Why Some Black Americans have emotional/spiritual breakdowns visiting the Slave Castles in Ghana? (vs, travel)
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I'll note on this that there are also African American cuisines that have roots in West Africa. Jollof rice, for instance, is the ancestor of Jambalaya here in the US. There are other dishes and especially ways of cooking that are similar. I have a DNA cousin who focuses on the African roots of African American cooking traditions.
I think that many black people from the Caribbean islands, and I'll just be honest, they seem to have a chip on their shoulder about them being "more" African in some way than African Americans. I don't look at them negatively for this nor do I feel any kind of way about their attitude. However, as someone who is very knowledgeable about African American history and culture, I know that we have just as many connections to Africa in regards to dialect, cuisine, cultural traditions, etc., as other black people of the African Diaspora.
However, I feel our culture here in America is unique, primarily because we have always been a so-called "minority" and we have a much more unified view of our demographic as a "community," based solely on our general African-ness/blackness. We are not as fractured culturally as other black people in this hemisphere nor of people in West Africa who often have a disdain for each other based on ethnic origins. To me, that is a huge strength we have that many of us refuse to acknowledge, oftentimes because an African or West Indian asserts some sort of cultural superiority over African Americans even though we are actually are the most well known, active, and successful groups of people of African descent on earth. We start trends that others follow in various ways, not just entertainment, but political and social movement. Our culture literally started and was based upon activism and asserting our rights and to me, that is a beautiful thing and very admirable. Unfortunately many African Americans are not apt to learn about our culture because they embrace an inferiority mindset about themselves as black in America and it (the inferiority messaging) comes not just from the legacy of white supremacy but also from other black people. I don't really like the ADOS movement, in relation to the ADOS warrior here. But I agree with the premise that African Americans are a very unique group in America and our culture is very deep and very intricately involved in the evolution of America and even of various other majority black nations as we inspired them to assert their own rights or assisted in some way with them achieving independence/liberty.
If we want to be honest... Many Caribbeans outside of Haitians and Afro-Cubans are no more "African influenced" than African-Americans/ADOS especially Anglo speaking Caribbeans. The thing about the Caribbean is that unlike America it has not been urbanized significantly. I bet no one knows that some of Bahamian culture and even ACCENTS has DIRECT ADOS Carolina/coastal influence.
Have of these posters commenting never been to the deep rural South where ADOS culture is at its strongest and you can see some Sahelian African influence. I remember those same posters(who are not even AA) trying to argue me down to death while never visiting those areas.
You don't have to agree with the ADOS movement but I'd wish more AAs would highlight their culture(not just URBAN culture which gets forced as being AAs only culture) that we can stop getting stuff like "we have no culture" or "we lost our African heritage." South Carolina(no not just Gullah/Geechee coast), Louisiana(no not just New Orleans), Mississippi delta, parts of Eastern Texas, northern Florida and even coastal Georgia are filled with "traits" of African culture. Obviously not as strong as Afro-Cuban which has a full light bulb but it still "flickers."
If we want to be honest... Many Caribbeans outside of Haitians and Afro-Cubans are no more "African influenced" than African-Americans/ADOS especially Anglo speaking Caribbeans. The thing about the Caribbean is that unlike America it has not been urbanized significantly. I bet no one knows that some of Bahamian culture and even ACCENTS has DIRECT ADOS Carolina/coastal influence.
Have of these posters commenting never been to the deep rural South where ADOS culture is at its strongest and you can see some Sahelian African influence. I remember those same posters(who are not even AA) trying to argue me down to death while never visiting those areas.
You don't have to agree with the ADOS movement but I'd wish more AAs would highlight their culture(not just URBAN culture which gets forced as being AAs only culture) that we can stop getting stuff like "we have no culture" or "we lost our African heritage." South Carolina(no not just Gullah/Geechee coast), Louisiana(no not just New Orleans), Mississippi delta, parts of Eastern Texas, northern Florida and even coastal Georgia are filled with "traits" of African culture. Obviously not as strong as Afro-Cuban which has a full light bulb but it still "flickers."
I consider myself an African American cultural warrior lol.
On the latter part of your comments, I'd add that all African Americans who have roots in this country of at least 150 years or more, if we were raised by black people or in/around a black community, then we have some aspects of African influence. I agree we have just as much as other people of the diaspora.
On the regions you mentioned, IMO they are on par, especially Geechee/Gullah with Afro-Cubans and other diasporic cousins in this hemisphere. Geechee/Gullah is the basis of culture of basically all African Americans.
