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Subject: "RE: African vs./or African American" This topic is locked.
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odu
Member since Jun 02nd 2002
33 posts
Mon Jun-12-00 01:39 PM

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45. "RE: African vs./or African American"
In response to In response to 44


          


>I doubt if the Black Diaspora
>dwell on the sensitivity issue;
>and I very much doubt
>that droves of Black people
>around the world acupuncture themselves
>every morning simply because Africa
>appears to be downing gallons
>of insensitivity pills.

I'm not sure what you mean by this.

>
>What Africa needs too quickly be
>aware of is that these
>are all it's children; it
>is high time Africa starts
>capitalizing on that fact.
>There is no reason why
>a symbiotic relationship cannot work.

Can you elaborate? I'd say the dual-citizenship plans (Ghana) and elaborate tourism industry (Senegal) are examples of Africa "capitalizing" on our mutual connections. Remember, we're talking about developing economies with huge foreign debts (Nigeria is a leader with $30 billion owed).

>The argument about missing gaps in
>history is well documented; indeed
>human history is one huge
>leaking vessel. You cannot
>underestimate the great robbery done
>by Europe and affiliates when
>colonization was firmly in place.
> Oral history, which still
>remains intact, only does so
>out of the sheer stubbornness
>of a people.

Actually, oral history is the preferred medium of record in sub-Saharan Africa. Literate societies still passed on historically notable information by means of a court singer (the griot in Senegambia; the oriki singer in Yoruba-speaking nations).

But you
>cannot tell me that the
>very nature and structure of
>colonization is of no more
>significance.

Okay. I promise I won't tell you that. In fact, I completely agree.

>It is important to understand that
>there are huge portions or
>chunks of data irrevocably deleted.
> Think, how would Africa
>have developed if for example
>the tentacles of Christianity or
>Islam had not reached the
>continent; take a look at
>the languages in West Africa
>and tell me how many
>will survive the next century;
>on the subject of languages
>how many Nigerians for example
>can competently read and write
>the Yoruba language.

Why should they read and write what is essentially a spoken tongue? Written Yoruba is an invention of the missionaries. Yoruba is an oral language that is more widely-spread than it has ever been at any other point in its history. Similiarly, the larger language groups (Hausa, Nupe, Asante, Ibo, Wolof etc) face no particular threat of elimination. Kids go home and speak to their parents in their native tongue, no matter what they learn in school. There are around 200 languages (and many more dialects) spoken in Nigeria alone. Are they all going to survive in pristine form? It's impossible. Smaller language groups may become obselete, but that's the way of all things. It's not particular to Africa. T

Why was
>it so important to instill
>into a culture foreign languages;
>was it not a way
>of robbing out an existing
>history. I wonder what
>the French are panicking for
>as we enter a new
>millennium and fears of the
>French language loosing ground abound?

I don't know why myself. Those French-speaking former colonies are unlikely to give it up anytime soon, if only for convenience.
>
>Of course as we dwell on
>the sociological ramifications of a
>culture fractured in time and
>space; it is as you
>have indicated important to know
>that real people have real
>problems. Making money plus
>simply surviving is of course
>paramount; but we cannot all
>be sustained by money –
>you must know the American
>cliché ‘ if you are
>rich you must also be
>unhappy.’ Remember Biggie’s retort
>on the subject.
>
>Finally a better example of cross
>communication would be the work
>‘Spearhead’ is doing or ‘Louis
>Armstrong’ did. Somehow knowing
>that Tupac has permeated the
>Senegalese culture (pop) is
>indeed for all intent purposes
>very bleak indeed.

I disagree. Considering Tupac's pedigree and the subject of his more serious songs, I think he ranked in the top tier of politically sound MCs. Read a couple of his last interviews about his plans for forming a political party, or his efforts on behalf of jailed Black Panthers, who were friends of his family. Anyway, he is merely an example; Bob Marley is probably even more popular and look how long he's been dead. The point is that people are making Pan-African connections and they are realizing that our problems and solutions are forever entwined.

Bob Marley was dismissed as too rough and untutored by the Jamaican elite. It was his overwhelming popularity with the people that brought him any kind of international notice.

  

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African vs./or African American [View all] , nappiness, Thu Jun-08-00 09:03 AM
 
Subject Author Message Date ID
You asked
Jun 08th 2000
1
Amen, Boodah...
Jun 09th 2000
19
      Are you around Africans born in Africa much
Jun 09th 2000
30
           Thought I Was Alone
Jun 09th 2000
32
                I'm not arguing....
Jun 09th 2000
33
                     I Feel You
Jun 09th 2000
35
                          RE: I Feel You
Jun 09th 2000
36
I want somma dis but
Jun 08th 2000
2
Listen to NuShooz...
Jun 08th 2000
3
      Black on Both sides
KoalaLove
Jun 08th 2000
4
      I'm sure I'll regret this
Jun 09th 2000
14
           I said
KoalaLove
Jun 09th 2000
16
                "damn" ?
Jun 09th 2000
20
                     What did I say!?
KoalaLove
Jun 09th 2000
22
                          Stop yelling at me, dammit!
Jun 09th 2000
25
      NO HYPHEN!!!!
Jun 08th 2000
7
      Boo, have I told you
Jun 09th 2000
15
RE: African vs./or African American
Jun 08th 2000
5
RE: African vs./or African American
Jun 08th 2000
6
      PLAY NICE
Jun 08th 2000
9
      RE: African vs./or African American
Jun 08th 2000
11
           RE: African vs./or African American
Jun 09th 2000
23
                Hey odu
Jun 09th 2000
24
                     RE: Hey odu
Jun 09th 2000
29
RE: African vs./or African American
sinestress
Jun 08th 2000
8
"Black Is Black"
Jun 08th 2000
10
Dope
Jun 08th 2000
12
RE:
Jun 09th 2000
27
      Its Cool...
Jun 09th 2000
40
           RE: Its Cool...
Jun 14th 2000
55
RE: African vs./or African American
Xala
Jun 08th 2000
13
RE: African vs./or African American
Jun 09th 2000
17
      RE: African vs./or African American
Xala
Jun 09th 2000
21
           True dat - on the TV thing
Jun 09th 2000
26
           EACH ONE TEACH ONE
Jun 11th 2000
42
           RE: African vs./or African American
Jun 09th 2000
28
           RE: African vs./or African American
Xala
Jun 12th 2000
44
               
                     RE: African vs./or African American
Xala
Jun 13th 2000
50
                          RE: African vs./or African American
Jun 14th 2000
54
                               RE: African vs./or African American
Jun 14th 2000
56
           RE: African vs./or African American
Jun 10th 2000
41
all of this reminds me...
Jun 09th 2000
18
If they are white & living in Africa
Jun 09th 2000
31
RE: If they are white & living in Africa
Jun 09th 2000
34
I hear you, but...
Jun 09th 2000
37
      my experience
Quinn
Jun 09th 2000
38
           RE: my experience
Jun 09th 2000
39
RE: If they are white & living in Africa
Xala
Jun 11th 2000
43
Call my view "limited"
Jun 13th 2000
46
RE: Call my view
Jun 13th 2000
47
      Way to win support. . .
Jun 13th 2000
48
why african over african american
earthboy
Jun 13th 2000
49
concept
dr_no
Jun 14th 2000
51
      good points!
Jun 14th 2000
52
           RE: good points!
Jun 14th 2000
53
           RE: good points!
Xala
Jun 14th 2000
58
race matters
Jiggly_Puff
Jun 14th 2000
57

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