Black Culture Discussion Thread

[gry60]

Ya'll are on a roll with the BS in here today

The part that kills me is him trashing the kid's name at his graduation ceremony.

Some people have ridiculous names, but to find the time to put a kid down at an event that celebrates academic success says a lot about his mindset.

 

[Present]

Useful. Practical. I think we all agree on those points, but there has to also be some kind of agitation for change. MLK Jr wasn't just out there accepting the world the way it was under the guise of being useful and practical. But we've all already agreed both things are true. So you don't name the kid the name, addressing that, but then you gotta address the racist hiring manager by some (any?) means.

The only real answer is to have our own...like we did before integration.

Unfortunately, there is no "we" anymore because those folks were hiring

 

[gry60]

most folk on the continent of africa don't necessarily describe or think of themselves as 'african' so what would it mean for black folk in america to think this?

That's not correct.

In a lot of African cultures, mere marriage into a different ethnic group is enough for an African (typically the wife) to identify (and be recognized by the majority of the new ethnic group) as a member. This is a practice that predates European contact, and the only thing colonialism slavery have done is to reinforce race as yet another layer by which Africans define themselves.

Most Africans are not "x" or "y," they are "x" and "y:" Black, Igbo, Naija, AND African. Identity is very layered and contextual.

 

[tokes99]

That's not correct.

In a lot of African cultures, mere marriage into a different ethnic group is enough for an African (typically the wife) to identify (and be recognized by the majority of the new ethnic group) as a member. This is a practice that predates European contact, and the only thing colonialism slavery have done is to reinforce race as yet another layer by which Africans define themselves.

Most Africans are not "x" or "y," they are "x" and "y:" Black, Igbo, Naija, AND African. Identity is very layered and contextual.

so is it your position there is a broad or generic 'africanness' that folk on the continent of africa truly identify with beyond the geographic reality? i don't find this to be true & your example doesn't really make that point or discount my statement, i'm open to an argument otherwise...there are folks that will talk as if there is, hopefully/wishfully, but i don't really see this being the case

i don't think my assertion is that particular to the continent of africa, not sure there is necessarily an 'asian,' 'european,' 'hispanic,' identify that the respective 'races' would identify with...the french, nordics, russians, swedes, etc. don't really generically identify as 'european' or think of a shared 'europeanness' same w/'asians' & 'hispanics' outside of some instances of shared language or in comparison, maybe some historians do have more perspective but most folk do not

 

[fluid hips]

Black folk that cry at these white award shows when they win and go on stage to accept an award be pissing me off

This shh gotta stop. Can't be giving mfs the satisfaction of thinking they have power over you

 

[fluid hips]

#Respectabilities

I know, I know. Only people that care about what white folks think would have an issue with the name.

I get it.

Crazy thing is, this is actually common in the Afro latino Caribbean islands

We really are similar regardless of where the slave ships landed but mfs wanna play the divide and conquer game that doesn't benefit us

 

[fluid hips]

And I understand and get it when cats like Tariq want to push being 'FBA'

It's from feeling abandoned so naturally you're going to want to feel disassociated from Africa. Like a kid never having their parents in their life then popping up 18 years later and wanting to be in the kid's life all of a sudden. I get it and not mad at it.

 

[Present]

And I understand and get it when cats like Tariq want to push being 'FBA'

It's from feeling abandoned so naturally you're going to want to feel disassociated from Africa. Like a kid never having their parents in their life then popping up 18 years later and wanting to be in the kid's life all of a sudden. I get it and not mad at it.

Interesting POV.

Personally, I don't agree.

My lived experience is more like this:



I live in the DMV and have experienced it from African men and women, from Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Nigeria.

Sometimes covert, sometimes overt. We cool up to a certain point, but eventually it comes out one way or another.

And before anyone says it... spare me the "not all" logical fallacy.

It's only natural. I don't take it personally.

People are just people, and even if I never had these experiences, I still wouldn't forsake my own identity and culture for anyone else's.

I'm extremely proud of who I am and where I come from.

Our Fathers are buried right here on this soil.

I don't need validation from any other culture and definitely ain't looking for a daddy.

Imagine a Black American moving to Abuja and making an afrobeat song/video titled "Booty Scratcher."

Only in America, Fam.

Spoiler

 

[Master Zik]

 

[tay1]

And I understand and get it when cats like Tariq want to push being 'FBA'

It's from feeling abandoned so naturally you're going to want to feel disassociated from Africa. Like a kid never having their parents in their life then popping up 18 years later and wanting to be in the kid's life all of a sudden. I get it and not mad at it.

