Documentary: Who is Black?

[Tropicana]

Jamaica

A Legacy Of Racism

There are many people who claim racism in Jamaica is a thing of the past, but that what we see now is lots of class prejudice.

They must have their heads buried in the sand, for racism is alive and well in Jamaica.

I can understand why many people would think so. Ever since slavery, there has been a strong link between race and class in Jamaica, and maybe the two have become confused. For it was the Europeans (the whites) who owned the land and their African slaves (the blacks). Thereafter, in Jamaica, the 'haves' have been light-skinned while the 'have-nots' have been dark skinned.
Emancipation, the 176th anniversary of which we celebrated last Sunday, may have made slaves legally free, but it did not break the link between colour and class in Jamaica.

In fact, Emancipation may have made matters worse, for the former slave owners received big money in compensation for the loss of their slave property, while the former slaves received nothing - zilch - in compensation for the loss of their freedom and their homeland. Whereas in slavery the masters were responsible for feeding and clothing all their slaves - including the crippled and the aged - in freedom the slaves - overnight - had to begin to fend for themselves, including the crippled and the aged. Whereas in slavery the masters were responsible for feeding and clothing the children of their slaves (their property, after all!), in freedom the slaves - overnight - had to begin to support their own children.

And with what would the ex-slaves support themselves and their families? They had no land and no education, and there were no jobs to speak of, outside the same plantations on which they were slaves. This is where the gap between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots' was its starkest!
And the former masters needed the labour of their former slaves, and they made sure that enough manual labour labour was always available by restricting educational opportunities.

Guess who

Make no mistake: Emancipation (and 'full freedom' four years later) did not bring equality. To vote, or to be a juror, you had to own land. To be a candidate you had to own even more. Guess who had the land, and guess who couldn't vote for more than a hundred years more! This sort of thing is what perpetuated the link between colour and class.
And so, since colour was linked to wealth and status, many internalised the value that 'light-skin is better than dark skin', that 'straight hair is prettier than kinky hair', and so on. And then many seek to make themselves appear as light-skinned as possible. Why do so many dark-skinned Jamaicans bleach their skin? Why do we so rarely seem to select black women to represent us as 'Miss Jamaica'? Racism is alive and well in Jamaica, and it is within.
Many women seek alliances with lighter-skinned men to improve the skin colour of their children, and possibly their own social standing. This is true even in the Jamaica of 2010. Too often, I am approached by beautiful black women who offer to "make a little brown baby" for me. It seems that black consciousness has been on the back burner for some time now.
There is a danger that we will look at Emancipation as something that has already happened, that is somewhere in the past. The truth is that Emancipation is a process that is not yet complete. Many of us are still to free ourselves from the way of thinking of our former masters. Many of us are not happy with the way we look. Frankly, many of us hate ourselves. We could call it "auto-racism".

Negative feelings

And, if we are honest, many darker-skinned Jamaicans harbour negative feelings about lighter-skinned Jamaicans. And I am not just talking about kids who scream out, "whitey" or "white man" at passing cars; I am talking about many in the black intelligentsia, who deeply resent lighter-skinned Jamaicans, and who let it out in subtle and not-so-subtle ways.
Slavery was a defining period in Jamaica's history. It operated here for more than 300 years and had its values woven into the fabric of Jamaican society. Even though slavery has been officially abolished for many decades, it is a living social memory for many, and the legacy of slavery still negatively impacts the vast majority of Jamaicans. Our national motto, Out of Many, One People, is more a wish than an accomplishment, and we should treat it as a goal towards which we continue to strive.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100806/cleisure/cleisure2.html

[jah_yout]

So predictable especially since you probably haven't even watched it...that is why I am posting videos and articles from a variety of sources private and media so onoo can't dismiss the message.

It is almost impossible to discuss ANY issue on here. People on here can't stick to a topic and discuss it. They are intent on either hijacking discussions, attacking the topic starter and making things persona, or discounting the source so you never have to address the real issue.

Some a onoo is a trip. I guess the truth hurts too much.

quit getting emotional...if you look to corporate white media for meaningful analysis on "blackness" then feel free

[Emperah]

fi real doe, evanovitch have a pint, nuhbaddy nah nutime fi read all dem cut an paste deh ar watch 12 video.
What is it you say, we wouldan raddah hear wah yuh haffi seh den wah ya copy cut an paste.

When ppl cumeena dem poas ya an si how much dem haffi read dem yeye dem glaze ova and quick a clock dem move de mouse ova tuh fwd an reel out.

