Stop Saying African Americans Are Appropriating African Culture

 

*long sigh* I am so reluctant to respond to this whole ridiculous idea that African-Americans can appropriate African culture because it is truly asinine. But, as an African American living on the continent of Africa, I feel compelled. Let me explain 5 reasons why this argument is void.

1. The Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade- I could just stop there but- the brutality of enslaving and shipping millions of Africans from Central and West Africa to North, South, and Middle America stripped these ‘chattel’ from many of their ties to their ethnic communities in Africa. With this, once acquainted in their new worlds in America, these enslaved Africans recreated pieces of their communities in Africa with the new culture they created in America. Creation is especially important because as African people, we are innately creative and artistic. R & B, Jazz, Soul all were creations from the descendants of peoples in bondage.

 

1. White Supremacy– Just as enslaved peoples in America were struggling to resist their new status as property- on the continent the continued pillage of slaves from local communities in turn devastated the local economies so much so, that these communities became dependent on their interactions with the European traders. This independence on European trades, destabilized local economies and further empowered European countries to continue to trade guns with local West African communities.
2. Yes, cultures are different, but origins are the same– I completely validate the idea that Africans and African Americans do indeed have different cultures. I understand there are differences between the two and sometimes these differences make it difficult for the two to immediately connect, just based on Blackness. HOWEVER, these differences do not negate the fact that while stolen from Africa, African-Americans are in fact still African peoples. Simply put, the inability to trace one’s exact lineage due to white supremacist capitalist slavery which stripped families from their cultural identity, does not make African Americans any less Africans. Living in Tanzania, Kenya, and visiting all over Africa I’ve received mixed responses about lineage. They have ranged from ‘welcome home, sister’ to “Oh, but you’re still American”. Most recently, my hairbraider donned me a Kenyan and explained that ‘your roots will call out to you’, meaning wherever you feel a connection to in Africa, you should follow that. In Zambia, returning from Victoria Fall upon hearing I was African-American told me: “the ancestors have a way of bringing you back home, wherever that may be”. There are numerous stories of Africans being sympathetic to my somewhat ‘lost’ status not knowing my homeplace in Africa. But, both the welcome and distinction of my American-ness are both are valid responses given that African people have and are entitled to diverse opinions.
3. Reciprocity– Much of the appropriation comments come from the idea that African Americans like to wear (fake) dashikis and kente cloth and that being African is solely trendy. If this argument is valid, then also, we must dive into the idea that ‘dabbing’ saying ‘YOLO’ and all other African American Vernacular English by African continentals, should also be seen as ‘appropriation’. The Sauti Sol song ‘Unconditionally Bae’, comes with the African-American Vernacular English term ‘bae’, why not use the Swahili word ‘mpenzi’? But, have African Americans started petitions to stop Africans from speaking their words? No, because we share the same origin and some aspects of our swag so to speak, is borrowable.
4. Be critical– On both sides of the continent it is important to ask ‘why’. Recognizing that both communities suffer from white supremacy, colonialism, and internalized inferiority will go a long way in the subsequent dialogues on this topic. Seeing that both communities have suffered from white settlers and violent racism that sought to both separate the communities and also diminish any cultural identity allows both communities to start at a place of understanding and seeing the similarities rather than the differences. Never downplaying the differences between the two, but, realizing that beginning at a common place and moving towards appreciating and understanding the differences make for the most fruitful dialogue. I believe bridging the gap between the two communities is essential to the freedom of Africans everywhere. Music is a beautiful tool to begin such bridging. Seeing the collaborations of Wizkid and Chris Brown and Ne-Yo and Diamond Platnumz, show that even commercially there is space to see unity and oneness between the communities. Authenticity on both sides is also essential. So, instead of just buying the cheapest dashiki from 79^th & Stony, actually do some research on the meaning of the dashiki, look into kente where it originates, and why it has meaning. Instead of reposting the corniest “stay woke’ post about Beyonce embodying Oshun from the Yoruba culture, ask yourself ‘was she solely performing this vision (being that she has never performed in Nigeria or anywhere in Africa), or did she want viewers to see the aesthetics of her outfit?” Either way, keep asking questions and looking towards history before continuing to wedge a gap between the two communities because at the end of the day, white supremacy and colonialism win when Africans and African Americans continue to find ways to distance themselves from each other.

 

Blackily,

M

side note- this topic requires much dialogue and I encourage your thoughts in the comment section or with others around you. If you would like more research on this topic feel free to reach out to me msmariahbender@gmail.com or comment in the section below.