I'm French, from the French West Indies. Does that make me Afro-French? Do I want to be known as that? Well, no. I don't even want to be considered French.

As for the term African-American, I think BooDah was right to mention the fact that the term or concept of Africa contains a vast array of countries and cultures: From the very Arab and Arab-influenced Northern Africa and Sahel regions to West Africa (from where the men who were made into slaves were mainly taken), to East Africa to Madagascar, with its mainly Polynesian culture. East and West Africa have two distinctly different original cultures and colonial experiences (one largely French, the other largely English). I say this from first-hand experience, having lived 5 years in Kenya and traveled to Western Africa.

On top of that, the "black" american culture is it's own. Just like the "white" australian culture is it's own or the South American experience is its own, neither African nor Spanish. To me, the term African-American has never made sense.



AIM: mke1978

"L'actualité régionale: c'est vous qui la vivez, c'est nous qui en vivons"
In English:
"Local news: you live it, we live off it"
- Jules-Edouard Moustic, 20H20

"There's no blood in my body/It's liquid soul in my veins"
- Roots Manuva (check the fantastic album "Brand New Second Hand")