is there anything about African American culture still African?

americanboy · (#1 (**permalink**))

Compared to other blacks in the americas we really don't have much african culture.

americanboy · (#2 (**permalink**))

Black americans have little african culture,unless you believe gold teeth,gold necklaces,24 inch rims on chevy's,popeyes,fried catfish,and fubu gear is african

King Capo · (#3 (**permalink**))

americanboy wrote:

Quote:

Black americans have little african culture,unless you believe gold teeth,gold necklaces,24 inch rims on chevy's,popeyes,fried catfish,and fubu gear is african

Step away from the tv & stop watching bet if your weak minded or too easily influenced.

americanboy · (#4 (**permalink**))

Funny that u say step away from the tube when most of the time I see these things is when I'm walking around neighborhoods.And don't get so sensitive it was a joke.

Masai05 · (#5 (**permalink**))

Black_power wrote:

Quote:

Well??

Anybody know??

is it hair braiding?? food?? music?? WHAT?

somebody explain it to me
[line]
Actually hairbraiding survived the middle passage and is thriving today.

Food...Nothing overt like you may find in Jamaica, Guyana, Cuba and Haiti. Okrah, yams and a few other foods are still eaten.

Art, given the diversity of the peoples who came over you can see a hodge-podge of styles but nothing specific to one group.

Rites of passage...Like those in the caribbean it use be tradition to pass down a trade such as carpentry, music and iron smelting but times change.

Our Music whcih began out as an African version of songs in English (Spirituals and has spawned all "AMERICAN" forms of Music and dance. Every Music form we create is credited with some African tradition, never from the same group such as Akan, Igbo or Congo but never the less a group somewhere. Strange indeed!

You have the vanishing Gullah/geechee cultures but they are quickly vanishing in favor of modernization.

Our "Ebonics" is credited as africanized English and in 15 yrs due to the No Child Left Behind Act that will be on the way out.

Religion...many people in the South retained Vodun, some Yoruba practices and to a very lesser extent Akan practices but this isn't widespread. The American Black Chuurch has many African elements in it.

Our Culture was forged through the middle passage, it is a combination of African, European and Native American all roled into one. Other than our obvious physical attributes the desire of some to relate, hairbraiding, obsessive superstitions and our knowledge of history I really don't see the Other African Aspects of African American.

@Americanboy

We are as American as Peacan Pie! Thats why I define myself as American-Black. Gold teeth, Rims, Jewels and booty shakin dimes in videos = American. I can own up to that...Ya heard!

Rolling_Rock · (#6 (**permalink**))

[align=center]American Blacks have American culture.We don't have to reach back 20,000 years for our "glory".....
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MamaZora · (#7 (**permalink**))

Masai05 wrote:

Quote:

Black_power wrote:

Quote:

Well??

Anybody know??

is it hair braiding?? food?? music?? WHAT?

somebody explain it to me

[line]

Actually hairbraiding survived the middle passage and is thriving today.

Food...Nothing overt like you may find in Jamaica, Guyana, Cuba and Haiti. Okrah, yams and a few other foods are still eaten.

Art, given the diversity of the peoples who came over you can see a hodge-podge of styles but nothing specific to one group.

Rites of passage...Like those in the caribbean it use be tradition to pass down a trade such as carpentry, music and iron smelting but times change.

Our Music whcih began out as an African version of songs in English (Spirituals and has spawned all "AMERICAN" forms of Music and dance. Every Music form we create is credited with some African tradition, never from the same group such as Akan, Igbo or Congo but never the less a group somewhere. Strange indeed!

You have the vanishing Gullah/geechee cultures but they are quickly vanishing in favor of modernization.

Our "Ebonics" is credited as africanized English and in 15 yrs due to the No Child Left Behind Act that will be on the way out.

Religion...many people in the South retained Vodun, some Yoruba practices and to a very lesser extent Akan practices but this isn't widespread. The American Black Chuurch has many African elements in it.

Our Culture was forged through the middle passage, it is a combination of African, European and Native American all roled into one. Other than our obvious physical attributes the desire of some to relate, hairbraiding, obsessive superstitions and our knowledge of history I really don't see the Other African Aspects of African American.

@Americanboy

We are as American as Peacan Pie! Thats why I define myself as American-Black. Gold teeth, Rims, Jewels and booty shakin dimes in videos = American. I can own up to that...Ya heard!

I was really feeling you until you got to that part. I detest gold teeth, have never gotten excited over rims and don't even get me started on the videos.

King Capo · (#8 (**permalink**))

Ok im guilty of the fly ride sitting on 22's, but the gold teeth thing is mostly southern.

Masai05 · (#9 (**permalink**))

I was really feeling you until you got to that part. I detest gold teeth, have never gotten excited over rims and don't even get me started on the videos.

@mamazora:

Like it or not it is part of us. Gold Teeth are popular in the Southern USA and Caribbean. I was living in GA and TX and LOL, I felt out of place in some places due to my pearly whites. The Music Video is an American thing and it evolved here. Rims, the biggest Rim market in the World...Right here! It may be whacked but it has become part of what we collectively do. Ever hear of candy paint? Did you know cats in certain parts of the Gulf region had Chandeliers in their Cadilacks? What about Pineapple hairstyles? It gets nuttier and nuttier but I have no shame cause this is how we do!

MamaZora · (#10 (**permalink**))

Masai05 wrote:

Quote:

I was really feeling you until you got to that part. I detest gold teeth, have never gotten excited over rims and don't even get me started on the videos.

@mamazora:

Like it or not it is part of us. Gold Teeth are popular in the Southern USA and Caribbean.

Quote:

Yes my maternal family hails from Alabama & Misississippi so I know its a Southern thing. I'm a Yankee through & through(born and raised in Seattle) so some Southern things are a bit beyond me. Now Southern cooking is another thing altogether. Still the closest to my heart. I wish I'd mastered my Grandma's chicken & dumplings. I can whip up a nice pot of collard greens and neckbones though so I learned a little bit.I was living in GA and TX and LOL, I felt out of place in some places due to my pearly whites.

Quote:

The Music Video is an American thing and it evolved here. Rims, the biggest Rim market in the World...Right here! It may be whacked but it has become part of what we collectively do. Ever hear of candy paint?

Quote:

Yes, not really into cars though; never been impressed with pimped out rides for some reason. Did you know cats in certain parts of the Gulf region had Chandeliers in their Cadilacks?

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Ok now that's straight ghetto-fabulous!What about Pineapple hairstyles?

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LMAO...ok evenI admit to rocking a pineapple do to my high school prom.....thankfully my tastes have evolved since then. I cringe when I look at that pic......the weave did look good though!It gets nuttier and nuttier but I have no shame cause this is how we do!

ParadigmShift · (#11 (**permalink**))

BlackPower,

Conscious Hip Hop (Common, Mos Def, Public Enemy, ect) and Spoken Word artist are largely influenced by 70's style poetry from the likes of Gil Scott Heron, The Last Poet, The Watts Poets, ect; who took on the tradition of West African griots.

Infact, one of Senegals popular Hip Hop groups, Daara J named their album Boomerang. Which to them suggest that although Hip Hop was developed by former African Slaves in the US, it is "Back Home".

Masai05 · (#12 (**permalink**))

LMAO...ok evenI admit to rocking a pineapple do to my high school prom.....thankfully my tastes have evolved since then. I cringe when I look at that pic......the weave did look good though!

You really wore the pineapple? Dang, how did you sleep with that joint on your head?