First of all, I want to give my African sisters and brothers their props. It is, indeed, an honor to be among you on this post. My fiance is Igbo and I share love with him that is unparalleled to any I have even witnessed. I am African American by the way. I am grieved by the comments submitted on this post by AA's and Africans both. That is what is wrong with blacks all around the world. No matter where we are, there is division. The enemy is within us, not without. We have seen what unity can do for a people. Look at how African nations struggled against the British and other foreign tyrants who came, saw, and raped the land and its people. Consider how the other nations kidnapped Africans and sent them away from their heritage and loved ones to make them servants. Now let us go forward to the abolition of slavery. The white man gave us a bone, but we had to unite and gain our much deserved respect and human rights.

If we are ever going to find any solutions to what ails our cultures, it's going to begin with us finding a common voice and unity. One thing I have witnessed, the white folks know how to harness the power of unity to get the advantage. Why can't black folks do the same? What is wrong with us? Why we are all on this post fighting and backbiting one another, we could use this opportunity to find solutions to great things. No matter what land you visit, black people and Jews are always frowned upon. I think it is because while we cannot see our own potentials, other races do! I'm speaking of a unified potential.

I am proud of my American heritage, as well as my African heritage. I can relate to my American heritage because I do not know from whence I came in Africa. But rest assured, my roots are from African soil! Even if I only had 1/8 of African blood in my veins, I cannot deny that portion of me. What would happen if Black People from every tribe and nation pulled together to advance our race in this world? Just imagine what could happen! We are just as intelligent and resourceful as any other race! I love my black skin no matter which shade it may be. I love my Beautiful Black People, whether African, A. American, Caribbean, etc. You are all gifts to this world!

you obsorbed the culture of the land you live in. are you telling me that all anglo saxons (from england for those who dont know) act the same way regardless of where they now live? all spaniards act the same regardless of what country they live in? there are people in nigeria whose families are from ghana, cameroon, niger, benin and they act like nigerians because they were raised in nigeria. just because african americans can trace thier roots to africa doesnt mean that they are going to share the culture. hell look at DR / Hati. same damn island completely different cultures and they came from the same place. navajo and aztec both came from the same tribe orriginaly and developed into two differnt worlds when they split (one became peaceful the other filled with blood lust) the hoto and toosie (sorry if i hacked the spelling) are the same way too. your culture is where you were raised not where your great great great great-grandfather was raised.

agathamari:

you obsorbed the culture of the land you live in. are you telling me that all anglo saxons (from england for those who dont know) act the same way regardless of where they now live? all spaniards act the same regardless of what country they live in? there are people in nigeria whose families are from ghana, cameroon, niger, benin and they act like nigerians because they were raised in nigeria. just because african americans can trace thier roots to africa doesnt mean that they are going to share the culture. hell look at DR / Hati. same damn island completely different cultures and they came from the same place. navajo and aztec both came from the same tribe orriginaly and developed into two differnt worlds when they split (one became peaceful the other filled with blood lust) the hoto and toosie (sorry if i hacked the spelling) are the same way too. your culture is where you were raised not where your great great great great-grandfather was raised.

Are you addressing me? Would you prefer that I denounce any genetics that originates from my African ancestors? Is that what you are telling me to do? I don't care where you go in this world, if you're black, you're black. They don't care if you're from Africa or America. All they see is dark skin. What I am saying is what would it hurt to unify? What do Africans have against African Americans? You could have been in my place right now. I don't understand your point at all. We (AA) are damned if we do and damned if we don't. We are the descendants of slaves who came from Africa. AFRICA! I know where I was raised but that still doesn't negate the FACT that I have African genes. It was not my fault that I was denied the culture of my great great great great great-grandfather. The heritage is still mine and you nor any other "pure" African can deny me that.

