do you think african jamaicans and africans look differently than african americans?

Question

Reason I ask this is because I'm a person of african jamaican descent who grew up in the U.S and has endured alot of teasing from black americans about the way I look. When people in the U.S both black and white look at me they always ask me do I come from africa or jamaica and when I tell them I was born in the U.S they don't believe me. Its really annoying and makes me feel like less of an american. Untill this started happening I thought all people of african descent looked the same. Is there a characteristic of jamaicans/Africans that looks different than black americans? How can all these people immediately tell I have jamaican in me?

Answer 1

I will attempt to answer your question without going out on tangential issues such as what are you 'really'...LOL

Yes, there are some minor differences in the 'look' of persons of African ancestory who are from different countries....Let me explain. In Caribbean countries persons of African ancestory have also been 'mixed' over the centuries with Indians from that region.......'aztec, carib, etc' The combining of the genetic traits of those Indian tribes with the specific traits of the African ancestors [and remember Africa is a continent made up of people who do NOT all look alike]...produced folk who vary in looks from island to island. Arubans are very recognizable for example.

Next we go to speech pattern...you may not have a discernible accent, however you may have a cadence in your speech...that wonderful lilt that folk may be picking up.

Whatever the case...be proud of ALL parts of your ancestory for you are blessed!

Answer 2

You do look different, but it's probably more to do with how you carry yourself than to do with physical features.

BTW you are of black Jamaican descent will suffice, the only African Jamaicans just come from Africa within the last year. We who born and grow there (of whatever race) are just Jamaicans - don't make them hyphenate you. You are either black, chiny, coolie, red, brown, white or whatever and come from Jamaica, but never a "XXX"-Jamaican.

My biggest fear when moving to this country was to be (mis)taken for African-American. Why? I'm not one. I have a strong and distinct culture that's quite far and apart in belief and values that what I've found here. Quite sure that this has been instilled in you. For example you can chat patois all you want but you damn well better know how to talk standard English. How many blacks here take pride in being able to construct a proper sentence? Not to mention the ability to communicate well. I'm sure your shoes had to shine before you head out the door and so on an so forth.

Although we had lots of Africans from the West Coast (many Nigerians!) and we tend to look more like them than say Ethiopians, is not that by any stretch.

Answer 3

I do think that there is a difference in how african blacks, jamaican blacks and american blacks look. I just DO NOT see how these differences could lead to someone teasing you. People and just ignorant. I am Jamaican but i live in the UK, I can usually tell just from a peesons look without them speaking if they are Jamaican and I am NEVER wrong. I can usally tell the people who are African as well. There are just some difference in the features of these groups or their mannerisms that u can just tell. I just dont see what is funny about it though.

U need to hold ur head high and embrace you jamaican-ness. I will tell anyone who is willing to listen that i am Jamaican. I am proud to be Jamaican and i will always be. Many people mistake me for a black british but i am very quick to correct them. Whoever you are, whatever you race or how u look u should embrace it and be very proud. When someone ask if you are Jamaican u say YES!! and I AM PROUD.

How old are you anyway, u sound kind of young.

Answer 4

African Jamaican? First time I have heard that. Honey your parents are Jamaicans. You are from Jamaican decent. You are an African American by birth but Jamaican by heart.

All caribbean people have a certain look and way that you can tell where they are from. Example Labour Day on the Parkway. You can tell the different groups of Caribbean people there by the way they look, talk, dress, and yes the shade of their skin.

Answer 5

I am Jamaican and I don't think I look any different from Africa Americans. Some people will judge you by the way in which you speak but other than that I can't think of any reason why they would ask you that.

Answer 6

Some people will pick on or laugh at anyone and make a reason to do so.
I am white, and recognize that there are many different - gee, how would you describe it...... features !! that might suggest a heritage from say, Great Britain, Germany, Portugal or? or? or? but that does not mean they are from there.
Like wise, I think, with Black people, there is a huge variety of features as well, different body shapes - just like White people and so on, but really it is all genetics don't you think?
I live in Barbados and there are a lot of different looking White and Black people. But we all get along.
So I go back to the sad fact that some people just seem to enjoy making other people uncomfortable. The rest of us need to just ignore them.

Answer 7

Don't listen to the people who are telling you that. I'm of African descent. I don't see a difference. There's people in Africa I see them on T.V. and some of them favor some black people here in the U.S. And even some of them favor a family member of mine. And also in Jamaica they look just like U.S. blacks as well. So there's not a difference to me.

Answer 8

First i want to say i never mean and don't intent to disrespect,offend anyone race or nationality.
i am american however i am mixed but anyway yes i can usually tell if a person is from the islands sometimes. From my opinion i notice that eyes cheek bones and complextion are not the same of americans born here. I guess you have strong features that are standing out and in my opinion i'm sure your goodlooking and they are just jealous of you probally, forget those girls they probally mad cause their cheek bones are not as high as yours lol know what i mean? people always try to make someone feel bad when they really have a miserable life. Don';t worry about it hun cause think of this....its best you really see how they are before your freindship gets deep.
Choose your friends don't let them choose you hun. Be with positive people who like to see their freinds happy. Choose friends who are on your level mentally.
Good luck to you hun.

Answer 9

that's Americas way of labeling the place human beings's ancestor's got here from. Plus i think of that's greater of society's workstation way rather of only asserting black. some human beings in u . s . take great offense to being referred to as black simply by racism. i'm African American, yet I confer with myself and my relatives as black. basically because of the fact i think that considering I have not have been given any connection to my African historical past different than my race, i don't prefer to be referred to as African. I say Black American or only undeniable American. Hell, my ancestors on my dad's facet are Irish and my mom's facet Caucasian/close by American, yet you won't be in a position to tell. i've got not got any plans to head to Africa, or soak up that's customs. i don't prefer to disclaim what i'm, i like being black, I do only not think of i'm African.

Answer 10

Forget those people, they are not very smart.
Be proud of who you are and learn to love yourself and your people, it does not matter what shade your skin is or anybody else's for that matter nor does your pysical features count for much. I was born in Barbados and people here ask me all the time if I am American, people just need to stop the prejudice and start to love, if a person has a good heart or a bad one for that matter, does it really matter what they look like????
Stop listening to people, live your life and make that paper and then they will just look as you as a rich man and no one will care much for your appearance, that's just the world that we live in, don't even worry about it.