Do We As African Americans Have A Culture?

[4MYPEOPLE]

There is no such thing as an "authentic" or "original" group of people. It all came from somewhere and it usually didn't come from the group who's most known for it.

I would tend to disagree with you. There are definitely "original" people and original cultures in certain areas. The Native Americans are the "original" people of this hemisphere. Their cultural identity today is mixed as well because of the infusion of White America later, however they certainly have cultural aspects, religious, foods that are their own. Not borrowed. And even the cultural aspects that are borrowed in certain cultures were borrowed waaay more than 300 years ago..so it has been INFUSED as their culture..stolen or not. Many cultures have thousands of years of history.

I think its an unfortunate predicament of people who's identity has been stolen because of slavery, oppression etc.-therefore everything that makes up their identity is borrowed somewhat from SOOO many different cultures that the mix is often NOT embraced by the masses. And as I said earlier, this happened so recently (in a sociological sense) that it is not suprising to me that we do not have a firm "cultural" identity. I am sure in 500 years there will be one, that is formed of the borrowed culture, language, food, ideas, colors etc. but has become our own. right now, i dont think we are there yet.

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by 4MYPEOPLE

I would tend to disagree with you. There are definitely "original" people and original cultures in certain areas. The Native Americans are the "original" people of this hemisphere. Their cultural identity today is mixed as well because of the infusion of White America later, however they certainly have cultural aspects, religious, foods that are their own. Not borrowed. And even the cultural aspects that are borrowed in certain cultures were borrowed waaay more than 300 years ago..so it has been INFUSED as their culture..stolen or not. Many cultures have thousands of years of history.

You say this because you don't know where the Native Americans derived some aspects of their culture from.

Both Native Americans and black Americans developed cultural tools through adaptation.

Black Americans had borrowed some aspects of our culture 200 years ago. Ever read about the activities of the slaves and free blacks during the Slave Era? These things have become infused as our culture...stolen or not. We would have thousands of years of history if we had not been sold from our native lands.

Originally Posted by 4MYPEOPLE

[I think its an unfortunate predicament of people who's identity has been stolen because of slavery, oppression etc.-therefore everything that makes up their identity is borrowed somewhat from SOOO many different cultures that the mix is often NOT embraced by the masses. And as I said earlier, this happened so recently (in a sociological sense) that it is not suprising to me that we do not have a firm "cultural" identity. I am sure in 500 years there will be one, that is formed of the borrowed culture, language, food, ideas, colors etc. but has become our own. right now, i dont think we are there yet.

Well, in a sociological sense it wasn't that recent and we do have a firm cultural identity. What we are looking at is the remnants of slavery and oppression, in addition to present-day social constructs. However our identity as black people is not that of an oppressed people. We have so much history and tradition outside of being enslaved and oppressed that we sell ourselves short by denying it. What happened/s to us makes us stronger and adds to our identity--it doesn't take it away or is the sole definer of us.

No need to wait 500 years. It's here now so people need to stop denying us what other groups have been afforded.

[neosoul]

As an African who has only been in America for 5 yrs, and has spent only 1 yr out of that 5 immersed in the black community, I would say yes, Black or African Americans' have a culture. If there was no culture, why is the entire would clamouring to be just like Black/African Americans? Not just the food, but the people, the language, the way of life, expressions, traditions... it is extremely rich.

I enjoy learning more Black/African Americans, my favourite class was African American Literature...

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by 4MYPEOPLE

...it is not suprising to me that we do not have a firm "cultural" identity...

From your entire post where I garnered this one statement, first, somebody has told you a pack of lies. I am not even beginning to joke...

You have "bought into" the concept that African Americans come from a "DEFICIENT" culture.

• Highest criminality rates
• Worst health outcomes
• Lowest academic acheivers
• etc.

What you are "witnessing" is what "they" want you to believe and what "they" want you to buy into... And you have "bought into it" "lock, stock and barrel". You have been "bamboozled", "jacked" and "punk'd".

You need to ANOINT yourself of YOUR history and REVEAL in it: The Good, The Bad and The Fugly... Then, you must not be ashamed of it.