Henrygirl:


Are you addressing me? Would you prefer that I denounce any genetics that originates from my African ancestors? Is that what you are telling me to do? I don't care where you go in this world, if you're black, you're black. They don't care if you're from Africa or America. All they see is dark skin. What I am saying is what would it hurt to unify? What do Africans have against African Americans? You could have been in my place right now. I don't understand your point at all. We (AA) are damned if we do and damned if we don't. We are the descendants of slaves who came from Africa. AFRICA! I know where I was raised but that still doesn't negate the FACT that I have African genes. It was not my fault that I was denied the culture of my great great great great great-grandfather. The heritage is still mine and you nor any other "pure" African can deny me that.

listen sweetheart, i wasnt addressing you but the topic. and for your info i am not black nor did i claim i was. if we all went by what our great great great great great-grandfather did i guess i should be naked and fightng the roman army as my ancestors did. I guess the anglos sould be wearng whalebone corstes and wool floorlength dresses and 3 foot high wigs. the chinese who were brught over as to build the railrads should still be in skin tight kimonoes. people of central america should still be havin blood sacrifces and we should be eating placentas and fetuses as many of our ancestors did? look up culture in the dictionary. it means: A society at a particular time and place. society is a group of people living in a common area or civilization.

Henrygirl:

We are the descendants of slaves who came from Africa. AFRICA! I know where I was raised but that still doesn't negate the FACT that I have African genes.  It was not my fault that I was denied the culture of my great great great great great-grandfather. The heritage is still mine and you nor any other "pure" African can deny me that.

Oh my, thank you so much! Your equally African so what right does a continental African have telling you otherwise, man. . . . . just . . . . . just, Your too much! 

agathamari:

your culture is where you were raised not where your great great great great-grandfather was raised.

Yeah because Germans, Irish and English descendants in America now live in Tee-pees.

Have you never heard of St. Patrick's day (they even dye the Boston river green I think), Ocktoberfest, Christmas, Easter, Hanukah!!!

modern day slang "bling" "hater" 'cool"
breakdancing, krumping, popping, locking, swing, tap
which had influenced several dance styles in other cultures
jazz,pop,rock,electronica,house, techno has influenced all other people's music


neveruary is presentrary
how can we not have a culture and everybody is influenced by it?

"neveruary is presentary" - what that mean?
kaiiii Lol girl22 I gree you ooo

ezeagu:

Yeah because Germans, Irish and English descendants in America now live in Tee-pees.

Have you never heard of St. Patrick's day (they even dye the Boston river green I think), Ocktoberfest, Christmas, Easter, Hanukah!!!

oh yes lets forget wigwams/igloos/adobes/sod huts and all the other traditional homes of the native americans some of which are still used today by adverage citizens. 

last time i checked those holidays were celebrated by everyone in the us.  germans celebrate st patrics day not just the irish.  french celebrate octoberfest not just austrians, hisbanics celebrate belthane (easter) not just the welsh, russians celebrate yule (christmas) not just the germans, sweeds celebate hanukah not just isralies.  the fact that those holidays are celebrated by other ethnic groups other then the original group PROVES that culture is dominated by your location not ethnic background.   go see st patricks day in ireland vs th us vs australia.  very very different.  go see chrismas in the us vs germany vs nigeria  very very different.  hanukah in the us is very different from that in the middle east.  easter in gb is very different then easter in france.  hell octoefest in pennsylvania is different then california for chris sake. 

dont you people study sociology in high school?

agathamari:

oh yes lets forget wigwams/igloos/adobes/sod huts and all the other traditional homes of the native americans some of which are still used today by adverage citizens. 

last time i checked those holidays were celebrated by everyone in the us.  germans celebrate st patrics day not just the irish.  french celebrate octoberfest not just austrians, hisbanics celebrate belthane (easter) not just the welsh, russians celebrate yule (christmas) not just the germans, sweeds celebate hanukah not just isralies.  the fact that those holidays are celebrated by other ethnic groups other then the original group PROVES that culture is dominated by your location not ethnic background.   go see st patricks day in ireland vs th us vs australia.  very very different.  go see chrismas in the us vs germany vs nigeria  very very different.  hanukah in the us is very different from that in the middle east.  easter in gb is very different then easter in france.  hell octoefest in pennsylvania is different then california for chris sake. 

dont you people study sociology in high school? 