Nah. Originally it was for reparations.

Now its a right wing grift because Tariq is a raccoon.

 

[gry60]

so is it your position there is a broad or generic 'africanness' that folk on the continent of africa truly identify with beyond the geographic reality?

Yes.
This africaness is reflected in the music, food, language, arts, and general attitude towards living and being part of a community. It’s this africaness that has allowed Africans to integrate the diaspora when moving abroad, and has helped the diaspora feel “at home” when returning to “most” parts of the continent.
However, identity is layered, and just because Africans recognize themselves as such, just because they will strongly recognize elements of their culture in another ethnicity’s culture, doesn’t mean they will prioritize their Africaness above every other identity they have.

i don't find this to be true & your example doesn't really make that point or discount my statement, i'm open to an argument otherwise...there are folks that will talk as if there is, hopefully/wishfully, but i don't really see this being the case

Grew up there.

It’s not just my opinion; it’s reality. The example I gave isn’t just speculation; it’s a description of how the traditional implications of marriage influence how people define themselves.

 

[fluid hips]

Interesting POV.

Personally, I don't agree.

My lived experience is more like this:



I live in the DMV and have experienced it from African men and women, from Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Nigeria.

Sometimes covert, sometimes overt. We cool up to a certain point, but eventually it comes out one way or another.

And before anyone says it... spare me the "not all" logical fallacy.

It's only natural. I don't take it personally.

People are just people, and even if I never had these experiences, I still wouldn't forsake my own identity and culture for anyone else's.

I'm extremely proud of who I am and where I come from.

Our Fathers are buried right here on this soil.

I don't need validation from any other culture and definitely ain't looking for a daddy.

Imagine a Black American moving to Abuja and making an afrobeat song/video titled "Booty Scratcher."

Only in America, Fam.

Spoiler

Dudes gotta stop taking this Hollywood shh as gospel

Mind you the director of the movie is a white Cuban

 

[tokes99]

Yes.
This africaness is reflected in the music, food, language, arts, and general attitude towards living and being part of a community. It’s this africaness that has allowed Africans to integrate the diaspora when moving abroad, and has helped the diaspora feel “at home” when returning to “most” parts of the continent.
However, identity is layered, and just because Africans recognize themselves as such, just because they will strongly recognize elements of their culture in another ethnicity’s culture, doesn’t mean they will prioritize their Africaness above every other identity they have.


Grew up there.

It’s not just my opinion; it’s reality. The example I gave isn’t just speculation; it’s a description of how the traditional implications of marriage influence how people define themselves.

africa is such a vast continent that for the majority of time has been separate & it’s not like the has ever been a unifying thing in modern times that would have changed that…i don’t really think there to be any broad ‘african-ness’ that exists beyond idealistic platitudes or commercial/consumer interests. your example of intermarriage acceptance/embrace is not the same as saying that different tribes across borders see each other as one thing (apart from recognizing their humanity and shared phenotype, & even that gets shaky at times )…

perhaps this exists regionally to some extent, but if man from central, east, north, south, & west african would agree on some centrality of a broad african community…even your example of the diaspora coalescing in other parts of the world could be more a result of their common experience of emigration and/or the accompanying subtle (often overt) feeling of difference/discrimination/ostracism of those places

 

[Present]

Dudes gotta stop taking this Hollywood shh as gospel

Mind you the director of the movie is a white Cuban

I'm actually impressed

Haven't seen someone make it a point to miss the point this hard in a very long time.

 

[DCAllAfrican]

Black folk that cry at these white award shows when they win and go on stage to accept an award be pissing me off

This shh gotta stop. Can't be giving mfs the satisfaction of thinking they have power over you

Or they know they have power over them (due to signing over their lives) and they are giving praise to their masters.

At that point, its exactly what younare saying it isnt.

 

[DCAllAfrican]

This is goofy as hell.

I'm mad he apologized for this.

 

[gry60]

Africa is such a vast continent that for the majority of time has been separate & it’s not like the has ever been a unifying thing in modern times that would have changed that

Separate from who? Themselves? Yes, the continent may be vast, but distance alone shouldn't lead to the generalization that pre-colonial civilizations were entirely isolated from each other. How do you think Islam spread from Eastern to Western Africa? From North to South? How do you think musical instruments and traditions spread across the entire continent?