I have roots on my maternal side from Pennsylvania, which abolished slavery gradually starting in 1780. Early media in Pennsylvania and especially Philadelphia from the early 1700s lambasted the free black population of that state and the surrounding area for speaking in a similar dialect as what we now know is Geechee/Gullah. Gullah is actually very similar as well to Jamaican patois and other pidgin languages of the diaspora in the English speaking hemisphere. I attended an HBCU in Georgia and had to take a course regarding the history of the English language. Because it was an HBCU, we learned a lot about the history of Black/African American Vernacular English (BVE/AAVE). It is very much connected to our African roots and nearly all of us use it at one time or another or understand it. Our elders oftentimes shamed us out of using it in previous generations (my grandmothers successfully got me to stop using it until I went to college and learned this and so today, I do use it almost all the time outside of business meetings). I feel it is one of the few gifts our demographic has from our ancestors.
I personally study a lot about our culture and am developing some cultural programs for college students to visit universities in South Carolina to learn about Geechee/Gullah language and culture. I'd love to start a rite of passage sort of program for a couple weeks and teach young people about the beauty of our culture in this way. There are some universities in the south (and even Harvard University has one) that have classes on Gullah language and culture.
I consider myself an African American cultural warrior lol.
On the latter part of your comments, I'd add that all African Americans who have roots in this country of at least 150 years or more, if we were raised by black people or in/around a black community, then we have some aspects of African influence. I agree we have just as much as other people of the diaspora.
On the regions you mentioned, IMO they are on par, especially Geechee/Gullah with Afro-Cubans and other diasporic cousins in this hemisphere.
The only thing Afro-Cubans beat out the Gullahs in is religion HOWEVER the Gullahs beat out Afro-Cubans in LANGUAGE.
Quote:
Originally Posted by residinghere2007
Geechee/Gullah is the basis of culture of basically all African Americans.
Not just Geechee/Gullah but South Carolina AAs in general. The Gullahs just retained that old ADOS SC/GA culture compared to other Blacks who left the coastal region. But yea agreed because South Carolina was a BIG cultural homebase for ADOS and many important events during slavery happened there. All of this makes it hard to separate the Geechee/Gullah from other ADOS people for certain people who have an agenda. Its all interconnected.
Quote:
Originally Posted by residinghere2007
I have roots on my maternal side from Pennsylvania, which abolished slavery gradually starting in 1780. Early media in Pennsylvania and especially Philadelphia from the early 1700s lambasted the free black population of that state and the surrounding area for speaking in a similar dialect as what we now know is Geechee/Gullah. Gullah is actually very similar as well to Jamaican patois and other pidgin languages of the diaspora in the English speaking hemisphere.
Many Black Loyalist from the Carolinas fled to the Bahamas after the war. But also during the Seminole wars(also the Gullah wars).
So that can explain why they sound similar.
Quote:
Originally Posted by residinghere2007
I attended an HBCU in Georgia and had to take a course regarding the history of the English language. Because it was an HBCU, we learned a lot about the history of Black/African American Vernacular English (BVE/AAVE). It is very much connected to our African roots and nearly all of us use it at one time or another or understand it. Our elders oftentimes shamed us out of using it in previous generations (my grandmothers successfully got me to stop using it until I went to college and learned this and so today, I do use it almost all the time outside of business meetings). I feel it is one of the few gifts our demographic has from our ancestors.
And yet people look down on AAVE.
Quote:
Originally Posted by residinghere2007
I personally study a lot about our culture and am developing some cultural programs for college students to visit universities in South Carolina to learn about Geechee/Gullah language and culture. I'd love to start a rite of passage sort of program for a couple weeks and teach young people about the beauty of our culture in this way. There are some universities in the south (and even Harvard University has one) that have classes on Gullah language and culture.
People cry when watching Hallmark commercials, ffs. Is it so hard to understand why they might become emotionally overwhelmed when thinking of the real experiences of real people that they have a personal connection to, while exploring a location that makes it all feel very concrete and recent?
People cry when watching Hallmark commercials, ffs. Is it so hard to understand why they might become emotionally overwhelmed when thinking of the real experiences of real people that they have a personal connection to, while exploring a location that makes it all feel very concrete and recent?
Exactly, it seem obvious why some one would have such a strong emotional response visiting a place like a slave castle. I am pretty sure I would cry. To think human beings actually had to go through those places, (including in my own family tree) it would be over whelming.