What your writing does not counter my post, sorry. Your argument is that once you move to another country and have a kid, that kid and their descendant's should forget their parent's culture and go with the culture of the land their parent's move to. So is Ocktoberfest an indigenous American celebration that the children of the Europeans that settled in America started celebrating after dumping their culture and heritage? Tell me a Native American festival that is celebrated by American's.

And you mentioned other native American housing styles, that did not show me that the majority of American's are living in those structures. Case closed.

agathamari:

listen sweetheart, i wasnt addressing you but the topic. and for your info i am not black nor did i claim i was. if we all went by what our great great great great great-grandfather did i guess i should be naked and fightng the roman army as my ancestors did. I guess the anglos sould be wearng whalebone corstes and wool floorlength dresses and 3 foot high wigs. the chinese who were brught over as to build the railrads should still be in skin tight kimonoes. people of central america should still be havin blood sacrifces and we should be eating placentas and fetuses as many of our ancestors did? look up culture in the dictionary. it means: A society at a particular time and place. society is a group of people living in a common area or civilization.

I beg your pardon, if I took your previous post out of context. It seems you did the same with mine. I was following the flow of the topic. I don't really understand where you went with your latest post, but my point is and always was I am African American and I do claim my heritage as being a descendant of Africans, slave or not. I was implying the concept of all Africans, whether directly or indirectly finding common ground to embrace our heritage as people of color. We all have enough division in this world and stigma placed upon us by other races. That's all. Nothing more or less. I just assumed you were someone other, being that you have much to say in this forum. I know what culture means, my dear. You assumed that I didn't. I am proud of all Africans and African-Americans. I believe we bring flavor to the earth. I hope that we are able to bridge the gaps that have separated us. Please, forgive me for any and all generalities included in this post. Please excuse my reluctance to comment on any other point you have made. I am not feeling them.

ezeagu:

Oh my, thank you so much! Your equally African so what right does a continental African have telling you otherwise, man. . . . . just . . . . . just, Your too much! 

It's not about what "rights" a continental African has, as far as pointing out my genetic makeup or heritage as being African descent. I am holding fast to my heritage regardless of what anyone thinks or believes. It doesn't negate the facts. I would love to have been African by culture, but I am not. I think I would have learned alot about "me", had it been so. Consider the Jews and how generations and cultures later, they still adhere to their heritage. They don't deny where they come from, regardless of the race mixing or cultures in which they were raised. I cannot fathom why my own people cannot. That is my concern. I am not getting into an argument on who is the better or more qualified African. It's irrelevant. And getting back to the topic, African Americans do have much to be desired in our culture. Perhaps, as we re-connect with our African sisters and brothers, we can better understand how to bring our culture and values closer to home.

When there is no purpose, there is demise. What we have is a people who have been displaced and cut off from their roots. We have been trying to find ourselves since slavery was abolished. Hopefully, we will succeed before we disappear altogether.

ezeagu:

What your writing does not counter my post, sorry. Your argument is that once you move to another country and have a kid, that kid and their descendant's should forget their parent's culture and go with the culture of the land their parent's move to. So is Ocktoberfest an indigenous American celebration that the children of the Europeans that settled in America started celebrating after dumping their culture and heritage? Tell me a Native American festival that is celebrated by American's.