Moreover, you ain't the representative for the "race"--nor as I... Why defend pathetic negroes? And especially, you, without thorough education--spell that Utamaaroho...

Most African Americans do not have a firm "cultural identity" because there has be a blatant extermination of the African (spell that Black, if you need a reference) family structure. The young people have no role models and barely know THEIR history. Moreover, young people have no self-esteem or self-confidence and the support systems absent.

Some of my Pan-Afrikanists friends would say, you need to be "Re-Afrikan Centered".

[orighu]

4MYPEOPLE I guess I have a seperate question? Do African Americans only have to have 1 culture? I believe we as a diaspora have many different cultures that are borrowed from other cultures, doesn't that in itself make a culture? How much time needs to past before a firm culture is established?

[DSTCHAOS]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

From your entire post where I garnered this one statement, first, somebody has told you a pack of lies. I am not even beginning to joke...

You have "bought into" the concept that African Americans come from a "DEFICIENT" culture.

• Highest criminality rates
• Worst health outcomes
• Lowest academic acheivers
• etc.

What you are "witnessing" is what "they" want you to believe and what "they" want you to buy into... And you have "bought into it" "lock, stock and barrel". You have been "bamboozled", "jacked" and "punk'd".

You need to ANOINT yourself of YOUR history and REVEAL in it: The Good, The Bad and The Fugly... Then, you must not be ashamed of it.

Moreover, you ain't the representative for the "race"--nor as I... Why defend pathetic negroes? And especially, you, without thorough education--spell that Utamaaroho...

Most African Americans do not have a firm "cultural identity" because there has be a blatant extermination of the African (spell that Black, if you need a reference) family structure. The young people have no role models and barely know THEIR history. Moreover, young people have no self-esteem or self-confidence and the support systems absent.

Some of my Pan-Afrikanists friends would say, you need to be "Re-Afrikan Centered".

Essentially, white liberals and misinformed black people think it adds to "the struggle" to portray blacks as victims of oppression and a stolen identity. Then we are depicted as a lost and confused people who don't know which end to wipe. This makes "white supremacists" happy because they have long argued that we are a deficient people who are easily bamboozled because we lack a sense of identity and brain power. The equivalent of mules who can sing and dance but that's it. They also argued that we don't have a real identity so we will take on whatever identity is given to us without any protest. We need to know that these assertions are not true. If they were true, there wouldn't have been a movement to keep blacks from learning how to read and vote. Why would they care if musically talented mules can read and vote?

The truth of the matter is that we are an empowered people that needs to realize our qualities and power. We realize this on a small scale but fail to realize it on a larger scale. This doesn't mean that racism and discrimination will not exist or that blacks will completely overpower the status quo. It means that we will stop selling ourselves short and also stop allowing white liberals to sell us short.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

The truth of the matter is that we are an empowered people that needs to realize our qualities and power...It means that we will stop selling ourselves short and also stop allowing white liberals to sell us short.

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

The truth of the matter is that we are an empowered people that needs to realize our qualities and power...It means that we will stop selling ourselves short and also stop allowing white liberals to sell us short.

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

The truth of the matter is that we are an empowered people that needs to realize our qualities and power...It means that we will stop selling ourselves short and also stop allowing white liberals to sell us short.

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

The truth of the matter is that we are an empowered people that needs to realize our qualities and power...It means that we will stop selling ourselves short and also stop allowing white liberals to sell us short.

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS

The truth of the matter is that we are an empowered people that needs to realize our qualities and power...It means that we will stop selling ourselves short and also stop allowing white liberals to sell us short.

Just want to make sure folks who don't know, will now pursue the reason why they must know...

[DSTCHAOS]

That was my Presidential campaign speech. DSTChaos in 2066. I'll be 89 by then so I won't care about assassination attempts (if there hasn't been a nonwhite and nonmale President by then already).

[Bajan_Delta]

This is a very informative thread. Being non-American, it's very interesting to hear the varying points of view on this topic. I don't have anything to contribute to the conversation as I don't believe that I'm equipped to speak on it. Carry on the dialogue, enlighten me.

[DSTCHAOS]

The Black vs. African American debate isn't important to me.

The important thing is understanding what being Black/African American entails, which is what this thread is about.

