Black People : Africa: Talking about "Tribe"

largo

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Nov 15, 2009
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A good read - http://www.africa.upenn.edu/afrfocus/afrifocus010808.html

An excerpt: "For most people in Western countries, Africa immediately calls up the word "tribe." The idea of tribe is ingrained, powerful, and expected. Few readers question a news story describing an African individual as a tribesman or tribeswoman, or the depiction of an African's motives as tribal. Many Africans themselves use the word "tribe" when speaking or writing in English about community, ethnicity or identity in African states.

Yet today most scholars who study African states and societies--both African and non-African--agree that the idea of tribe promotes misleading stereotypes. The term "tribe" has no consistent meaning. It carries misleading historical and cultural assumptions. It blocks accurate views of African realities. At best, any interpretation of African events that relies on the idea of tribe contributes no understanding of specific issues in specific countries. At worst, it perpetuates the idea that African identities and conflicts are in some way more "primitive" than those in other parts of the world. Such misunderstanding may lead to disastrously inappropriate policies."
 
A good read - http://www.africa.upenn.edu/afrfocus/afrifocus010808.html

An excerpt: "For most people in Western countries, Africa immediately calls up the word "tribe." The idea of tribe is ingrained, powerful, and expected. Few readers question a news story describing an African individual as a tribesman or tribeswoman, or the depiction of an African's motives as tribal. Many Africans themselves use the word "tribe" when speaking or writing in English about community, ethnicity or identity in African states.

Yet today most scholars who study African states and societies--both African and non-African--agree that the idea of tribe promotes misleading stereotypes. The term "tribe" has no consistent meaning. It carries misleading historical and cultural assumptions. It blocks accurate views of African realities. At best, any interpretation of African events that relies on the idea of tribe contributes no understanding of specific issues in specific countries. At worst, it perpetuates the idea that African identities and conflicts are in some way more "primitive" than those in other parts of the world. Such misunderstanding may lead to disastrously inappropriate policies."

The term tribe was a basic concept in African studies that we had as children in the 60s and the term ethnicity was later used to replace it.

Jomo Kenyatta wrote
"Facing Mt Kenya" about the Kikuyu, his group.

The inter Black conflicts after aparthied where exacerbated by the acceptance of whites as Afrcicans having equal status to the Zulu,
and this played out in the conflict between Mandela ; Xkosa and his political opposition that where Zulu.

Ask any one from Africa who has immigrated here and they will say they are,
Fulani, Wolof, Mandinke, Ibo, etc.

and the residence of these groups in western Africa transcend contemporary national borders.

The genocide of Rwanda, is hard to ignore,
therfore if there is a problem it might be best to face it squarly and objectively, if one desires to solve it, or prevent it from happening again.
 
backwards
there is only one tribe, BLACK. when our continental brethren figure this out we can take some steps.
"there is only one Nation, AFRICAN (with lots of countries). when the american brethren figure this out we can take some steps."
 

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