And you mentioned other native American housing styles, that did not show me that the majority of American's are living in those structures. Case closed.

octoberfest started in germany not the us. it is EMBRASED by MULTIPLE cultural groups of the us. no one ever said that you abandon your own traditions, i said (if you read) that you are infulenced by everyones traditions. christmas is not nigerian yet you embrase it. if you want to claim that you embrase it because of the religios aspect of it then why do you embrase the PAGAN traditions of YULE that are associated with christmas such as christmas trees, holly, mistletoe, santa clause, reindeer, caroling, red/green, candels, ribbons and wreths? wouldnt you only use the manger? what ababout easter? the PAGAN traditions of easter bunnies, eggs, maypoles. christianiyy only brought he crusifiction. why do the peope of northern nigeria have cerimonial dress that is similar to that from the middle east? these groups came to nigeria and brought thier culture with them to which you embrased. you can see the similar blending of cultures when you look at the native tribes here in nigeria. culturs are influence by those who are presant. are you influenced by south american culture? no because there really isnt a whole lot of people in nigeria who came from there. cultures blend, cultures adapt by those who are there. the culture of lagos is different then the culture of abuja. you cant deny htat, but yet they both are in nigeria. different infuences from different people have cause the two to diverge. and to answer your other question about native american holidays celebrated in the us, there are 2 and they are HUGE. Thanksgiving (last thursadyay of november) and holloween (blend of samhaine from ireland and dia de merta of the america, view holloween in the us vs in europe then look at the festiaval of the dead and you will see the connection) peublo and adobe housing is used in california, arizona, new mexico, utah, texas and is rather popular in LA. wigwam style log homes are used from virgina to oregon north to maine and alaska. sod homes are still used mostly by hippies in kansas, nbraska, oklahoma. even standard "stick built" home are similar to wigwams. traditionaly a wood home with clay spread on the walls to mke them weather proof, wow so different then the wood frame homes that are coated in a 1/2 of chalk/plaster (drywall) that make up what 1/3 of homes built in the us? the clay brick hots used in southern states and the stone huts made in the northeast, wow yep that is soooo differnt then the brick and stone homes STILL built there.

I AM African American. I DO NOT apologize for it. Let me tell you. You have a sense of culture because you have a place you can go back to where what you are, what you believe and how you practice was not dictacted like us at one time. You werent robbed of that. So the comparison is not fair. And for the record we do have culture and values. They may not measure up to what you all think but its there. If we Americans are so bad, why come here. Stay at home. If I was to go by just what some of you Africans appear to be, i would not see any difference. Because just by appearances alone, some of you are self fish; you marry a person you dont even love and you are not happy. Just marrying out of convience. Or marrying because your parents told you to.Believe or not you have to answer to God about the marriage choice you made. Some of you are not friendly, especially you women. You stay amongst yourselves instead of getting to know others. How can you judge something you dont know. Yes we do have uneducated people that dont go to school and is not thinking about getting educated but look, SO DO YOU! we have whores, hoochies but SO DO YOU! Our black men leave the home: but so do yours and they cheat too. But look what we do have in common. We believe in God. We as African Americans have religious values. We also believe in family. Maybe its not like yours. But dont critcize us. IF you see that we are lacking,TEACH US. Because when it all comes down to it, WE ARE ALL BLACK.

emarie:

I AM African American. I DO NOT apologize for it.  Let me tell you. You have a sense of culture because you have a place you can go back to where what you are, what you believe and how you practice was not dictacted like us at one time. You werent robbed of that. So the comparison is not fair. And for the record we do have culture and values. They may not measure up to what you all think but its there. If we Americans are so bad, why come here. Stay at home.  If I was to go by just what some of you Africans appear to be, i would not see any difference. Because just by appearances alone, some of you are self fish; you marry a person you dont even love and you are not happy. Just marrying out of convience. Or marrying because your parents told you to.Believe or not you have to answer to God about the marriage choice you made. Some of you are not friendly, especially you women. You stay amongst yourselves instead of getting to know others. How can you judge something you dont know.  Yes we do have uneducated people that dont go to school and is not thinking about getting educated but look, SO DO YOU!  we have whores, hoochies but SO DO YOU!  Our black men leave the home: but so do yours and they cheat too. But look what we do have in common. We believe in God. We as African Americans have religious values. We also believe in family. Maybe its not like yours. But dont critcize us. IF you see that we are lacking,TEACH US.  Because when it all comes down to it, WE ARE ALL BLACK.