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However, I feel our culture here in America is unique, primarily because we have always been a so-called "minority" and we have a much more unified view of our demographic as a "community," based solely on our general African-ness/blackness. We are not as fractured culturally as other black people in this hemisphere nor of people in West Africa who often have a disdain for each other based on ethnic origins. To me, that is a huge strength we have that many of us refuse to acknowledge, oftentimes because an African or West Indian asserts some sort of cultural superiority over African Americans even though we are actually are the most well known, active, and successful groups of people of African descent on earth. We start trends that others follow in various ways, not just entertainment, but political and social movement. Our culture literally started and was based upon activism and asserting our rights and to me, that is a beautiful thing and very admirable. Unfortunately many African Americans are not apt to learn about our culture because they embrace an inferiority mindset about themselves as black in America and it (the inferiority messaging) comes not just from the legacy of white supremacy but also from other black people. I don't really like the ADOS movement, in relation to the ADOS warrior here. But I agree with the premise that African Americans are a very unique group in America and our culture is very deep and very intricately involved in the evolution of America and even of various other majority black nations as we inspired them to assert their own rights or assisted in some way with them achieving independence/liberty.
The degree to which the black immigrant receives a condescending attitude from black immigrants is the degree to which they portray a "loser" mentality. If Black America is defined as its poorest 1/3 and the narrative focuses on hopelessness and victimhood then clearly black immigrants, who are strivers as immigrants usually are, will look down on Black America.
Black Americans need to push aside those so called black leaders who project that narrative. Black Americans need to view a knowledge of the Reconstruction era as mandatory because it shows, in the height of extreme oppression, how many progressed. How many black Americans know that the reason why public school systems exist in the South is because of black Americans, who demanded access to this. Yet poor white Americans were the biggest beneficiaries.
The de facto/de jure implementation of Jim Crow led to huge reversals in the socio economic status of many blacks, which is why it becomes emotionally hard to embrace this period. But if black immigrants, and black Americans themselves, became more familiar with this era, there would be less of that disrespect.
Black Americans live in the USA and are an embedded part of what being an "American" is. One cannot be an American without having aspects of traits linked to black Americans. And yes the heritage of this country and its extreme Jim Crow, plus the one drop rule that was introduced during that period, forced peoples with varying degrees of African ancestry to have some degree of bonding with each other.
What bonding that black Americans have is NOT to do with anything "African" because much of its more "African" aspects, like the Gullah, are stigmatized by much of black America. In fact many black Americans look down on Southern black culture, calling it "country". There was a common experience because of he external forces of racism. So the creole elites of New Orleans had to join forces with the share croppers of Mississippi and the factory workers of Detroit.
Black Americans live in the richest nation on this planet and the one which dominates global media, so also global tastes. Black Americans have great influence over this. It is a function of living in the USA and being integral to what being "American" is all about . Every other "American" group is impacted by this style, even if they wish to deny it, but just play music and watch any group of Americans dance. Compare any group of Americans and their style and mannerism with Europeans. This being especially true for those in continental Europe, as the UK has become very US influenced.
So no wonder that black America impacts much of the rest of the global black world. It conveys "modernity" that many in the Caribbean, Africa and Latin America crave. Its civil rights struggles have provided language and a path for blacks in Latin America and Europe. The very ferocity of the anti black racism in the USA forced all blacks, even the light skinned ones, who could "pass for white" in Latin America to collectively struggle. No one could deny the extent of this racism (as they usually do in Europe and Latin America) so the lines were clear and the strategies to confront easier to establish.
Having said that this collective spirit is now over as the class cleavages WITHIN black America are now as wide as those which separate black and white America from each other.
If we want to be honest... Many Caribbeans outside of Haitians and Afro-Cubans are no more "African influenced" than African-Americans/ADOS especially Anglo speaking Caribbeans. The thing about the Caribbean is that unlike America it has not been urbanized significantly. I bet no one knows that some of Bahamian culture and even ACCENTS has DIRECT ADOS Carolina/coastal influence.
Have of these posters commenting never been to the deep rural South where ADOS culture is at its strongest and you can see some Sahelian African influence. I remember those same posters(who are not even AA) trying to argue me down to death while never visiting those areas.
You don't have to agree with the ADOS movement but I'd wish more AAs would highlight their culture(not just URBAN culture which gets forced as being AAs only culture) that we can stop getting stuff like "we have no culture" or "we lost our African heritage." South Carolina(no not just Gullah/Geechee coast), Louisiana(no not just New Orleans), Mississippi delta, parts of Eastern Texas, northern Florida and even coastal Georgia are filled with "traits" of African culture. Obviously not as strong as Afro-Cuban which has a full light bulb but it still "flickers."
1. Gullah culture is often portrayed as the most "African" aspect of black American culture. Seen in fact as an outlier. So cannot be used as evidence of how "African" black Americans are. In fact Gullah culture is more accurately seen as being a CARIBBEAN culture as South Carolina was initially colonized out of Barbados (not the UK) and Bajan influences remain very apparent. Hearing old Gullah people speak reminds me of a bunch of old Bajan women.
