tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5802444676495354916.post2618854483981268204..comments2024-03-16T16:49:12.011-07:00Comments on The African Or Black Question (TAOBQ): Highlighting Brazil's Complex African Identity And Race Issues The African Or Black Question (TAOBQ)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10340795499543254619noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5802444676495354916.post-14484242841118341202012-12-30T09:13:57.328-08:002012-12-30T09:13:57.328-08:00Thanks for comments.
Here’s a brief feedback:
Re...Thanks for comments.<br /><br />Here’s a brief feedback:<br /><br />Regarding “Afro”, it is a preference. Better “Afro” than terms like “black”, or “coloured”. However, I wish to make the point that for some people, it’s not Africa which springs up when they hear the word “Afro” – it’s a hairstyle or comb!<br /><br />I prefer terms like African-Brazilian, which to me is much stronger in affirming the African heritage. Perhaps that’s why some went from Afro-American to African-American.<br /><br />The TAOBQ campaign is one located in Britain, where “black” can mean different things, unlike, say, the US, where it simply refers to a person of African heritage.<br /><br />There is the African choice for those that are bothered enough in Britain. For example, in the December 2012 edition of Harrow People magazine, the only time “black” is used is in reference Black History Month. But whereas previously they would be talking in terms of “black” people, in this coverage it only used African, as a result of engaging with conscious Africans who made it clear that there is an alternative to “black”.<br /><br />We are all at different points of a journey – I take heart in your making a choice to use African instead of “black”. And as long as there is a debate, there’s hope!<br /><br />We ALL, meaning the HUMAN race, descended from Africa. So it can be argued that all humanity is of African descent. No matter what ancestry anyone may claim, it finally ends up in Africa. However, in terms of where we are now, not everyone is African – we have the Asian, European, etc.<br /><br />The debate continues…<br />The African Or Black Question (TAOBQ)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10340795499543254619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5802444676495354916.post-58979642893120744342012-12-30T06:39:37.131-08:002012-12-30T06:39:37.131-08:00Thank you for referencing my post ´a lighter shade...Thank you for referencing my post ´a lighter shade of black...`<br /><br />I´d like to give my opinion on a point made:<br />But what's up with the Brazilian love for the word "Afro", which in places like Britain is often associated with the Afro comb! And as all humanity descended from Africa, they ought to consider using African heritage instead.<br /><br />Firstly, I don´t see the problem in using ´Afro´ as a prefix link to Africa. And it´s not only used in Brazil- Latin America in General; ´Afro-Latino´.<br /><br />Does one have to call themselves specifically African-Brazilian, African-Latino etc to prove their acceptance of their African heritage? ("A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" W.Shakespeare) Having options isn´t such a bad thing because you can´t please everyone. Someone might prefer Afrodescendente, another Afro-Brazilian. The point is to get Africans to identify with their African ancestry to ´empower´ themselves. Debating with phrase we use to do so is fighting the same battle as far as I´m concerned.<br /><br />I´m working on a photo-documentary called ´I am Afro-Brazilian`. Despite meeting many people proud to be ´black´ in Rio, I have only met one person actually calling herself ´Afro-Brazilian` in 1 month of being here! Lets not knock the efforts of African Brazilians/Latinos using ´Afro` as a prefix to their ancestry.<br /><br />And regarding ´places like Britain (Afro) is often associated with the Afro comb!´<br />Is that a bad thing for an African descendant to associate their African ancestry to the `Afro Comb´? The Afro, which in its self is a political symbol of ´African Pride´... What would be the wrong in that if that was the case?<br /><br />And lastly, speaking of Britain. In some ways we (Africans in Britain) have further to go than the `Afro`-Brazilian/Latino community. Because where as there is the option for Africans in S.America to pre-fix a direct link to Africa in which ever way one chooses to, in Britain what do we have? BLACK!<br /><br />Just a few months ago I was proudly wearing the label `Black British´ (I still haven´t completely shed it off, however I now prefer to just use African). Thank you TAOBQ for opening my mind to the African or Black question! We have a long way before `African British` will flow with ease from the majority of African descendants in the UK but atleast the debate is out there and getting people THINKING and QUESTIONING! <br /><br />One last point! I understand why people dislike labels- why should they?! However, calling ones-self African descendant (in which every way one chooses to) shouldn´t purely be for the sake of identity purposes. As you wrote; ´And as all humanity descended from Africa...` (which I think is a bit of a `cop-out` in many contexts!) I think the correct acknowledgement should be ` we all have some mixed ancestry along the line (which in many cases links back to Africa)`.<br /><br />How can we define ourselves with just one ancestral link? I for example: I am a dark skinned British-Born Ghanaian... With a German surname! But it isn´t my surname that defines me. I choose being African to define who I am to EMPOWER myself. <br /><br />Thank you for the opotunity for me to voice my opinions! Keep the debate alive! The fight is for a good cause!<br /><br />Kai<br />travelmakerkai.wordpress.com <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5802444676495354916.post-35356292642221995552012-12-28T10:56:45.750-08:002012-12-28T10:56:45.750-08:00Hey, nobody said it would be easy - thanks for rea...Hey, nobody said it would be easy - thanks for reaching outThe African Or Black Question (TAOBQ)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10340795499543254619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5802444676495354916.post-40876941803774320402012-12-28T08:13:04.185-08:002012-12-28T08:13:04.185-08:00"Other terms worth noting are 'morena'..."Other terms worth noting are 'morena', which basically describes a brown or light skinned female of African heritage, whilst 'negra' basically refers to a female with mainly African features."<br /><br />I am not sure how Rosie Perez would be perceived in Brazil; she is of Afro-Puerto Rican descent. <br /><br />http://www.autographpros.com/images/Rosie-Perez-Autographed-Happy-Smiling-Photo-3860a.jpeg John, NYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03135159557634806040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5802444676495354916.post-10367334771821500962012-12-28T07:51:00.020-08:002012-12-28T07:51:00.020-08:00"Preta Gil is a singer and actress, and the &..."Preta Gil is a singer and actress, and the 'prado' daughter of Gilberto Gil, a famous musician and former Brazilian Minister of Culture in Brazil. With her first name mistakenly substituted with 'Preto' and even 'Afrodescente', no wonder even though she recognises her African roots, she dislikes labels of any kind."<br /><br />My perspective on "race" is complex. I identify with Preta Gil's dislike of labels and I am not into "racial solidarity," which I think is too divisive. However, as long as we do use labels, I think "Afrodescendente" is more meaningful than "black" as an ethnic descriptor. <br />John, NYhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03135159557634806040noreply@blogger.com