Emarie, you are a genius in my books. This is the best post I have seen so far! Let us remember the famous last words before criticising anyone:

Matthew 7:5
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

ogogoro:

Emarie, you are a genius in my books. This is the best post I have seen so far! Let us remember the famous last words before criticising anyone:

Matthew 7:5
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

Amen to you and emarie! Well said my friends.

Go ahead and throw us all in the same category. There are 50+ states in "America", and the 50 million or so Black people who come from these 50+ states lack values and culture.

What a way to generalize.

I want to answer this thread, but don't want to be writing a master thesis on a message board.

In response to Magz comments:
Go ahead and throw us all in the same category. There are 50+ states in "America", and the 50 million or so Black people who come from these 50+ states lack values and culture.

What a way to generalize.

I'm not understanding your comment. Are you saying that we have no values or are you being sarcastic, repeating someone's statement?

If you are saying this, then its really bad. Do you know any blacks. Or are you one of those one that sit on the sideline or peak from behind a bush and critque us. Have you made it your mission to get to know us? If you did, are you just hanging around those who are not bettering themselves and then concluding that Black folks are so ignorant; they dont want anything out of life. Or, have you gone around blacks that are educated or those who arent as much, but are productive citizens. With that comment, I DONT THINK SO! I dont know who you are or what race or where you came from;that should not matter, but you truely lack knowledge and education and are unaware. I dont blame you perse because its the media that portray us as gang banging, drug dealing, no class, hoochie, lazy,baby mamas. We're much more than that. We're much more than teenagers having babies ( although every race deal with this issue).
Again the media portray this and air it around the world. Foreigners think that's what we're all about. But we have entrepreneurs who came from nothing and are heads of one of the Fortune 500 companies.Do they air that? NO! Or What about a woman who is married,raising children who became successful and she now see the fruits of her labor. Or just what about airing a black man, who works very hard and took a moment out of his day to be a Good Samaritan? OH NO, THAT TOO MUCH LIKE DOING RIGHT! Lets stop all of this "I'm better than you" crap. Get to know people instead of judging behind the tree; all of us. You will be suprise to know we have a lot in common. And what we do not; its okay. It doesn't always mean were wrong. Its different. You may learn something. God is the CHIEF craftsman; he envision and create array of colors and cultures. That's what make the world go around. And what we do lack; you that are so "better", so "cultured";teach us. Are you willing to or are you the coward that critique from a distance. Lets stop being prejudice. Let embrace one another. If something is wrong, lets pray that GOD change the wrongs into rights.

Magz, if this is not what you meant, than you really need to explain your comment. I really did not understand. But people take this and learn. Love you all!

@emarie

I feel you, lady. Your point is exactly what I already understand. The bottom line is with all of our differences, we are still one big beautiful family. But the truth of the matter is there will always be division because division begets wars and turmoil. Those will always be in our world until the Good Lord comes. What good is getting all of this education and culture if we are even more divided in the end? Give any fool an education and you'll get an educated fool. There is so much education and culture among those within this board. What good is it if the eloquent words and reasoning deduce us to rambling idiots?

@Nairalanders, I have yet to become impressed by all of this so called culture and values within this collaboration of good people. I see knick-picky imbeciles on a daily basis here. Who are they? If the shoe fits, say "Ouch!" because I'm referring to you. If your own heart doesn't condemn you, then you are not one. The African and American societies both have issues that should make all of us fear for our futures. Why not show the world that we, BLACK PEOPLE, can rise above social maladies that have been labeled upon us and find some common ground to better our world. Until we accomplish this, we will always be disregarded as insignificant in the eyes of the world. If black folk cannot even get along, how the hell can we be taken seriously?

Lol @ We the black people. We can't even talk of one nigeria and you want to talk of one black people. that's a fairytale, don't delude yourself.
this isn't the obama campaign.

C2H5OH:

Lol @ We the black people. We can't even talk of one nigeria and you want to talk of one black people. that's a fairytale, don't delude yourself.
this isn't the obama campaign.

