this country. It helps to restore our identity, even if it's a broad.
“I hope the departure is joyful and I hope never to return.” - Frida Kahlo
I think we should regress to the beginning
_Meke pretty much summed it up for me. And, at the same time, those weren't official countries when blacks were taken anyway. Europeans came and established those.
But you are right, I know neither of my parent will say they are from "Africa". But when they do meet a Kenyan, or someone from any other African country, they still see us as a unified whole.
The point is that America is just a melting pot of cultures. The idea of America is not to divide into separate sects, but to unite as one whole. I don't consider myself an Irish-American, because my family came from Ireland over a hundred years ago. If my family came from Ireland 20 years ago then I would call myself an Irish-American. I think the same applies for a lot of black people. There heritage has been in America for possibly a few hundred years, so they wouldn't consider themselves direct descendents from Africa.
I understand this as well. But you accept that you are Irish, correct? If someone came to you and said you're Irish, would you be offended?? I sure hope not, because you are. But Blacks have a huge problem with being associated in anyway with Africa, when many of thier ancestors didnt come here by choice. When many of thier ancestors tried their hardest to retain their native cultures.
No matter how long someone's family has been a part of another country, they shouldnt be ashamed or offended to have to claim thier original heritage. That was my point.
In no way am I encouraging seperation from America as a whole, so please dont misunderstand me. I am encouraging the unity of blacks...all blacks. That doesnt mean we cant be unified with other types of people.
The important thing to remember is that everyone can decide for themselves. No one else can force another to believe any certain thing, and I don't think jawoniyi was trying to say that 'black' people in America have to recognize that their descendants are from Africa. Every individual has the choice of determining their own identity and can therefore choose to recognize their origins or not. My family heritage is from the British isles, but I have no idea from which Gaelic people or exactly which region my descendants originated. For many 'black' people in America it is just difficult for them to figure out where exactly they came from.
I understand that what jawoniyi is calling for is a recognition of your place of origin and not just saying well I am American now and so I will disregard that grand continent of my origin (and not all 'black' Americans do). I am not one to speak for 'black' Americans, but in my experience and studies, African people and 'black' Americans face the same structures of oppression and so when jawoniyi calls for a recognition of international brother/sister-hood it makes sense that people of a common origin, no matter how far removed, should come together for their shared cause.
- Challenge yourself everyday, if you don't then it is a wasted day.
www.scoutbanana.org
I would find it offensive to be called European-American. I am not European. (I am not American either, but that is besides the point). If I were black, I would be offended at being called African. Calling a black person African-American differenciates them from white people, who're not called European-American, but simply American.
So you and others find it offensive to give a blanket name to your nationality? Stretch out on your bed and have someone yank you from your home-hard to grasp. Humiliate you by putting you in chains and leg irons. Marching you through unfamiliar territories for miles until you reach the coastline. There you are crammed into a holding area so small you are unable to stretch your limbs. You are not fed for a few days, you are taken by ship through rough seas to another country. If your abductors don't have additional food and you die, you are thrown overboard. If you survive and make it to your new residence of slavery you are denied speech in your language. You are denied any form of respect. You are taught through conditioning (beating) to avert your eyes and act submissive. How fast you learn could determine whether you live or die. Your past is conditionally removed. Any children you have in captivity may be sold and your mate may be sold or killed right in front of your eyes in order to remind you that you are owned and have nothing. Through years of conditioned adaptation you learn to let your abductor believe you are completely compliant until you make an effort to escape with your life for a new beginning as a "blank page." You do not remember your family, mother, father, siblings, customs, all your mind is focused on is surviving the cruelty of your captors. Through evolution of your captors and through civil disobedience you convince this society of people to allow you to prosper rather than continuing the Holocaust to eradicate your kind, once they can no longer harbor you for free labor.
