The multiple personality syndrome of the post-modern African in the diaspora.
To be or not to be-African !?
How do I jive to Tupac and still gyrate to 2face ?
How do I appreciate hors d'oeuvres, and still salivate for Garri ?
How can I be modernly western , and yet wholly African ?
How do I identify with the 'Obama dream' and still hold on to the Pan-African ideals of Nkrumah ?
To be or not to be ? "Hmm... I can't say "
How do I integrate into where i live (or was born) and not sacrifice who I am and where I come from ?
How do I to portray my 'civilised western expression', and not forsake my intrinsic African connection?
To be or not to be ? "Hmm...I really cant say! "
In my wanderings and encounters with the younger generations of Africans, especially those in the diaspora, I have heard, noticed or deduced this inner struggle with who we are, what we are , and ultimately how we want to be seen or identified. Some will call it an identity crisis ; others will term it forsaking your roots. Whatever name it is called, this conundrum runs from Berlin to Los Angeles; from the Mediterranean to Moscow . It is the dilemma the young African generation face in defining themselves , and finding the right balance between where they come from, and where they ultimately are headed. The issue only gets more complicated with second and third generations - those who were born of African parents but have never really known what their heritage is, or had the attachment to Africa that some of the older generation possess. These younger ones face an even more difficult task - their names betray their ancestry, but their personalities have no resemblance to the continent to which they are identified with by society. This younger generation i presume, have the option of being defined by how comfortable they are with their place of birth or ancestry. I think it will serve you well to learn about where your parents come from, and that might help you choose how you want to represent yourself.
The abiding question is ; Why the confusion ? If you were born in Africa , then why try to be something else? And in all truth , there is no simple answer to that question. But the closest answer is the fact that you simply are not the 'African' as defined by our parents and our past. The new generation do not identify with the mediocrity and failures of the past generations because they themselves have come out and succeeded in chasing their dreams. So in as much as they are African, it is hard to identify with that tag, because it simply is not who they are! The naked uncivilized African; the blood thirsty African ; the not-so-smart or cool African; the ever-warring African ; The African as defined by the John Lockes of the western world, and the Africa perpetrated by the Mubutus and the Idi Amins. Yes, they identify this as their history but refuse to accept these people and their principles as representative of who they have become. At the same time, they do feel inherently different from those around them, even though they might speak fluent German or articulate like the Scousers or Yankees. In the end, we find ourselves not belonging here and not accepting to belong 'there'.
What to do ? A classic case of a generational multiple personality disorder, where you seem to behave completely differently when you are in the presence of Westerners or Africans. We find ourselves being second best and pitiful knock-off versions of who we want to be, as we try to be something we are not. Because in reality we cannot beat African-Americans at being African-American !? Or the Jamaicans at being Caribbean !? We are not African-American , or Brit or Caribbean..No! We are simply ' African'. Try any other way and you will come off as fake and phony, and miss out on the enormous personality, potential and prestige that can be, if we become the best version of us! The good thing is - you don't have to be phony to be accepted! There is a niche out there just for you, and nobody else does it better!
First off , I believe it is not a question of 'this' or 'that'. I think we should be allowed to have the best of both worlds, because we belong to both (because, face it; we wont be having this discussion if either of these separate cultures and worldviews were intrinsically appealing to our entirety)! That is who we are ! And yes, this is what we define as African. We do not have to avoid the subject - we instead need to change the terms and definitions. For us, Africa is described by a knowledge of our rich culture , but also a western influence ingrained in our music and our intellect. Being African now means being a master of more than one language and more than one accent. We can quote J. P. Sartre as easily as we can rattle the words of Soyinka, Achebe, and Mongo Beti. Our heros as as much Mandela and Biko as they are Obama. We are unapologetic about the fact that we can speak impeccable English but then rattle pidgin and broken in the same breath! Today's African is defined as the multi-talented and multi-cultural black and brown beaus/beauties, who know the different vintages of wine, but will never forget the taste of palm wine. We like the white marriage robes, but we still give prominence to our colourful traditional wedding ceremonies! Family and community still matter alot to us, but we try to be as self-reliant as possible. We have become versed in both YOUR history and OUR history...and we make no apologies for knowing so much , seeing so much, and being so much.
