After writing my post about Black America's disinterest in connecting with Africans, I came across this article from the LA times. Its kind of ironic and maybe it's the Lord's way of humbling me and my opinions.
Although, I still believe men like Mr. Washington are in the minority as far as overall interest is concerned. Also, celebrities have the time and money to invest in Africa. The average Black man or woman may not have the time or means to do so.
Yet, there does seem to be some tangible interest, evidenced by the existence of DNA testing companies like African Ancestry Inc. Companies like these would not exist if there were not individuals willing to pay for their services. I think its positive that some African Americans want to know exactly what part of Africa their ancestors came from.
But to be honest,the skeptic in me has a few questions about this story. I've read many articles where the validity of the DNA testing has been questioned. Many researchers say there is not a large of enough database of African genetics to pin down exactly where folks ancestors might have come from. Also, many researchers say that DNA of the different tribes of west Africa are so similar, there's no way to differentiate one tribe from another. So, this may be another hustle where folks curiosity is being taken advantage of. I suggest folks do more research on their own and find out for themselves how credible these companies are.
My other issue is with the African countries themselves. I wonder how eager Sierra Leone would have been to grant Isaiah Washington citizenship, if he were not an actor with a decent amount of money.
In my previous post, I wrote about African Americans overall disinterest in returning to Africa. I also alluded to Africans lack of interest in reconnecting with African Americans. Click here to read different accounts of treatment that African Americans received from the locals, while living in West African countries.
I think many African Americans who want to reconnect with Africa have this pie in the sky dream. A belief they will get off the plane and there will be a parade welcoming them home. I hope those stories from African Americans living an Africa bring the reality home.
Not to say every African thinks and feels the same way about African Americans, that would be an unfair thing to write. As the writer from the aforementioned article points out, Africans are not a monolithic people.
Yet, when African Americans living in Ghana claim they need a civil rights movement there to get fair treatment under the law, that's enough to give me serious pause. My folks did enough fighting on this soil, why move to another country and have to fight for equal rights?
The grass always looks greener on the other side, until you get over there and find out it's not. African Americans must stand and face their problems in America, running to Africa will not solve anything. Judging from the article/book outline above, they'll only be running into a new set of problems.
3 comments:
In my experience, connecting with your African Roots is not something you do for the fanfare of what you may receive when you “get back there”. It isn’t something that you believe will be a magic bullet that will solve your problems and give you an identity where you don’t have one. It is just an extension of the natural puzzle that we have to want to know why we are the way we are. It’s an opportunity to associate with something beyond what you are told… positive or negative about yourself and your people. To get to the root/truth of who you are.
My introduction with the Pan-African experience came in college. Hanging out with students from Africa, particularly from Nigeria, we love each other like play cousins. They came to all the “Black Student” events, and we hung out at the Nigerian and African Student Associations, and always attended their cultural nights. We were excited about sharing the differences in cultures, and the finding the similarities. Granted, they were the fortunate ones who had an opportunity to come here to study, and we were the fortunate ones who had an opportunity to study here as well (LOL), but we appreciated who we were to each other.
After I read your last blog I didn’t comment, because it made me really think. I ended up watching snippets of the PBS special on people tracing their African Ancestry. Like the first time I saw it, I liked watching Tom Joyner and Don Cheadle. You find strength comfort and pride in knowing not just, how “we” got here, but how “I” got here. There’s history, ourstory, and mystory… and to many of us can’t articulate “my story”.
As for my friends who have visited Africa, I haven’t found any for whom it wasn’t a great experience. One sister I know was adopted by an clan and made a queen when she led a group of White kids over there to build a school. She eventually married an native African from another tribe and had to give up her title, and the tribal land they gave her. It was hard for her because, although it wasn’t her generational tribe, they had grown to love each other as family. How we relate to native Africans, and they to us all depends on what your relationship entails. If you are coming to take something, or if you are bringing something to the table, will dictate the relationship more than where you were born… just like with any relationship.
For me, I know that where the slave ship landed is the only reason when I’m here and some of them aren’t, and vice-versa. With that in mind, I approach it from the concept that we are still family that needs to take care of each other, like if I found a brother after one of us was kidnapped at birth. We don’t “need” each other, but we know we were robbed of the opportunity to share with one another. So we share culture, and we want each other to be impressed with what the other has been doing while we were apart. That’s how families behave, and we are family.
I am kinda torn here. While I was living in Germany I dated 3 African Girls. 2 from Ghana and 1 from Ethopia. They were in Germany attending college. All 3 girls parents hated me because I was American. They were cool with their daughters dating a white boy, but a Black American like me they had a big problem with. They said that we (black Americans) were lazy,uneducated and thugs. They did not welcome me into their homes and forbid their daughters from seeing me. Now on the other hand I have met some Africans here in Dallas that have shown me nothing but love. I have been invited to family gatherings, they bring me some of their native cuisine, they tell me about their country and their traditions and I have been told that if I were not married, I would be a fine catch for some of their woman folk. So I don't know which way to go on this post. I have met some assholes, but I have also met some genuine good people.
However I agree with you that we need to fix our shit here first. But me I don't consider myself "African" American. I am an American that just happens to have African heritage.
Dwane T.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment and self disclosure about your personal experiences.
I don't discount the positive encounters you wrote about, I'm sure their real.
I think how one deals with their connection to Africa is subjective. Like anything else in life, our perception is dictated by what we experienced in the past.
I agree that Africans are Africans Americans distant relatives, there's no arguing that point. Yet, most people have members in their family that their closer to than others. We even avoid contact with certain members in our families because of their behavior.
To me behavior, not place of birth, is the most important factor when basing a friendship. If people treat me with respect, than I'm all for friendship. If they think their better than me, f**kem!
Dirty Red,
Thanks for continued support, brotha!
Your personal story shows this is a complex issue. It's definitely a balancing act, it's not a one size fits all.
I too have met cool Africans from different countries on the continent. I've also run into the assholes as well.
Human beings will be Human, I guess that's the moral of the story. For better and for worse.
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