UK Born Africans/Caribbeans:Ifsum1 says- You're NOT African/Caribbean

Black-pride · (#1 (**permalink**))

At this year's carnival, I wore the Nigerian Flag...and a Nigerian man yells out: "You be Naija??" I turned and nodded, did a thumbs up...then he says: "You no be Naija"...........I just ignored him, i was on my way 2 the station2 get home anyway(I was in a lil bit of a bad mood, after a small argument with another Nigerian about my flag)

ANYWAY.............
Have u ever come accross sum1 born in your country of origin, and dey make out as if U're NOT one of them??

AND have U ever felt detatched/outside from people from ur country for any reason: couldn't understand/speak the language, didn't know the words 2 the folks songs/dance like dem??......

i have had this feeling a bit a few times but i still rep as much as I can.
and I hate it when some1 makes me feel like an outsider 2 my own grassroots!

IMO:If I'm not Nigerian then no one else is!!
after all wasn't it a white lady who created the name?!...

(I'm an Igbo-man 1st though)
Hmm, Maybe next time I should say I'm Biafran.

anyway..ur views'n'experiences.

MyAfriplace · (#2 (**permalink**))

This is usually the fundamental issue of belonging. The assumption is that to be part of a group of people you have to live among them. To an extent this is true because to live with them is to identify with them, their culture and mannerisms. A lion that has lived in captivity is treated like an outsider when trying to regroup with a pride. He could be attacked or even killed for the differences only the resident lions perceive.

This is the same with humans. We are able to Identify on who does not belong in our community by some intrinsic cultural sixth sense. And we would be considered an outsider till we acclimate ourselves by picking up the language, mannerisms and all the intrinsic qualities that is part of that culture or community.

myafriplace

markey · (#3 (**permalink**))

Personally i get sick and tired of that stupidness ,because the bottomline is ,is that whenever black folks are in countries like britain,canada, europe be they african caribbean or they,re born in these countries with african or caribbean background they,re all in the same boat ,they,re all fighting the same friggin fights to survive in a white run establishment ,Me i,m london born of caribbean heritage and the majority of the time i can get on with africans,west indians,cubans,south americans, african americans ,can,t say too much about the canadian brothas and sistas though they seem kind of misinformed ,but i had a real bad incident about a year ago with a brotha from ghana who kept saying i'm not a real african and that i'm lost etc really pissed me off ,i,m thinking that this brotha needs his brains rinsed out .Some of those imbeciles don't even speak their own native tongue they speak french and they actually think that french is their native tonuge When some brothas start spouting of that kind of garbage now they don't even realize that they,re carrying out the divide and conquer idiom thats just too prevalent amongst black nowadays.

Po'Sha · (#4 (**permalink**))

@markey: was wondering what you meant by Canadian brothas and sistahs being misinformed??

Black-pride · (#5 (**permalink**))

It also amusses me how these kind of folks would go thru earth-wind-fire 2 get a british passport/VISA..

MyAfriplace · (#6 (**permalink**))

Everyone wants to be identified and claim belonging to a piece of the world. They reject those who do not belong or seem to belong. But who are we to say who belongs to a particular place or culture. Charlize Theron (the hollywood star) is a south African no matter her skin color. Should she be disowned because she hobnobs with the rich and famous

Myafriplace

Prince Hakeem · (#7 (**permalink**))

I've had the term 'english bwoy' thrown at me before but most times its been in jest rather than any maliciousness. I honestly haven't really experienced anything major in this regard personally although I know plenty who have. Sadly 'black' people will always find a reason to hate.

Agu Bu Oji · (#8 (**permalink**))

Meh... its not a black thing.

Dislike being called ''english'' by fellow jamaicans as well but hanging around with other people, Greek, turkish, asian etc in the past I noticed that they go through the same thing, only that they can survive within their communities, get jobs and so on whereas we, ''can't'' and so have to pick up on a foriegn one to get by. Furthers the generation/cultural gap.

A greek friend of mine used to say that the mainland greeks dislike them as they were born in england or even worse are cypriot and theres a big cultural diffrence between turkish nationals and turkish peoples born here in the uk as well so they get stick from their brothers. Asian youths go through alot as their communities are so close knit, they tend to rebel against it and take up being street and acting a fool.

