Do african americans respect their roots?

Question

Do you african americans ever feel angry about that white man did to your ancestors? For hundreds of years millions and milllions innocent people were transportted over Atlantic and hundreds of cultures and languages were destroyed. All african americans should find their roots and respect their lost culture and religions like Voodoo. Remember that all kinds of voodoo-dolls and black magic things doesn't accede in any way to Voodoo, they are all defamed false by Hollywood movies.

"As soon as Europeans began to settle in America, in the early 16th century, they imported black slaves from Africa to work for them. As European settlement grew, so did the demand for slaves. Over the next 300 years more than 11 million slaves were transported across the Atlantic from Africa to America."

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/REVhistorySLAVE2.htm

Many other sources tell the same story. Actually the majority (about 90%) of those 11 million slaves were transported to South America and Caribbean and the rest 10% to North America.

Do you wonder what part of Africa you share your ancestry with?

They can tell you http://africanancestry.com/

Answer 1

Why do black people have to be perpetually angry at the white in order to show that they "respect their roots"? And African culture isn't "lost", it's still right there, intact, over there in Africa where it belongs. Black Americans have our own unique culture; and although it originated in Africa, at it's core, our culture is an integral part of American history. And pardon the hell out of me for not being politically correct, but "African Americans" are African citizens who have recently immigrated here. The rest of us are just Americans who happen to be black.

Speaking of being black and American, slavery ended about 150 years ago. I'm not saying that everyone should just forget that it happened, but harping about it isn't going to undo or change anything. NOBODY in the U.S. of A. is currently still alive from back then. Know your history, but GET ON WITH YOUR LIVES.

Voodoo? Gimme a break. What does voodoo have to do with anything?

Note to Nelly: Black people in the Caribbean, Central and South America originally came from Africa and were brought over as slaves. Read your history.

Answer 2

I studied Voodoo. Also called Vodou. Its a definitly not part of african american heritage before slavery. Its mostly a mix of catholic teachings, tribal religion and craziness. And I dont think millions and millions of black people were caught in slavery or that it went on for hundred and hundred of years either. I mean America was recognized as an independednt nation in 1783 right? And slavery was abolished in 1865. So while slavery of ALL races including white protestants, Jews to the Egyptians, Arabs, and way way more you can hardly say it happened in N. America for hundred of years. If you want to be angry at anyone be angry at the shitty role models for black youth now. I live in the South and the black guys down here are USUALLY more worried about there grills, there rims or keeping the tags attached to there clothes than being good and productive examples to ANY people at all. Want to see something really stupid watch Hotel Rwanda or read a book about whats STILL going on over there even today. Its sad.

Answer 3

very interesting question, being an african american from the south I don't feel anger at white people because we are mixed with several different races because of rape,choice etc. we cannot solve any problems through anger. we have ancestors on all sides of the fence. The only thing we can do is move forward. the past cannot be changed. On my African American side I feel just as much racism from the African,Hatian,Jamacan, and European Blacks along with Asian Blacks and so on. Therefore I am what I am, a citizen of the United States that has a mixed ancestry whose roots come from all races

Answer 4

i must admit that I do feel a void because of the true lack of "African" culture here in the U.S. Having travelled to the Carribean, and having the opportunity to see Blacks who had retained ideas, beliefs, and culture from Africa, really made me feel cheated. As for Voodoo, I do believe that it has some roots in African culture, but, has become a fusion of many other beliefs over the years. I also notice that many people are quick to scream, "Your own people sold you into slavery," and I find this an interesting statement. Anyone who has TRULY studied the system of slavery in Africa knows that it was used as a political or economic tool (i.e. people could be carried off as slaves if their tribe lost a war, someone owed a debt, etc..) But, slaves in Africa were never required to lose their own identities: change their names, forget their languages, and culture. Most slaves in Africa were slaves for a certain amount of time, could eventually rejoin society, marry into their former owner's family. (Think of Joseph in the bible, initially enslaved by the Eyptians, only to become second in command to Pharaoh) The European system of slavery was unlike anything ever known in Africa. It was cruel, demeaning, and dehumanizing. Any African who sold his brother to a European had no idea what he was submitting his brother to. Do I feel angry? At times, for the loss of what is my mother tongue, culture, and home. But, I accept that this is my current place of residence and I've made the best of it. The best thing that we as people of African heritage can do is educate ourselves, and teach our children about our rich, heritage, remembering that only the strong were brought form Africa.

Answer 5

I don't feel angry about it, I like learning about it though. Yeah some slaves were sold by other Africans but lots of them were also kidnapped. Most white people born into slavery were not bound to it for life, big difference from the black slaves

Answer 6

Do I feel angry? No, but of course the treatment of the slaves was just indescribable; I feel that we should go back to our roots or at least learn about it; I guess we forgot about Voodoo and things like that when we let Christianity kick in

Answer 7

I am going to make this short and sweet. Not all black Americans have heritage in Africa. Africa was not the only continent slaves were taken from. Some could have Caribbean roots. Also even if they did have African heritage not all Africans practiced Vodou.

Vodou was a common practice in Western Africa. However it was not called Vodou. Vodou is actually a combination of various African tribal religions. Those of the Fon, Dahomey, Benin, Congo, Nago, etc, 21 different nations all of which I am not familar with, combined their religious practices in Haiti. Slavery was also common in Haiti until the slaves revolted and Haiti became an independent nation. Here is a website written by my Mambo (priestess) about the history of Haiti and Vodou. http://www.sosyetedumarche.com/Vodou_Info/History/history.html

If you are truly of African descent and you want to get back to your roots then you should find out about your bloodline and see if Vodou was a practice of your tribe. As a ssociety we have freedom of choice and we are not forced to practice a religion we do not believe in.

Answer 8

I'm not so sure many if not most really know thier roots. Having been takin from the homes and familiar suroundings one can expect to lose knowledge . like children have no first hand perspective of where or what the homeland was like. then the next generation has even less to understand. then it gets to be a story kinda like Alice in Wanderland, WILD and unbelievable.
There were many white slaves.
Many times it was other "blacks tribes that captured and inslaved and sold the slaves.
Then there were those slave owners (white,brown,yellow and yes black) who weren't very nice to thier slaves. and those who were outright mean.
I have ancestry on both sides :bond slaves , born slaves , captured slaves and who bought and sold slaves. and even some who were deemed not worthy of being slaves.

Answer 9

I don't. but i can't answer that for my older generation black family. I agree blacks should look for there roots, but now (for me anyways) its so hard. I wouldn't know where to start. I am pretty sure that my mother side of the family worship some type of voodoo deities. But there never tell me the truth. Because my family is Christians, and trying to let go of the past.

Answer 10

Great point, and yes the majority of us do respect our roots. That's why there's such a big "problem" when referring to some one as "African American" or Black.

As for Voodoo, I respect it, but I also do not believe in other gods. Voodoo is still highly respected and performed in LA (the state) and other islands.