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

Just want to make sure folks who don't know, will now pursue the reason why they must know...

Originally Posted by DSTCHAOS
The truth of the matter is that we are an empowered people that needs to realize our qualities and power...It means that we will stop selling ourselves short and also stop allowing white liberals to sell us short.

I agree with both comments.

I think by using the term AA, it just satisfies a broad, generalized category. There is no distinction for each individual African nation where we could be from.

How many Hispanics do you know go around calling themselves Hispanic American. None. The term Hispanic generally refers to those people of Latin American descent from Central and South American countries and a few Carribean Islands. Hispanic is a government form 'catch-all' term for those people. If you don't believe me, the next time you meet a Puerto Rican, call him a Mexican and see what kind of response you get. Afterall, they are all Hispanic, right? (being sarcastic) I'm sure you will get a quick lecture on the differences between the two cultures and countries.

So yes, we (AA/Blacks) should be about the business of seeking out our ancestry so that we really know where we came from in Africa, and not just settle for the white liberal's self guilt-easing term of using AA.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally Posted by sigmadiva

I agree with both comments.

I think by using the term AA, it just satisfies a broad, generalized category. There is no distinction for each individual African nation where we could be from.

...

So yes, we (AA/Blacks) should be about the business of seeking out our ancestry so that we really know where we came from in Africa, and not just settle for the white liberal's self guilt-easing term of using AA.

My husband has a problem with using the term African American.

For me, the fact that we can be called something that ties us to a land long lost from our ancestors.

Really we can be called something else much more derogatory and an epithet.

I do not have a problem with being called Black. However, because reference to it can be lowercased and it only refers to a polymorphism in our genes and has no biological significance.

Being tied to a land actually does have a biological significance, at least I can think of relevancy of how individuals use to live and may be currently living, i.e. nomadic vs. stationary lifestyle. Arid regions vs. tropical. Etc.

Also, I do not think it is caucasian liberal guilt were all the reasons for the African American designation. Many civil rights leaders fought a lot the governmental system to get the AA designation.

Now, I have been seeing over last few years some resentment and I am wondering where in the world these illogical concepts are coming from?

[sigmadiva]

Originally Posted by AKA_Monet

My husband has a problem with using the term African American.

For me, the fact that we can be called something that ties us to a land long lost from our ancestors.

I agree with you, but the land itself so diverse. I think to refer to the whole continent to indicate our heritage is not wrong, or bad, it is just too broad. I think it would be better / nice to know exactly where my ancestors came from. I'd much rather be known as a Nigerian American, Ghanan American, etc. as opposed to an African American. I would like my designation to be more specific so I could really embrace my cultural background.

Really we can be called something else much more derogatory and an epithet.

How true. And we have......

I do not have a problem with being called Black. However, because reference to it can be lowercased and it only refers to a polymorphism in our genes and has no biological significance.

Well, maybe we should be called the hypermelanist people.

Being tied to a land actually does have a biological significance, at least I can think of relevancy of how individuals use to live and may be currently living, i.e. nomadic vs. stationary lifestyle. Arid regions vs. tropical. Etc.

Right, it does. Again, that has been my whole point of knowing our exact origin in Africa as opposed to just knowing we came from that continent.

If I remember my Genetics 101 correctly, the reason some Blacks have sickle cell anemia (an alteration in the hemoglobin protein), or is a carrier for the trait is because the parasite that causes malaria resides in the blood cell. When the red blood cell 'sickles', this prevents the Plasmodium that causes malaria from being able to survive in the blood. The Plasmodium is prevalent in equatorial Africa, where some of our ancestors came from, but many Africans brought to this country were not from equatorial Africa. So, those Africans not from equatorial Africa may not have the sickle cell trait. You're right that coming from a land, or a region of a land does have biological significance.

Now, I have been seeing over last few years some resentment and I am wondering where in the world these illogical concepts are coming from?

I don't know. I personally don't resent it as much as I think it is used as a broad term to classify people of African heritage.

[CrimsonTide4]

FYI: Any posts by ANYONE that does not pertain to this topic, are derogatory, etc. will be deleted at my discretion.