There are so many resources that show how trade and conquests have led to widespread cultural exchanges and some level of cultural homogenization that it's bit difficult to take the statement above seriously.

…i don’t really think there to be any broad ‘african-ness’ that exists beyond idealistic platitudes or commercial/consumer interests.

To think that, you'd have to ignore a lot of features that many African cultures share, from mythology, to cuisine and cooking techniques, to musical similarities, to clothing similarities, to political systems, etc...

perhaps this exists regionally to some extent, but if man from central, east, north, south, & west african would agree on some centrality of a broad african community…even your example of the diaspora coalescing in other parts of the world could be more a result of their common experience of emigration and/or the accompanying subtle (often overt) feeling of difference/discrimination/ostracism of those places

The common experience you're looking for is colonization. Whether it was under Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, or the UK, the experience across the continent was common enough to spur and cement the adoption of a common African identity that superseded other identities centered around ethnicity, nationality, regionality, and culture. These identity layers didn't stop mattering; they just mattered less than being African, especially in the 2nd half of the 20th century. In addition, collaboration between continental Africans and the European and American black diasporas created a transatlantic black consciousness movement that culminated in the 1960s-1970s with the "end" of legalized southern segregation and the establishment of independent African nations (as flawed as the outcome was). Beyond cultural similarities, these shared political and social developments form the justification for a black global community.

You can argue that today, African identity matters less to Africans than their other identities (national, regional, ethnic, etc...). What you can't argue is that an African identity doesn't exist.

 

[fluid hips]

I'm actually impressed

Haven't seen someone make it a point to miss the point this hard in a very long time.

Bruh, you gotta understand that Africans have names for Nigerians too.

 

[DCAllAfrican]

A Target boycott ends with no concessions to DEI rollbacks. Here's why

A yearlong national boycott of Target over its DEI rollbacks has ended without concessions or changes to the company's diversity policy. Here's why.

www.usatoday.com

 

[Present]

Bruh, you gotta understand that Africans have names for Nigerians too.

Interesting POV to have, but...

Not sure why I "gotta understand" or should be cool with white folks using/calling me the N-word because (checks notes/by your logic) white folks have names for other white folks too.

What makes it even worse is that if it weren't for the blood, sweat, and tears of us so-called "akata," Africans wouldn't even be over here in the first place.

Then, to add on, fools are trying to force "akata" to identify with the folks that call us "akata"?

Well Im not knocking anyone else's decisions, but it's a hard pass for me, Bro

I'm good.

Starting to see where Tariq Nasheed is coming from.

Y'all about to turn me FBA with this foolishness

BTW - are you African by chance?

 

[tokes99]

You can argue that today, African identity matters less to Africans than their other identities (national, regional, ethnic, etc...). What you can't argue is that an African identity doesn't exist.

if starting with the acceptance of this as a premise, when does this ever manifest if this broad concept is superseded by everything else? i’d just argue more that identity is more narrow than is being suggested such that it makes way less sense that black americans could/should/would be expected to identify with this broad idea if africans on the continent themselves barely do or don’t really? and to what end??

there is a reason the peoples of the continent of africa have the most genetic diversity, not just be abuse of it being the theorized birthplace of humans but also because the populations were not in that consistent of contact…the spread of islam is more recent & arguably was more related trade than being african being generally regarded as an import from the middle east (leaving as an aside discussion about the possible origins/similarities of western religions to african religions)

people(s) definitely have multiple identities, some of which have hierarchy and/or can be in complete opposition, so i understand your point

 

[DCAllAfrican]

 

[TSCQ]

Interesting POV to have, but...

Not sure why I "gotta understand" or should be cool with white folks using/calling me the N-word because (checks notes/by your logic) white folks have names for other white folks too.

What makes it even worse is that if it weren't for the blood, sweat, and tears of us so-called "akata," Africans wouldn't even be over here in the first place.

Then, to add on, fools are trying to force "akata" to identify with the folks that call us "akata"?

Well Im not knocking anyone else's decisions, but it's a hard pass for me, Bro

I'm good.

Starting to see where Tariq Nasheed is coming from.

Y'all about to turn me FBA with this foolishness

BTW - are you African by chance?

P Present and fluid hips podcast show, let's get the ball rolling, I smell millions and see a henny bottle toss across the room.

 

[x Buddha Bless x]

 

[TSCQ]

i'm convince that muscle cat works for the c.i.a or some sec-op agency, also the movie is a must watch, many great actors in one film