It is a pity you cannot categorize us into this and that anymore...because in all truth, we are no longer that easily lumped into those stereotypes. We should celebrate our uniqueness as a continent ,and diversity as individual countries in the whole; giving full reverence to our ancestry and heritage, but also accepting the western components of who we have become. It is ok to rap along with Jay-Z in flawless 'flow', and still be able to 'Ginga your swagga'. We can recite Shakespeare and Tennyson, but still discuss the literary nuances of Ngugi and Senghor.We grew up listening to both Micheal Jackson and Prince Nico; Kofiu Olomide. We are unapologetic about our plurality. don't hate… appreciate! ...uhuh! we can say it like that too! Let nobody tell you otherwise...IT IS OK! If they can't handle your multi-dimensionality...that's their loss, but this is how we define 'African' now. We are a product of our history and our politics; of our past and our present;We are a generation with influences from every country we have settled in seeking a better life ; We are African and couldn't be any prouder!
But for us to be able to change the existing paradigm ; for the prevailing perception to shift from the 'old African ' to the 'new African', we have alot to do, and a long way to go. Some things we have to do to ourselves first, before the rest of the world can believe our new definition of being African. We have to :
Learn. Represent. Educate.
We have to Learn. Know about where we come from. Know where your parents come from.' My people die for lack of knowledge' the Bible says ; our identity will die principally from lack of knowledge, not only by the rest of the world but also by us. Learn about the mistakes the triumphs and the rich culture of your country and Africa as a whole, that makes you so uniquely different from every other black person in the world. Learn about Guinea and Ghana ; the Zulu and Kanem Bornu empires . About Kenyatta and Nyerere. Remember the languages you use back home (I daresay especially pidgin due to its near universality for the English speaking countries), and strive to make your kids know them too. You can only be proud of something you know.
We have to Represent . Show where we come from. Be the best of the best where ever we are, and recognise our African heritage at every possible turn. We should suit up and dress up in the very best there is out there, but not fail to include the astounding variety and class of our African designs and designers. We should listen to our music in the same playlist as the rnbs,souls and hiphops of this world, and communicate our coolness to one another and our progeny. We need to 'hype us up' , because no one else will!
We have to Educate. We have to introduce the world to the new African. Teach your friends, colleagues, and contemporaries about the Africa you know. Tell them about the good, the bad and the ugly; make them know the truth about that reality which has been skewed over time by the media and the press. Tell them a different story of Africa - as Chimamanda will put it- our really happy childhoods (we didn't have Nintendo , but how we jumped rope and played football!), our communal and infectious singing and dancing, our courteous neighbours. Don't hide the pain and the suffering either, but let them know that despite all the doom and gloom, we could always find a way to smile and be one of the happier continents in the world. Tell them the story of the doctors and nurses who made it from lowly beginnings in Africa and are living the American dream; introduce them to the lawyers and bankers in Britain who barely made it through secondary school but now are living and achieving their dreams; let them know of the engineers in Bavaria who despite the inaccessible lab resources have become the go-to men and women of their companies. Introduce them to YOU and ME.Make them see the intellectual , classy, and diverse African. And do not apologize for having a slightly different accent....they do have an accent too you know! Ultimately , living in the western world, you have to be able to sell your identity. Its all about the packaging, and the confidence with which that packaging is presented.
Methinks we are in a defining era wherein if we succeed to change the terms on which we as Africans are defined, then we would have done a service not only to ourselves, but the our children and our childrens children. They no longer will face the everlasting question of 'to be or not to be' ?. Our redefinition of what it is to be African will foster confidence and camaraderie amongst us, and ultimately, the hope and potential we have shall flourish and blossom as we re-introduce Africa to the world. We would have succeeded in stopping ourselves from asking these questions, and letting others do the asking and wondering. But this time around when the questions come , we will be ready with the answers, because we have it all sorted !
To be or not to be ? "Hmm! Not really.... lemme introduce you to Africa; let me introduce you to ME!"