Happens when people travel and theres a distance in cultural values and understanding.

markey · (#9 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Po'Sha

@markey: was wondering what you meant by Canadian brothas and sistahs being misinformed??

Well i live in vancouver at the moment black folks there don't even want to acknowledge their own people in the street ,its like they,re afraid to be who they are
and spend most of the time staying in "white folks good graces" i'v seen black folks cross the street when they see other black folks its pretty sickening and messed up.The majority of black folks in vancouver are hooked up with white partners i don't hardly see any black couples out here ,they spend too much time up white folks butts if you ask me.I don't know what its like in ottawa but i lived in toronto for quite a number of years ,my personal experience with the brothas etc is like they won't support nothing black unless whites take a liking to it first ,they validate the approval of whites too much for my liking ,this is my own personal view.

Po'Sha · (#10 (**permalink**))

@ markey Okay, I see what you're saying...but it's more like when someone moves to a city from the country and notices that people are more focused and are less friendly. That's how it is on the Eastern side at least.It's not even really a black thing, more of a city dweller thing. And honestly, to find a black and black couple anywhere these days is as rare as a blue moon Unless it older people. But the moving to the other side of the street crap is very extreme...not even White people here would do that...they're to afraid of being called racists. And what part of Toronto because every time I go to that city I'm amazed at how badly the black communities want to be American but I'm sure lot of places are like that. Anyways, you sound like you're living in hell because here and even in T.O. people stick with their people but I haven't lived in T.O., just a regular visitor so that is only my perspective from the outside. Did you hear about the Blacks only school?? It's crazy in T.O.

Anyways back to the topic at hand...I dunno if it's me but I noticed that most of the non-white people do not actually consider themselves Canadians. Wherever your parents or grandparents are from is where you are from. So if someone was to approach me on the streets and ask where are are you from? without hesitation I would be like, Oh I'm Jamaican. It's just the way things are done here (Eastern side at least)

Dis Guy · (#11 (**permalink**))

Quote:

At this year's carnival, I wore the Nigerian Flag...and a Nigerian man yells out: "You be Naija??" I turned and nodded, did a thumbs up...then he says: "You no be Naija"...........I just ignored him, i was on my way 2 the station2 get home anyway(I was in a lil bit of a bad mood, after a small argument with another Nigerian about my flag)

you response was certainly not naija!!!!

GbaOOOOOOO

its nothing serious, older folks do the same to me when i don't know the meaning of a proverb

markey · (#12 (**permalink**))

Quote:

Originally Posted by Po'Sha

@ markey Okay, I see what you're saying...but it's more like when someone moves to a city from the country and notices that people are more focused and are less friendly. That's how it is on the Eastern side at least.It's not even really a black thing, more of a city dweller thing. And honestly, to find a black and black couple anywhere these days is as rare as a blue moon Unless it older people. But the moving to the other side of the street crap is very extreme...not even White people here would do that...they're to afraid of being called racists. And what part of Toronto because every time I go to that city I'm amazed at how badly the black communities want to be American but I'm sure lot of places are like that. Anyways, you sound like you're living in hell because here and even in T.O. people stick with their people but I haven't lived in T.O., just a regular visitor so that is only my perspective from the outside. Did you hear about the Blacks only school?? It's crazy in T.O.

Anyways back to the topic at hand...I dunno if it's me but I noticed that most of the non-white people do not actually consider themselves Canadians. Wherever your parents or grandparents are from is where you are from. So if someone was to approach me on the streets and ask where are are you from? without hesitation I would be like, Oh I'm Jamaican. It's just the way things are done here (Eastern side at least)

Yeah vancouver is'nt all that, looks pretty though lots of nice scenery thats about it ,can't say i agree with you on the part about black folks being more focused and unfriendly if one comes from the country to a place like vancouver ,when i was in the states in atlanta i would be a total stranger in the neighbourhood not know anybody from adam but every time i came across a brotha in the street ,it would be like "whats up playa" or "how you doing brotha"that was the majority of the time ,out here a brotha might acknowledge once in a while unless they're hanging around white folks ,then they're more about fitting in and kissing white folks arse .In terms of where i lived in toronto ? well i have plenty of family there ,but i lived in scarborough ,at bridletowne circle, i'v lived at don mills and sheperd ,i'v lived at downsviews ,yorkdale and i'v lived in markham where all the chinese are.My experiences with brothas in toronto stems fro