[Tropicana]

quit getting emotional...if you look to corporate white media for meaningful analysis on "blackness" then feel free

I repeat.... I am quoting from a VARIETY of sources not just corporate media sources. Emotional huh.....you and others are the ones doing your best to attack, make this personal and derail this discussion. I am just going to ignore all of you.

What is it you say, we wouldan raddah hear wah yuh haffi seh

That's a laugh.

I have already stated my opinion that Black people who distance themselves from their Blackness with all of these other labels to describe themselves are making themselves look ridiculous. What a pappy show!

den wah ya copy cut an paste.

Anything I say will be discounted and shot down unless backed up by other sources.

When ppl cumeena dem poas ya an si how much dem haffi read dem yeye dem glaze ova and quick a clock dem move de mouse ova tuh fwd an reel out.

If you don't want to read, watch or participate, no one is forcing you.

[Emperah]

but smaddy already shoot dung yuh babylon source on black ppl

I would much raddah read wah u have to say on a topic than quotes but a suh me stay.

You lessen your own validity by saying ppl will shoot wah u haffi seh dung.

[Tropicana]

This is for you blugiant:

“Who is Black?”


rosa.jpg

Yesterday, an interesting thing happened to me. I was told I am not Black.
The kicker for me was when my friend stated that the island of Puerto Rico was not a part of the African Diaspora. I wanted to go back to the old school playground days and yell: “You said what about my momma?!” But after speaking to several friends, I found out that many Black Americans and Latinos agree with him. The miseducation of the Negro is still in effect!

I am so tired of having to prove to others that I am Black, that my peoples are from the Motherland, that Puerto Rico, along with Cuba, Panama and the Dominican Republic, are part of the African Diaspora. Did we forget that the slave ships dropped off our people all over the world, hence the word Diaspora?

The Atlantic slave trade brought Africans to Puerto Rico in the early 1500s. Some of the first slave rebellions took place on the island of Puerto Rico. Until 1846, Africanos on the island had to carry a libreta to move around the island, like the passbook system in apartheid South Africa. In Puerto Rico, you will find large communities of descendants of the Yoruba, Bambara, Wolof and Mandingo people. Puerto Rican culture is inherently African culture.

There are hundreds of books that will inform you, but I do not need to read book after book to legitimize this thesis. All I need to do is go to Puerto Rico and look all around me. Damn, all I really have to do is look in the mirror every day.

I am often asked what I am—usually by Blacks who are lighter than me and by Latinos/as who are darker than me. To answer the $100,000, 000 question, I am a Black Boricua, Black Rican, Puertorriqueña! Almost always I am questioned about why I choose to call myself Black over Latina, Spanish, Hispanic. Let me break it down.
I am not Spanish. Spanish is just another language I speak. I am not a Hispanic. My ancestors are not descendants of Spain, but descendants of Africa. I define my existence by race and land. (Borinken is the indigenous name of the island of Puerto Rico.)

Being Latino is not a cultural identity but rather a political one. Being Puerto Rican is not a racial identity, but rather a cultural and national one. Being Black is my racial identity. Why do I have to consistently explain this to those who are so-called conscious? Is it because they have a problem with their identity? Why is it so bad to assert who I am, for me to big-up my Africanness?

My Blackness is one of the greatest powers I have. We live in a society that devalues Blackness all the time. I will not be devalued as a human being, as a child of the Supreme Creator.

Although many of us in activist circles are enlightened, many of us have baggage that we must deal with. So many times I am asked why many Boricuas refuse to affirm their Blackness. I attribute this denial to the ever-rampant anti-Black sentiment in America and throughout the world, but I will not use this as an excuse. Often Puerto Ricans who assert our Blackness are not only outcast by Latinos who identify more with their Spanish Conqueror than their African ancestors, but we are also shunned by Black Americans who do not see us as Black.

Nelly Fuller, a great Black sociologist, stated: “Until one understands the system of White supremacy, anything and everything else will confuse you.”

Divide and conquer still applies.


Listen people: Being Black is not just skin color, nor is it synonymous with Black Americans. To assert who I am is the most liberating and revolutionary thing I can ever do. Being a Black Puerto Rican encompasses me racially, ethically and most importantly, gives me a homeland to refer to.

http://1nedrop.com/who-is-black-by-rosa-clemente/

Really well said.

