We are devoted to studying the many nuances and choices of our target youth demographic, from the streets to the skyscrapers of corporate headquarters.
22/02/2022
BLACK. The Culture, The Vibe!
by
Rhandy Ken-Iyang
What makes you black Its definitely not your skin tone, for there are half breeds and Albinos amongst us. It surely isn't about the food we eat, for anybody can walk into an African restaurant and order a plate of jollof rice. Its obviously not about the place we inhabit because there are thousands of Africans in diaspora. Some might argue that being black is about the culture. True, although you can learn culture but you can't learn to be black. Black is not just a culture, black is a vibe.
Whether Nigerian, Ghanaian, South African,or even black American we are not black just because our skin tone implies it, we are black because from day one, we have been taught to survive and not just to survive, but to survive the hard way. We have been taught how to find happiness even when life is hard. That is why with all that we are going through, having the highest number of extremely poor people among us, not having the best facilities or the best governance in most parts, we still find time to celebrate culture because we know that our culture is our pride, our vibe. .
The overall details of our cultures may differ but a closer look will reveal that we are not so different in many ways. Before the Berlin Conference of 1884 which partitioned Africa into the territories that grew into countries as we know them, Africa was simply one large mass of BLACK. This explains the similarities in our cultures. For one, the African Traditional Religion can be found in most African cultures, the introduction of Christianity and Islam was the factor that covered this continental bond that we once had.
Nonetheless, there are some traditions that most Africans both home and away still hold dear. For example, naming of our children is done with utmost care. We believe that the names our children bear hold great sentimental value. You might wonder about African Americans and if they also bestow names on their children with as much care as the plain Africans. Yes, alot of names African Americans bear are of African origin. You mustn't be called Chinedu, Timilehin or Ahmed to be African, names like Sakani, Kimani, Leilani and Hakeem are of African origin but are bestowed mostly by African Americans.
The African artwork is another cultural identity that carries the black vibe. Countries like Kenya, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Africa amongst others have birthed several treasured artworks that are priceless. Works like the "The Bronze Head of Ife", "The Ivory Mask of Benin Kingdom", "The Sphinx of Taharqo (Ancient Egypt)", and "The Akan goldweights of West Africa" are known worldwide for their originality and are artistic master pieces.
What gives the Black vibe more than the Black Music? It doesn't matter what language it is sung or what genre it is written in, the black music is the leading ambassador of the black vibe. There is a black song for every occasion, every situation and every dance. Most importantly, the black music is vintage. Its therefore no surprise that some of the big names in the global music industry can trace their origins back to Africa.
The black vibe stands for discipline. No matter where blacks are found, no matter the laws guiding that habitat, a true black is never hesitant to enforce discipline. We have a strict no indiscipline policy. We ensure that our children are well brought up and respectful. Sure there are lapses here and there but the majority as they say, carries the vote.
My favorite aspect of the black vibe is the food. You can't go wrong with an African dish, especially jollof rice. Despite its Senegalese origin, jollof rice is known and prepared in virtually every country in the continent. The main ingredients are rice, tomato paste, palm oil (in some regions), onions, salt, spices and pepper, though recipes may differ from region to region. Today, the significance of Jollof rice is not only felt in West and Central Africa, but also in the American south, where millions of West African slaves from rice-growing regions were traded for labor with the commencement of the transatlantic slave trade. In the words of ADAOBI ONYEAKAGBU "Jollof rice is the rice that goes platinum with no features".
Again I say, black is not the colour of our skin, black is our culture, black is our pride, black is our VIBE.
PS: You haven't lived if you have never tasted Jollof rice.
©KUJADILI MAGAZINE
Expressing the African Lifestyle
#22022022