SoP --- 27/10/10
To be or not to be-African !?
How do I jive to Tupac and still gyrate to 2face ?
How do I appreciate hors d'oeuvres, and still salivate for Garri ?
How can I be modernly western , and yet wholly African ?
How do I identify with the 'Obama dream' and still hold on to the Pan-African ideals of Nkrumah ?
To be or not to be ? "Hmm... I can't say "
How do I integrate into where i live (or was born) and not sacrifice who I am and where I come from ?
How do I to portray my 'civilised western expression', and not forsake my intrinsic African connection?
To be or not to be ? "Hmm...I really cant say! "
In my wanderings and encounters with the younger generations of Africans, especially those in the diaspora, I have heard, noticed or deduced this inner struggle with who we are, what we are , and ultimately how we want to be seen or identified. Some will call it an identity crisis ; others will term it forsaking your roots. Whatever name it is called, this conundrum runs from Berlin to Los Angeles; from the Mediterranean to Moscow . It is the dilemma the young African generation face in defining themselves , and finding the right balance between where they come from, and where they ultimately are headed. The issue only gets more complicated with second and third generations - those who were born of African parents but have never really known what their heritage is, or had the attachment to Africa that some of the older generation possess. These younger ones face an even more difficult task - their names betray their ancestry, but their personalities have no resemblance to the continent to which they are identified with by society. This younger generation i presume, have the option of being defined by how comfortable they are with their place of birth or ancestry. I think it will serve you well to learn about where your parents come from, and that might help you choose how you want to represent yourself.
The abiding question is ; Why the confusion ? If you were born in Africa , then why try to be something else? And in all truth , there is no simple answer to that question. But the closest answer is the fact that you simply are not the 'African' as defined by our parents and our past. The new generation do not identify with the mediocrity and failures of the past generations because they themselves have come out and succeeded in chasing their dreams. So in as much as they are African, it is hard to identify with that tag, because it simply is not who they are! The naked uncivilized African; the blood thirsty African ; the not-so-smart or cool African; the ever-warring African ; The African as defined by the John Lockes of the western world, and the Africa perpetrated by the Mubutus and the Idi Amins. Yes, they identify this as their history but refuse to accept these people and their principles as representative of who they have become. At the same time, they do feel inherently different from those around them, even though they might speak fluent German or articulate like the Scousers or Yankees. In the end, we find ourselves not belonging here and not accepting to belong 'there'.
What to do ? A classic case of a generational multiple personality disorder, where you seem to behave completely differently when you are in the presence of Westerners or Africans. We find ourselves being second best and pitiful knock-off versions of who we want to be, as we try to be something we are not. Because in reality we cannot beat African-Americans at being African-American !? Or the Jamaicans at being Caribbean !? We are not African-American , or Brit or Caribbean..No! We are simply ' African'. Try any other way and you will come off as fake and phony, and miss out on the enormous personality, potential and prestige that can be, if we become the best version of us! The good thing is - you don't have to be phony to be accepted! There is a niche out there just for you, and nobody else does it better!
First off , I believe it is not a question of 'this' or 'that'. I think we should be allowed to have the best of both worlds, because we belong to both (because, face it; we wont be having this discussion if either of these separate cultures and worldviews were intrinsically appealing to our entirety)! That is who we are ! And yes, this is what we define as African. We do not have to avoid the subject - we instead need to change the terms and definitions. For us, Africa is described by a knowledge of our rich culture , but also a western influence ingrained in our music and our intellect. Being African now means being a master of more than one language and more than one accent. We can quote J. P. Sartre as easily as we can rattle the words of Soyinka, Achebe, and Mongo Beti. Our heros as as much Mandela and Biko as they are Obama. We are unapologetic about the fact that we can speak impeccable English but then rattle pidgin and broken in the same breath! Today's African is defined as the multi-talented and multi-cultural black and brown beaus/beauties, who know the different vintages of wine, but will never forget the taste of palm wine. We like the white marriage robes, but we still give prominence to our colourful traditional wedding ceremonies! Family and community still matter alot to us, but we try to be as self-reliant as possible. We have become versed in both YOUR history and OUR history...and we make no apologies for knowing so much , seeing so much, and being so much.
