Hi and welcome once again to Konnekt Afrik Talk Show. You must be looking at the topic of the day and some of us may be thinking is this some football game or some competition going on, well it may be likened to some kind of competition, but in this case it is more about what divides and unite us as a people.
Let’s take a little look at our history. It is a well know fact that the Caribbean black population forefathers were of African descents from the slave trade period a history that most of us have knowledge about and we do not wish to go into that as that will take a lot of our time. Taking into consideration the close tie in history between Africans and the Caribbean’s we were stunned with later development and perception of the Caribbean’s to the Africans and vice versa. In actual fact there have been a decline in the relationship between both relatives, as our research showed that some African or Caribbean Parents will be disappointed with the idea that a child of theirs were to date or intend to marry someone of the other continent, crowded with loads of unpleasant views of their potential in-laws even before they have the opportunity to meet them in person.
Research carried out by our team produced some staggering evidence as to why, even though we are so closely connected and related we are also divided in other words. Unity and love between Africans and Caribbean’s at some point have been thrown away and therefore there is a poor understanding of our heritage as a people and the irony of the matter is, our future generation will suffer from this misinformation if adequate changes and corrections or not made. It does take two and no individual party can correct this if the other party shows no interest or recognizes the problem and the need for a change within our community. We had Kingsley out on the street interviewing members of the public on the reason for the break in relationship and it was unfortunate that some of the members of public interviewed of both background (African or Caribbean) were trying to be smart about the topic. When I say smart, they knew within themselves that yes, there is a problem but never wanted to highlight it and just went with pretense of ignorance to the fact. And one of the guys interviewed of African descent clearly stated that he will not marry a Caribbean lady because it she may not understand his culture but will marry a lady of some other race because he is willing to teach her his culture. Ironic and weird isn’t it and when asked why will he be patient to teach a lady from a different race his culture and not a Caribbean lady, he concluded that Caribbean ladies will not wish to adapt or learn more about his culture. Now to me that sounds like a sweeping statement...
Fortunately, we had few individuals who had the courage to highlight the division and the breakdown in relationship between Africans and Caribbean’s. We are now trying to understand the cause of the problem as well as ways to fix this problem. From the experience of Africans whose parents are of African background and have lived in the United Kingdom almost all their life’s, they told us of the difficulties encountered in their early days of schooling in the 1970’s and 80’s growing up and living in the UK. These children of African descent told of comments like “go back to Africa with your safari houses and wild animal” and also further jokes and teasing targeted at them when their parents and guardians came to pick or drop them at school, speaking to them in their African native language which is not the English language. Ironically these comment and teasing was not often from the Hispanic, white or Asian kids but from Black Caribbean kids who in scenarios like the one stated above, should have been more on the defensive (siding their fellow black relatives from Africa) than being on the offensive (making such offensive comments). Also one of the guest whose parents are of African descent also said there seem to be some kind of competition going on between the African kids and the black Caribbean kids of who is better and who is not. Although we are not in business of finding faults and criticism little children in their morals and sometimes anti-social behaviors, but there is a saying that “Charity begins at home”. And a closer understanding of characters displayed by little children can be directly related to what they hear, see or perceive from their parents or family. We know that children tend to emulate what their parents do, not much of what they are instructed not to do, but I will say they are led and live by the examples set by their parents.
It is sad that these children that make this comment and portray such attitudes to other kids, but could this vibes be from the older generation of people that surrounds them. Having said that, I will like to know; where did it all go wrong? Why are we (the back race) so divided among ourselves? I remember an intense debate I had with a Caribbean brother and he finally opened up, with anger from his eyes when he said, and I quote “you Africans sold us out to slavery, for what? Is it Money? So why should I look at an African as a friend or even a brother?” I must say when I heard these words I felt a certain chill within me although we are still good friends and it was just an argument between blokes, for days I was thinking and pondering on that statement, and something struck me one day, that could this be the kind of education or history that is generally believed by our Caribbean brothers and sister which may influence their perception of their fellow African brothers across the oceans.
Its unhealthy to dwell on things that try to divide us and I should make this comment for my Caribbean readers. I am an African and from the stories I heard from my great grandparents and grandparents, they always said that the slave masters had very deceptive schemes which they use in gathering victims for this inhuman activity, that they often came up with proposals like telling the parents of this people that they are taking them to their country for them to receive some style of education so that these kids will one day come back home (to Africa) with proper education to educate others within the community. Little did they know that this was not the case and that their children will be exploited for slavery; there are loads of other scheme, lies and deceit used to perpetrate this act. Although I cannot completely agree that this act continued for so long without the slightest suspicion raised of the original intention. I personally think, at least someone or some group of people must have know this but did not take action to expose these schemes or they may have been bribed to maintain their silence hence the reason why this act continued for so long. Evil does really prevail when good men sit and do nothing.
Enough has been said of the bad and ugly. Let us focus more of our energy on the good thing about our relationship, what unites us and makes us similar in so many different ways. Wow I remember back in Africa we loved reggae music and whenever a reggae tune was played people will dance and groove to the music. Sometimes the young lads mimicked speaking in patois and it was and is still very fashionable. And we have the guys copying the Rastafarian swag and dreadlocks, I must say it was fascinating and I was tempted in many instances to become one. Having this in mind, it tells us that we are more united in many ways than we will ever understand or agree. And it is our duty as not only as the black race but as humanity, including other race White, Asian, Caucasian, Hispanic and black that we appreciate our heritage, setting aside all differences and past dark history that humanity had to go though, we all lost something from the time of the slave trade of the black race, to the first and second World War and the persecution of the Jews in the WW2, down to this present day. The only thing we have at the end of this all is ourselves as a brotherhood of mankind and what good it will do to avert current and future disputes and wars if only we learn to live by the golden rule individually and collectively and to pass down this teaching to our children and future generation.
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