[Peasie]

especially wid dem deh kinda food. mi nuh know weh dem a guh wid snacks..

cook food we a defend

wi sen farrin cousin Pooncie fi some food an all now she cyaan come wid ie. chrrps.

[Tropicana]

but smaddy already shoot dung yuh babylon source on black ppl

Fi de las time I have used a NUMBER of sources.

I would much raddah read wah u have to say on a topic than quotes but a suh me stay.

You lessen your own validity by saying ppl will shoot wah u haffi seh dung.

I have expressed my point of view a number of times in this very discussion. So what is your response. Agree? Disagree? Why or why not?

[Nunya]

Fi de las time I have used a NUMBEAR of sources.

I can't...

[diabolical_Tanya]

I can't...

me needa .....


PUNCIEEEEEE Weh yu deh wid di cook food

[Tropicana]

Racism in Jamaica; Our Own Back Yard

"Not by the Color of My Skin..."

Emancipate yourself from mental slavery; none but ourselves can free our minds. Lyrics to theRedemption Song by the great Bob Marley.


Out of Many One People is the Jamaican motto which symbolizes the country's multi-racial population resulting from the number of cultures that came together to form the nation. However as harmonious as these words are, the country has and still continues to live under the stern brows of color discrimination with our own Jamaicans at the helm of racial slur.


As one of the countries that literally lived the horrors of slavery, it is sad to know that we are still enslaved to the callous psyche of racism...and in our own back yard. Jamaica, which is primarily made up of descendants of the colonists and immigrants from the Middle East, has one of the most dynamic cultures. It is this ethnic DNA that draws the world to our front steps and has created a sea of people with skin tones ranging from black to brown to white; with all three tones having further variations depending on the mix.


Many terms have been coined by the people using skin color as the basis...Browning, Reds, Blacks, Coolie, and Whitey and so on. Though for the most part, being referred to as any one of the above is harmless, there are times when the label is intended to be and is seen as condescending and disrespectful. Persons that are light in complexion are seen as the superiors and as such are favored; be it a job interview or promotion, the lighter the skin the greater the benefits. Ironically the preference is not always imparted by light skinned counterparts but also by those with darker tones.


In the time of our grandfathers young men and women were frowned upon by their parents when they brought home that 'special someone' who was dark in complexion. The parents who associated light skin with beauty, power, money, success and influence saw black skinned people as the opposite; hence they did not see them as fit partners for their children.


Discrimination continues to shine in our modern lives. Many have shared experiences of preferential treatments in hotels, restaurants and stores, where light skinned people would receive better customer service no matter how difficult that customer may be. Because of the correlation to poverty black skinned Jamaicans are continuously trying to prove their worth and place in the country. The more successful ones tend to use an 'in-your-face' approach where they display their wealth using the likes of motor cars, houses and attire.


Unfortunately those with less materialistic foundation have sought to change the color of the skin by applying a process known as 'bleaching'. Bleaching is the application of large doses of skin lightening creams to desired areas of the body, which over time begin to change shades. Whilst this practice is ridiculed by some, it is highly praised by others, especially when users both male and female, feel as though they are reaping the anticipated benefits of social acceptance.


Although the darker race has felt greater negative effects from the color of their skin, both sides have had their share of discrimination. In schools white or brown skinned children are singled out and referred to as being snobs who act as though they are 'better' than others. Young women who enter the beauty pageants Miss Jamaica World and Miss Jamaica Universe are robbed of the glory of winning when credit is given to the color of their skin and not the power of the brains. In the corporate world the job promotion that you worked so hard for is said to be handed to you like everything else 'on a silver platter' because of the color of your skin if not for the depth of your pocket.


Thankfully the levels of racism have not reached the heights of physical harm to each other, yet the emotional and psychological damage cannot be overlooked, and will only worsen as we remain forever mentally enslaved.


Sources:


http://www.jamaicans.com/articles/pr...leaching.shtml

http://voices.yahoo.com/racism-jamaica-our-own-back-yard-3088139.html

Really well said.

[kia027]

y mii wass stayinn way fram da topixx iss cah oyinbo like soledad tryinn fe define blackness ann blakk peeps need fe define owa own terms ann woo qualifii fe membarship

Y u a call soledad oyinbo when she self identifies as black?

[Emperah]

probably caz she let harself get used to do that fufool show bout black in america

[Tropicana]

It was an excellent show and she did a great job.

[kia027]

probably caz she let harself get used to do that fufool show bout black in america

soledad has always self identified as black.

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/10/changing-faces/schoeller-photography