2. The notion that deep rural South is more African than deep rural Jamaica is a joke.
In fact there is a strong interface between the popular musics of Jamaica and Trinidad with West/West Central African music and dance. We can easily dance to each others music and much of Afropop can fit right into a Caribbean vibe, to the point where the listener mightn't even know that it is Nigerian. Pidgin English and all.
Then there are the dialects spoken in the English speaking Caribbean, which closely relate to the pidgin Englishes of West Africa. Once my ear gets attuned to it I can understand that which is spoken in Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Gullah is in fact one of the LEAST "African" of the Afro Caribbean creole Englishes. Its relation to those of the Bahamas and Barbados (seen as having the lowest African retentions) is clear.
African retentions in black America are less for two reasons.
1. The period of importation of enslaved peoples ended earlier, with most arriving prior to 1775. Heavy importation of slaves into the British West Indian colonies continued right until it ended.
2. When slavery ended about 1/3 of the newly freed were born in Africa. By 1865 (almost 60 years after the end of the Transatlantic slave trade) virtually none were African born, and few had any direct knowledge of their African born ancestors.
Then I can add that a similar climate allowed more African retentions to remain. But you can ask Africans themselves. While they do not consider Caribbean people to be "African" they see them as being considerably more "African" than are black Americans. Caribbean people can negotiate contemporary African culture more easily than can most black Americans.
Black Americans have a unique history and heritage and are very influential in the global black world. But of the major African Diasporic groups black Americans are the LEAST African. It is what it is because of their heritage.
Also "African" culture is more than just drumming and praying to traditional gods (which will be why you think that Afro Cubans are so African. I have interacted significantly with several Afro Cubans. Not only did they think that I was one of them (speaking to me in Spanish) but I saw them as a cultural cross between Dominican and Anglo Caribbean culture.
Because it was an HBCU, we learned a lot about the history of Black/African American Vernacular English (BVE/AAVE). It is very much connected to our African roots and nearly all of us use it at one time or another or understand it. Our elders oftentimes shamed us out of using it in previous generations (my grandmothers successfully got me to stop using it until I went to college and learned this and so today, I do use it almost all the time outside of business meetings). I feel it is one of the few gifts our demographic has from our ancestors.
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If you want to view a continuum in the development of the various forms of Creole English (BVE) in the Americas you will see the continuum.
Srnan Tongo of Suriname, which has an English creole base, but was separated from English as that nation became Dutch speaking, so it "Re-Africanized". Interestingly enough its base remains creole English. Then you can go through the rural dialects of places like Guyana, Antigua and Jamaica, and then through the mesolect creoles of Barbados, the Bahamas, and the Gullah regions and to the AAVE of the Deep South. I guess the least will be that of the AAVE which evolved outside of the South.
I can easily understand Geechee. To is its just Bajan dialect and I can also see the Bahamas connection. It isn't as deep as the creoles of rural Guyana or Jamaica. Srnan is understood with great difficulty maybe by speakers of the deep Caribbean English creoles and maybe the deeper rural West African pidgin Englishes.
If you live in NYC and speak Geechee people will assume that you are a Caribbean person. That move "Daughters of the Dust" provides an interesting contrast between mainstream Southern AAVE and the Caribbean creole dialect which Geechee/Gullah is.
The only thing Afro-Cubans beat out the Gullahs in is religion HOWEVER the Gullahs beat out Afro-Cubans in LANGUAGE.
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How. Gullah people speak BAJAN. Walk around Bridgetown Barbados and you will hear Geechee/Gullah. The dialect is one based on English vocabulary, adjusted to West African speech patterns and grammatical structures. CLOSER to English than is Jamaican patwa.
Linguists consider it to be a CARIBBEAN creole, not a form of AAVE. And in fact SC was settled out of Barbados with enslaved peoples also dragged out of Barbados, so most its likely that its origins lie there. If you don't know English you will not know Gullah.
Exactly, it seem obvious why some one would have such a strong emotional response visiting a place like a slave castle. I am pretty sure I would cry. To think human beings actually had to go through those places, (including in my own family tree) it would be over whelming.
And yet Caribbean blacks and UK/US blacks have a different reaction to seeing the castles. Most normal people don't cry over a Hallmark card. They cry over real events like when a close relative or friend dies.
The experience of slavery lies closer to that of the American and, to a lesser degree" British black. because racism is a strong part of their lives. Their narrative is more about oppression than it is about overcoming oppression because they remain internally colonized groups, still having to adjust to people whose attitudes are often barely evolved from the former slave master.
To Anglophone/Haitian blacks it is more distant. More interesting will be the day to day interactions with modern Ghanaians as each looks to see how much African culture remains among those descended from peoples dragged from the shores long ago. That will be their root to connect. Not the slave trade, especially given that many modern Ghanaians are descended from people who were actively involved in it.
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