African European?

Fum Ade
Fum Ade
Sep 8, 2018 · 4 min read

If you’re a second generation African born in Europe, does this title annoy you?

Does it is seem like an impossibility?

Do you feel like it would mean we aren’t really defined by anything?

I will be researching into this much more, but it seems unlike our African American counterparts, we are much more obsessed with picking one definition over another. When we eat, we’re African. If the British National Party were to come into power, we’re African. When we can’t speak our ‘home’ dialect, we’re British. Our ideas on how democracy and the economics of a country should work is grounded in British/European ideology.

Why does there need to be a choice?

A lot of my British friends call African American’s confused. They say they have no identity, that they don’t realise they’re really African.

That they reject their “true” identity…Which apparently should be based on their ancestry?

The “blood running through my vein argument” seems ignorant to me now, apart from the “out of Africa” hypothesis deeming this a moot point, culture is not something that is genetically coded. The people are not defined by their land or blood. Though that would be an interesting hypothesis to explore. Australian’s are Ex-European’s (descendant’s from European’s) and have formed their own culture, a relatively new culture at that. So maybe the land does affect the people? Though somebody should explain to me how they developed that accent…Was that hiding in the European blood?? No, seriously…

It makes you wonder what you’re really defined by or if definitions are even necessary.

I do think the British Political system and the history surrounding how they dealt with their slave trade in comparison to America, is highly significant to why there’s such a stark difference in the treatment of “born here, from there.” Consequently, the way we view ourselves is very different too. America embraces the fact they are a continent full of foreigners. Britain never has and probably never will.

Let’s say for arguments sake the “black” race, who can be directly traced back to being of African descent (as opposed to everybody), are grouped into 3 main categories. Only considering those that have settled in countries they aren’t indigenous to:

1. First generation Africans. Indigenous to Africa and not descendants of slaves.

2. The offspring of the first generation African’s. They’ve been brought up in an environment outside Africa, have different takes on political ideology and philosophy to their parents, both as a consequence of generational differences and the influence of the institutions and people around them.

3. The offspring of slaves. Ranging from Caribbean’s to African American’s and all that’s in-between. Their history is different slave trade onwards. They settled in their ‘new’ home, or the land of their slave owners and forged a new culture or identity.

Each in turn treat their identity differently, with the first group not seeming to have much issue with theirs and generally having a condescending attitude towards the other groups. With that being said, I’ve witnessed all groups looking down on the others. I’m sure we all have.

I’m of the second group. Hi there? How are you? Yep, I’m good. So moving on…

I find from my experience, being of the second group, we don’t have the strong sense of identity and claim to the “motherland” that the first group have. On the other hand, we don’t seem to have formed a defined, socially constructed, strong identity for ourselves that the third group have. That is my personal belief by the way. I do believe that the third group has their very own unique identity and culture. Their history is different, their pains, struggles and stories are different and very real. They are totally justified in defining themselves differently to the other groups.

So what are we group 2? Let’s say our descendants settle here, and let’s go all the way to 10th generation say; should they still have this identity crisis? Are we comfortable with the idea of them embracing the land they live in and calling themselves, God forbid, European? Not getting asked, “No…Where are you reeaaallly from?”

This fear that we may “lose” our “true” identity if we don’t understand the culture of our parents…I think it’s time we let go of it.

It’s not a betrayal.

It’s not because we don’t feel attached in some way.

It’s because we are much more complex than that and we should probably start to forge our own identity.

We should start to control our treatment by the governments of the countries we live in, by first standing up to be acknowledged.

We have our own struggles. We have our own stories. We have African names and stories from where we were born. We have our own history, and our own culture.

I’d like to be recognised for this.

- FunmiXO


Originally published at funmix.tumblr.com as at 2ND FEB 2013

    Fum Ade

    Written by

    Fum Ade

    Being Britgerian. My opinions, musings, short-stories, poems, experiences and dreams. Opinion Columnist at TAR. Aspiring entrepreneur. Music lover.

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