Confessions of an African American Mzungu: The Ugandan view on Afro American Culture

Happy Black History Month!

It's that time of the year when African Americans in Canada and the U.S. start to celebrate and remember the unique past of being an African American. I knew it was something mainly celebrated by Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. to an extent; however, many Ugandans don't know about it or they have a pretty interesting view of what it means. I have taken it upon myself to enlighten some Ugandans about the African American Culture because I've come to realize that they believe what they see in music videos and bad press.

First point: Our culture is not our religion
One Rotaractor asked me if I was fasting for this month. I was a bit confused by that statement at first (since he was trying to brag that he was eating lunch at the time), and I had to explain that it's quite a secular month that is meant to remember, celebrate, and even discuss important topics in the Afro American culture. I then realized that in Uganda, many people confuse Culture and Religion (my research is clarifying this point exactly!). I had to explain to some Ugandans that not all Black people are Christian or even Muslim. The United States is a diverse country with everything under the sun. This month is meant to pay tribute to all of those that we feel have made an advancement in American History and for African Americans (i.e. Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. Cornell West, Pauly Murray, etc.).

Second point: The N word is still an offensive word
While at RYLA-Uganda, I had a rotaractor discover that I was African American and she proceeded to talk to me about how rude Black people are and how we don't appreciate anything. Instead of saying "Black people" or "African Americans", she said the N word. I know people hear this word in movies and music over here and think that all Afro Americans use the term, but that's not the case. That word has a bad history to it, and although there seems to be a group of Afro Americans that still use it even in joking terms, saying that word to me in that context isn't apporpriate. AND as for the rudeness of Black people, you can find rude people anywhere, it all depends on where you're going. Please don't classify a group of based on a few that you may have encountered. That's a universal lesson.

Third point: For the most part, we don't dress or talk like that...
Another interesting thing I observed and was a bit offended by at RYLA-Uganda was the fashion show of cultures. The young men went on stage and said they were from the hood and were trying to "talk ghetto" and the girls were wearing skimpy skirts (like what you would see in a music video about going to the club). I laughed it off mainly, but when I had rotaractors coming up to me saying "you don't have swag. Are you really African American?" I started to get a little offensive. I realized that they really do believe what they see in the music videos. Luckily, I was able to explain to a rotaractor that just like Ugandans get upset or offended when Americans bring up Idi Amin and classify Uganda based on the movie "The Last King of Scotland", African Americans get the same way when you think that we're all like what you see in music videos and movies.  But worry not, that's what I'm here for, to break those barriers and show Americans, African Americans, and Ugandan/East Africans that what is represented on TV is not necessarily true.

Fourth point: Similarities between Afro Americans and Africans
This point is mainly about Blacks in the States and Ugandans. I have come to realize many similarities as much as I've come to realize differences. Although some things are cultural, like family structure and  food, there are certain mannerisms that are quite similar. Dancing for example. Rotaractors seems to always be surprised that I know how to dance! I don't understand that really, and usually my joking response to them is "well, I'm black! It comes naturally!". In all seriousness though, the dancing style isn't that much different from what we do back in the States. That actually is a quite a relief to me!

These Confessions of an African American Mzungu are starting to become a little theme of mine, if you have anything that you would want to answer or further investigate, please let me know. I would be more than happy to include outsider questions to this mini-series.

Until next time, kuwa na siku njema!