Lost African Identity?

Question

How can we Black Americans get back to our African roots?

I'm Jamacian and Dominican. But I call myself African American/Black. I want to reconnect with my African roots and learn more about it. I read books about Africa and the Caribbean and I'm tired of doing that. What else can I do?

Love Stoned-I'm trying but my father Caribbean backgroud is so confusing and I don't know about my caribbean side that much. I go by my mom's family tree. My mom is just a regular Black American.

Answer 1

1st, I would say people of color as African American or Caribbean decent are not lost and have roots we need to get back too.

Over the years we as people of Color have traveled the globe from Africa, Egypt to the Caribbean....
This makes us who we are......

But in terms of food and culture you can visit these particular places you are interested in and get a full immersion and experience, from the culture to see what its all ....

More importantly you have Life and the world has so many different cultures you may connect with on many different levels..

You will discover you so much more than a color!

Answer 2

You don't really need to know which particular country. It would be good of course but don't feel it's a limitation if you don't. Embrace the whole continent. You are welcome everywhere. Oprah Winfrey felt a connection with South Africa after visiting several times and started a school there because she connected alot with the people. She and her best friend Gayle King have returned there several times and will be doing it even more since they have started something there. Feel at home with the whole continent. There are blacks in Africa North of the Sahara too, as you know.

It was only recently that I learnt that slaves were taken from Mozambique as well and this makes the search even wider that's why I gave the above answer.

Answer 3

Africa is a very different place from the days of slavery, but there are a lot of books about Africa by Africans. Go to the site below for a list of African writers, French and English.

Answer 4

The first question is where did your ansestors come from? Then go there and learn about their lives and times. Another way is to find others in your community that were from the same place as your ancestors. They might help you understand what it is that you come from. If you don't know exact places, visit africa or talk to people who are first generation african americans, who might have a better hold on theculture.

Answer 5

Malidoma Some' has some good books on African wisdom (real stuff not pseudo stuff)

reading about various tribes and cultures will give you background

if you can find them, African newspapers and books

African authors too (I love Buchi Emecheta...her experiences as a Nigerian in England are akin to those of black women's here)

ah i see, you have already read lots of books

go and visit and see how people live

get past the "warlords" and poverty and such....all the stereotypes of Africa

try to meet some African people (N,S, E, W, and Central) and see how they live

Answer 6

maximum community human beings evaluate themselves to be electorate of their u . s . a . first......human beings second. It make sense that many blacks do no longer want to be referred to as African human beings....they have in no way been there, nor understand the position in Africa their ancestors got here from, nor have any cultural connection to it. It change into whites that determined that they are the in simple terms "genuine" human beings, and all and distinctive else desires a hyphenated identify. Blacks contained in the U. S. are honestly no longer lost. they have their own id, thoroughly separate of that of Africans. many diverse identities, in simple terms in the U. S.. they don't look to be African......they're American. such as each and every of the whites who go with to declare ecu identities, in simple terms because a much off ancestor got here from there.....it would not make it so.

Answer 7

If you need help with your family tree, I will be glad to help. Let me point out that Carribean culture is quite a bit different from African culture. I've done research projects for many clients from these areas, and I would not necessarily consider someone from Jamaica an African. (I'm not referring to 10,000 years ago...you know what I mean.)

The best way to bet back to your roots is to trace your family back one generation at a time. I'm aware black folks have more difficulty than others for obvious reasons, but you'd be suprised what you can find.

Answer 8

Well you can take a DNA test which will trace you to a specific ethnic group that one of your ancestors came from but, it is not cheap!

http://www.africanancestry.com/

If you are African-American/ Caribean then, there is a damn good chance that your ancestors came from West Africa! Reading is good but, you can also go to community events or African nights that occur in your community!

Answer 9

Go to museums, watch movies, learn the history, take an african history class.
research african leaders, religion, governments, etc .
Take an african dance class. Study art and traditions.
They have a very rich culture, have fun

Answer 10

It' seams to me that you are searching desperately to attach yourself to some kind of identity group... you don't need to reconnect with your African roots, because you are already African... There's a big chance that your ancestors are from the Mother Land, so you are who you are. You just need to walk this path of life with grace and pride.