If you say so. I'm diplomatic, so sue me.

Henrygirl:

If you say so. I'm diplomatic, so sue me.

don't mind ethanol. He is an intoxicated man as his user name says


so are you one of em erykah badu, india arie soul sisters

bawomolo:


don't mind ethanol. He is an intoxicated man as his user name says


so are you one of em erykah badu, india arie soul sisters

I consider myself just an average African American who believes in dreams, even if they are far-fetched. I believe if people can truly come together, there is nothing they cannot accomplish. I believe that the greatest weapon unleashed by evil is division and strife. Just these two can wreak havoc on any unit, whether family or nation. That is who I am.

Henrygirl:

I consider myself just an average African American who believes in dreams, even if they are far-fetched. I believe if people can truly come together, there is nothing they cannot accomplish. I believe that the greatest weapon unleashed by evil is division and strife. Just these two can wreak havoc on any unit, whether family or nation. That is who I am.

Do you believe blacks considering how huge and different they are can be united?

Henrygirl:

If you say so. I'm diplomatic, so sue me.

It's not about what I say, it's an issue of achievement. I am being equally diplomatic by telling you that it is unachievable.

bawomolo:

Do you believe blacks considering how huge and different they are can be united?

LMAOO. . . . it doesn't end there. Believing something is one thing, its reachability is another.

Nigerians are great people. Lets just focus on bringing the best out of ourselves.

We have values and culture. Many parts of our culture come from West Africa(some from Nigeria) and others from an amalgam of African cultures. While other parts come from Europeans just as Nigerians celebrate Christmas, Dress in European clothing, and have Jubilees(British in origin) to celebrate their marriages.

Our values in regards to religion(catching the holy ghost, african in origin) and family are one of the values I think show a sharp comparison between Euro-Americans and African Americans. Our music(Jazz,Blues, Gospel, RNB,hip-hop) is evidently of African origins and we revel in our music and the enjoyment and empowerment it brings and has brought to our people over the centuries. Our artistic style and expression is deeply rooted in Africa. Such concepts as 'Cool' are African in nature. African American english(or ebonics) has fundamental similarities to West African languages while other parts come from Europe.

Our food is similar to many of the dishes found in West Africa. On holidays or celebrations my family eats Okra Gumbo, Yams, Peanut stew, rice, grits,watermelon, and so forth.

Though, just like Nigerians we are a diverse group and our experiences in African American culture differs. The Gullah of South Carolina and Georgian Islands speak a creole containing words from West African languages and english just as many of you speak Nigerian pidgin. So, for being here for hundreds of years we maintain much of our West African culture and have added some elements from other cultures.

In the end, both peoples need to learn something about the other's culture. In that way we will find parallels between the two we've never noticed.

Can you imagine so its now nigerians that are the values king,

Oh, Yeah someone asked what broom jumping is. It comes from Ghana I read a while ago and is no longer a wedding tradition for some reason(colonialism). It symbolizes sweeping all you past troubles behind you and move on among other things.

MandingoII:

Thanks!, I could add 500 pages to this,

HOWEVER,

Nigerians current culture consist of 419, Witchraft, Governmental corruption, Looting the Oil from the Ogoni's etc., Genocide, Police lockdown, rapes, firing squads, Hausa domination, White man loving, Fraud, GETTING OUT OF AFRICA TO ANY COUNTRY, LYING, NO ELECTRICITY, NO SEWERS, SHIT AND PISS IN THE STREET,

NIGERIA IS A SEEDY, FUNKY, DUSTY, DANGEROUS AND DEPRESSIONLY DREARY PLACE!!!!

each neighboring village is ONE SHITHOLE AFTER ANOTHER.

kick rocks.

Shell, Exxonmobile, Chevron RUN NIGERIA!

This dude was hilarious.

black americans have done more to redeem the black race than any other black culture, even with all our faults. There hasnt been a black african culture as influential as us since the ancient egyptians lol