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As one of these "West Indian people," I am very aware of this fact. I am also aware of the fact that West Indian immigrants have a very different social and political outlook than black Americans. A black person from Trinidad and a black person from Mississippi have far less in common than a black person from Mississippi and one from New York.
As one of these "West Indian people," I am very aware of this fact. I am also aware of the fact that West Indian immigrants have a very different social and political outlook than black Americans. A black person from Trinidad and a black person from Mississippi have far less in common than a black person from Mississippi and one from New York.
What makes a Haitian boy different from a black Georgian boy? I spent time with family in the Miami area ( FT Lauderdale) and hardly ever saw a difference other then the language. The people down there made fun and acted like those people where so different when they just looked and acted like regular, sometimes darker ( and even that was not always the case) black folk to me. Divide and conquer is mental condition.
IMHO tho
just because african americans and west indians in other cities may not have much in common with each other doesn't mean that its that way in nyc.
because as a nyer i can tell you that we have a lot in common and IMO we go hand in hand. our cultures are tied.
regardless of MS, NY, GA, wherever, the west african diaspora is large and it is real. read up on it.
What makes a Haitian boy different from a black Georgian boy? I spent time with family in the Miami area ( FT Lauderdale) and I saw not difference other then the language. The people down there acted like those people where so different when they just looked and acted like regular, sometimes darker black folk to me. Divide and conquer is mental condition.
It's not about divide and conquer; it's about familiarity. West Indians, and Bajans in particular, can be very clannish. A kid who grows up in Georgia probably sees his parents dancing to James Brown, listens to gospel on the way to church, eats soul food. A kid growing up in Barbados watches his parents dance to Edwin Yearwood, listens to Gabby, and eats flying fish. People want to be around what they know, and most West Indians know that black people are "them" and West Indians are "us."
Plus, many black Americans have this view that "the man is keeping me down." "You can't do anything, you're black." In many West Indian households, there's a different view of this country. Since a takes a bit of determination to up and move to a different country anyway, I think West Indians tend to be more optimistic about their opportunities here, whereas black Americans dwell much more on the injustices of the past. This is a generalization...no need to point that out. But it certainly applies to my family and many other families I know.
IMHO tho
just because african americans and west indians in other cities may not have much in common with each other doesn't mean that its that way in nyc.
because as a nyer i can tell you that we have a lot in common and IMO we go hand in hand. our cultures are tied.
regardless of MS, NY, GA, wherever, the west african diaspora is large and it is real. read up on it.
That's my point. They have almost everything in common other then language. These people aren't any different from your average North American black unless you include the island influences that only the recent or older ones have really have.
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Originally Posted by dmagoku
What makes a Haitian boy different from a black Georgian boy? I spent time with family in the Miami area ( FT Lauderdale) and hardly ever saw a difference other then the language. The people down there made fun and acted like those people where so different when they just looked and acted like regular, sometimes darker ( and even that was not always the case) black folk to me. Divide and conquer is mental condition.
A good friend of mine married a Haitian girl and I spent a lot of time around her family in the lead up into the wedding....that comment made just about spit out my water. There is a BIG difference between A-A culture and Haitian culture. I mean, that's like asking whats the difference between an Englishman and Frenchman.
But nothing mean spirited though. I love Haitians and they know how cook some good ass food.
IMHO tho
just because african americans and west indians in other cities may not have much in common with each other doesn't mean that its that way in nyc.
because as a nyer i can tell you that we have a lot in common and IMO we go hand in hand. our cultures are tied.
regardless of MS, NY, GA, wherever, the west african diaspora is large and it is real. read up on it.
Eek,
I don't have to read up on it because I'm living it right now. Do you know how many black kids made fun of the way my mother and grandmother talk? My friends used to always say they didn't want to eat any of our Jamaican cooking, even though Barbados and Jamaica are completely different places. All they knew was that we, or at least my mother, was different and not one of them. It's no different in NYC. I know this because I have tons of family there. It's not even possible to be West Indian without having family in NYC, London or Toronto.
The South does NOT have a monopoly on "black culture" or black history. Much of it is in the North, and NYC and Philadelphia are the two premier cities for black history. Atlanta, Houston, NO and other Southern cities are up there, but they're not in the top three because for much of their history, any blacks residing there were slaves.
Huh? So slavery doesn't count as history? If you don't think that has anything to do with Black culture, then you're sadly mistaken. Just about every cultural contribution that has come from Blacks has its roots in slavery, directly or indirectly. But I wouldn't expect you to understand that.
It's not about divide and conquer; it's about familiarity. West Indians, and Bajans in particular, can be very clannish. A kid who grows up in Georgia probably sees his parents dancing to James Brown, listens to gospel on the way to church, eats soul food. A kid growing up in Barbados watches his parents dance to Edwin Yearwood, listens to Gabby, and eats flying fish. People want to be around what they know, and most West Indians know that black people are "them" and West Indians are "us."
Plus, many black Americans have this view that "the man is keeping me down." "You can't do anything, you're black." In many West Indian households, there's a different view of this country. Since a takes a bit of determination to up and move to a different country anyway, I think West Indians tend to be more optimistic about their opportunities here, whereas black Americans dwell much more on the injustices of the past. This is a generalization...no need to point that out. But it certainly applies to my family and many other families I know.
Apparently, we are all Hebrew Israelites . Lets not be divided.
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