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What's Up My Nigger?

By Jumasa

The name Negro and what is considered its more vulgar derivative, "Nigger", were name created by Europeans (Whites) to refer to African people. These names encompassed the white perception of African people including their perception of African people as objects of contempt. There was a time when even the most enlightened Africans accepted the name Negro. Today many Africans in America use the name nigger among each other as a term of endearment. Because of the negative connotations, many people feel it should not be used at all. In the Caribbean the term Negro is still frequently used to refer to people of African ancestry. Even people who are considered to be well educated refer to themselves as being of the Negro race.

In the search for a name which identifies a common identity among African people, the names Negro, Black and African have been tried. Surprisingly, the name African has been the most resented. When I tell most people that I am African, among their first question is where in African I was born. Ironically, the same people would have no problem recognizing a Chinese born in Jamaica as Chinese though his ancestors have lived in Jamaica for generations. How little to we realize that claiming African is not a claim of residency, citizenship, nationality or place of birth but a reclamation of one's humanity. After all, history and culture is the most significant evidence of humanity. It is the very reason why Europeans have appropriated, destroyed or subsumed our history and culture so as to validate their presumption of our sub-humanity. Regardless of what we may want to call ourselves or how we try to deny who we are we can have no history except that which originates in Africa.

On the other hand, to tell many people they are African is to insult and offend them. They would prefer to be called Negro - the name which the white master created. Very often people whould defend against this insult by informing you where they were born, and the amount of Irish, English, Dutch, German or other European blood their great, great grandmother gave to them.

It gets just as interesting to tell people they are black. They launch on an exposition of the argument that nobody is really black because we are all mixed somehow. And then again the body is brown not black. It gets even more interesting when the drama continues with the baring of the body to show how lightened it is by the blood of an Irish great grandfather - good or high color. Or, how the hair has been less curled, somewhat straightened into good hair.

To be certain, if we do not see ourselves as Africans then we see ourselves as Negroes, the name that the white master provided for us. Truth be told, our logic, mannerisms, pattern of thought, behavior and attitude will reflect just that. If we are so willing to reject our true identity and conduct ourselves like Negroes or Niggers, why are we so offended to be called just that?
If you have comments about this commentary,
Send E-mail to : Jumasa@aol.com .