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>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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