Unlike any other race, you are a kidnapped individual who cannot take a claim to the FBI and have you returned to your homeland. You are an invisible citizen of the lowest ranking because you did not come here by choice and fight for your position and rank. Society at-large is against you taking their jobs. Media is constantly painting you in the worst light to increase fear or resentment or hatred. You are literally hunted like animals and hung from trees. There are mass graves from whole communities burned and killed. It is an actual affront to be called an American at all from a Country that feels you are only worthwhile as free chattel. Yet discriminates against you as a viable, intelligent person, worthy of occupying the same ground they walk on. There would be years of therapy necessary to prevent such a people from committing serial murders daily from the pent up frustrations this type of treatment. Like the American Indian, our land was stolen from us, our numbers were greatly reduced and are still getting the worst end of a deal, unlike the American Indian whose heritage is paraded at Cultural Events. Having amnesia without recall about your entire heritage, culture, how you cured diseases, how you named your children, language, everything about you gone. Those who held you in captivity constantly trying to teach you that you made no contributions even though history bears out that you and your people in the continent you came from had people of greatness. Would you in ANY way want their country - the one you were abandoned in attached in any form to YOUR motherland as a title, no less that describes YOU?
Almaz_Nigist
I agree with your blog. I understand what some other commentators mean about not actually being from Africa, but I know a lot of Black people who are sort of ashamed to recognize their connection to Africa, mostly because the continent has been ravished and is in shambles in many places. Also ingrained shame and racism has caused many to disregard Africa. But I do recognize my connection to Africa. I see many similarities between Black people in America and Africans, our music, food, dance, and many other cultural customs look very similar to me. Or at least what i see of Africans.
“I hope the departure is joyful and I hope never to return.” - Frida Kahlo
I think we should regress to the beginning
Its basic neglect of true culture due to stereotyping. Do you think that if we weren't degraded so much that our people would be ashamed to claim their true heritage, doubtful. The majority has seen us as spear throwing, leaf wearing, "click clack" speaking, AIDS and HIV infested 10th world country worthlessness... In return some of us jump the wagon and toss around the same stereotypes.
"Prefiero morir parada que vivir la vida en mis rodillas"
You're right. When I was in high school, people actually used to use African as an insult.
“I hope the departure is joyful and I hope never to return.” - Frida Kahlo
I think we should regress to the beginning
Its great to know were you came from.
If we are born in AMerica and our parents were born in AMerican then are we not all Americans with diffrent backgrounds?
Comment Opportunity
There were always in me, two women at least,
one woman desperate and bewildered,
who felt she was drowning and another who
would leap into a scene, as upon a stage,
conceal her true emotions because they
were weaknesses, helplessness, despair,
and
I am an African, I dont view myself as an American, Once upon a time in American history we werent Americans, we were 3/5s humans or Negroes. I totally reject this term of Black/Negro. Whites still dominate and control African peoples no matter where they are born, and it is true that Africans do play a large role in helping European peoples maintain their economic, political and media communcations power gain over Africans. My situation happened when I moved back to the uSA from Western Germany where my father was stationed int he USA Military. I moved to a small elementry school in Southwest Oklahoma. The school had maybe 10 blacks, no black teachers( the term black basically means African). My white class mates were very racist, the would mock my hair texture, my lip size and the structure of my nose, which are very west African Bantu features. The West does not want Africans being united not even in Africa, let alone outside the borders of Africa, because that would mean that African American could potenially benefit from their relationship with Africa and their long lost family as jews do in Israel, its a situation in which i dont have enough time to elabaorate, but we had our African ways beat and murdered out of us, for the first 200 years, my fore mother and father, were proud Africans, but Europeans feared that it would cause a revolt or a problem from them then and it will pose a problem for them now, I will say 80% of Africans of American nationality are ignorant about Africa as I was, but at the age of 8 years when I was getting called nigger, burnt toast, and african booty scratchy by my white class mates, it cause me to ask my father was I from Africa, he looked perplexed he said, "Y es and No", and why was I asking him that question, I told him it started in social studies class, my white classmates made fun of the pictures of africans whom were my family members who came to the usa from Africa, he said well, you are from African, meaning you are a person of African decent, but you are a just as much a citizen of America if they are because they came from Europe. Whites control the educational system, the media and other parts of Wesern Society by a 98% margin, so we are for stragtegic reasons been BRAINWASHED to rejecting whom god made us and thats Africans, I am 27 years old, My mind have been liberated for a long time. Once upon a time White(European) Americans told African AMericans to go back to African, once be begin to have Pride to in Africa, and begin to learn about the wealth of Africa, the European Americans felt a need to further force assimlation upon us, Africa and the African American community face the exact same problems, and we are in essence the same people, in the USA we will are treated differently, not because we are black, which is a color, but because we are Africans, It feels good for me to say I am an African, I know many white Americans dont want to see us with self esteem, because then we might stop playcating to them and begin to actually build a relationship that liberates Africa for the good of all Africans.