It is a pity you cannot categorize us into this and that anymore...because in all truth, we are no longer that easily lumped into those stereotypes. We should celebrate our uniqueness as a continent ,and diversity as individual countries in the whole; giving full reverence to our ancestry and heritage, but also accepting the western components of who we have become. It is ok to rap along with Jay-Z in flawless 'flow', and still be able to 'Ginga your swagga'. We can recite Shakespeare and Tennyson, but still discuss the literary nuances of Ngugi and Senghor.We grew up listening to both Micheal Jackson and Prince Nico; Kofiu Olomide. We are unapologetic about our plurality. don't hate… appreciate! ...uhuh! we can say it like that too! Let nobody tell you otherwise...IT IS OK! If they can't handle your multi-dimensionality...that's their loss, but this is how we define 'African' now. We are a product of our history and our politics; of our past and our present;We are a generation with influences from every country we have settled in seeking a better life ; We are African and couldn't be any prouder!
But for us to be able to change the existing paradigm ; for the prevailing perception to shift from the 'old African ' to the 'new African', we have alot to do, and a long way to go. Some things we have to do to ourselves first, before the rest of the world can believe our new definition of being African. We have to :
Learn. Represent. Educate.
We have to Learn. Know about where we come from. Know where your parents come from.' My people die for lack of knowledge' the Bible says ; our identity will die principally from lack of knowledge, not only by the rest of the world but also by us. Learn about the mistakes the triumphs and the rich culture of your country and Africa as a whole, that makes you so uniquely different from every other black person in the world. Learn about Guinea and Ghana ; the Zulu and Kanem Bornu empires . About Kenyatta and Nyerere. Remember the languages you use back home (I daresay especially pidgin due to its near universality for the English speaking countries), and strive to make your kids know them too. You can only be proud of something you know.
We have to Represent . Show where we come from. Be the best of the best where ever we are, and recognise our African heritage at every possible turn. We should suit up and dress up in the very best there is out there, but not fail to include the astounding variety and class of our African designs and designers. We should listen to our music in the same playlist as the rnbs,souls and hiphops of this world, and communicate our coolness to one another and our progeny. We need to 'hype us up' , because no one else will!
We have to Educate. We have to introduce the world to the new African. Teach your friends, colleagues, and contemporaries about the Africa you know. Tell them about the good, the bad and the ugly; make them know the truth about that reality which has been skewed over time by the media and the press. Tell them a different story of Africa - as Chimamanda will put it- our really happy childhoods (we didn't have Nintendo , but how we jumped rope and played football!), our communal and infectious singing and dancing, our courteous neighbours. Don't hide the pain and the suffering either, but let them know that despite all the doom and gloom, we could always find a way to smile and be one of the happier continents in the world. Tell them the story of the doctors and nurses who made it from lowly beginnings in Africa and are living the American dream; introduce them to the lawyers and bankers in Britain who barely made it through secondary school but now are living and achieving their dreams; let them know of the engineers in Bavaria who despite the inaccessible lab resources have become the go-to men and women of their companies. Introduce them to YOU and ME.Make them see the intellectual , classy, and diverse African. And do not apologize for having a slightly different accent....they do have an accent too you know! Ultimately , living in the western world, you have to be able to sell your identity. Its all about the packaging, and the confidence with which that packaging is presented.
Methinks we are in a defining era wherein if we succeed to change the terms on which we as Africans are defined, then we would have done a service not only to ourselves, but the our children and our childrens children. They no longer will face the everlasting question of 'to be or not to be' ?. Our redefinition of what it is to be African will foster confidence and camaraderie amongst us, and ultimately, the hope and potential we have shall flourish and blossom as we re-introduce Africa to the world. We would have succeeded in stopping ourselves from asking these questions, and letting others do the asking and wondering. But this time around when the questions come , we will be ready with the answers, because we have it all sorted !
To be or not to be ? "Hmm! Not really.... lemme introduce you to Africa; let me introduce you to ME!"
SoP --- 27/10/10
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