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Malcolm X " You cant hate the roots of a tree, without hating the tree itself".
The question is not what African languages we speak, but rather why dont we speak and how did it come to that, once you research history and you find the ugly answer, I think any African with any intelligence would immeditaely and passionately begin to call himself and African and become almost obessed with learning everything about his true culture which he can trace by his BLOOD. God Bless You My Elightned Sister, May the God of our Ancestors unite all of Africa, home and abroad for the good of us all.
Well, to be blunt, those white Americans, need to understand that American is a term that originally meant a person of European or mixed European heritiage. White Americans are European people even if they are mixed with Irish and Scottish, Ireland is in Europe. I love how they bring the Irish Arugment into things, the Irish when they came to America from EUROPE, treated African Americans like pure shit. The Irish owned slaves in America, so did the Scottish and the Italians. You have Irish Americans, Irish Catholc Churches, You have Little Italies.
Melting Pot? As an African American I would like to challenge this Melting Pot, in which you are using it, America has never been a MELTING POT, America has always been a place where people are forced to assimilate into European Culture. My fathers people come from a place called Africatown in Mobile, Alabama. Europeans did not mesh African Cultural into the America way of life, they forced it out with brutality, we werent allowed to keep our African names, African heritage, but the Irish, Italians were, we have Dublins, Little Italians all over America, how many Little African, in fact what those two whites are doing is using reverse pschology, because of Slavery, everyone knows that African slavery built much of America, and the White Americans want to destroy and descredied Africans from doing anything to help this empire, while to this day Americans who are Europeans have robbed Africa blinde, 90% of European Americans can trace their roots back to Europe. America was founded by Great Britian. I am an American, American means a person of European ancestry it is in the Consitution.
They want us as Africans to be divided against one another, in the USA, you have whites of all differnet natioanlities, American, Britons, Aussies, and they live amongst each other and do business, and African Americans are excluded.
Is a person from California an American? Is a Person from Alabama an American? Is a person from New York American? You have many different regions within the United States of America, and the CULUTRES ARE VASTLEY different, I live in the SOuth, and the culture in the North is different, what an insult to the intelligence to say that a Ghanian, SOuth African or a Kenyan is not an African, what are you saying Africans are not Africans now, why is it that white people always want to control black people, American means white IMO, the word American is a European word.
Melting Pot, In America you have Irish Names, Scottish Names, Polish Names, all Europeans, but the bulk of the Black Americans dont have no African names, and why was that, what happen to those African names, white people dont want us to talk about Africa because it further shows their crimes against Africans. Firestone Tire Company, made billions in Liberia, look at all the American white owned coporations in Africa now, Exxon, Cheveron, and Differernt other mineral companies.
All of these European Americans responses are built around racist ideolog to keep African divided, why do they want to assimilate us now, they dont want to fully assimilate us, because African Americans are forced to forget BLACK AMERICAN HISTORY in which is not comfortable to them, my Nigerian sister, now you see why so many of us African Americans are very hostile towars whites, we have had to put up with their bullshit for 400 years, Go Back to Africa, we find out how rich African is, no youre not an African, then they go bad mouth us to Africans, then come to the Americans and bad mouth our blood brothers to us.
White Americans have such contempt and hate for African americans still, they want us to feel inferior, they dont want us to have any pride, its funny how she doesnt want to claim any Europeam monsters, as if the Irish didnt inflict harm on our people. Marcus Garvey family was owned by Irish Slave Owners.
White Americans even ignore the harm these American whites inflicted on us, when it benefits them they blame Africans for the slave trade, who can White Americans blame for the KKK and JIm Crow and the gross disparitiy of wealth.
I am an African American, they are not, and it is a very emotional thing for us as African Americans to further be denied of our true homeland, as if we deserved to be enslaved by whites because we came from savages, what those Europeans said is hurtful and racist, African Americans are only 12% of the population, if we assimilate into European Ameircan culture, we will always feel inferior.
Finally, to hell with these white people, this is a conversation amonst Africans, who in the hell are you to tell us who we are, once we start inflicting bodily harm upon you, i bet u will learn to respect us then.
African - are the indigenous black Africans of African or people who trace their ancestry back to Africa through the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade.
I am an African and damn proud, and any white American, Briton, or Black whatever u call yourself dont like it tough.....