topic Re: Sineater - Yank questions :) in Community Spirit

Sineater - Yank questions :)

lobs211 — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 01:36:34 GMT

Sineater - Is "Yank" like racial vilification? Is that politically incorrect?

Anyway - trying to take my mind off my business in other thread and I have some questions 🙂

ok so I really wanna know: Do black Americans have a connection with Africa? Do they consider it home? Do they like go back and find their people/ tribe/ families?

Can they trace that? And do they identify by tribe? So eg) If Oprah met Obama - do they talk tribes? Areas thier people from or do they just consider themselves American?? and have no connection to country?

I really wanna know this - thanks 🙂

Re: Sineater - Yank questions :)

this-one-time-at-bandcamp — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 01:51:46 GMT

"Yank" is only anathema to someone from the deep South, unless it is an address from a foreigner.........for instance, a Mississippean wouldn't be overly bothered by your referring to him as a "Yank". Kinda like someone from OZ calling a Pommie a "Pommie", but heaven help a Yank calling a Pommie a "Pommie"..........

Few Black Americans consider Africa their homeland, and have little interest in seeking out their African forebears. They have absolutely nothing in common except for a possible prediliction for sickle-cell anemia.

Why would an American born in Hawaii even have any knowledge of a language used in Africa........my ancestors came from Scandinavia, and Norsk is Greek to me............

Re: Sineater - Yank questions :)

tcmsecretuseid — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 02:02:21 GMT

I think Sineater will answer your, YANK question, differently than I will. Different parts of the U.S. think differently about that term.

Since I know that the Australians don't think of YANK as a derogatory term, I don't care that I'm called that when I'm posting here.

Most Australians feel it is the same as being called an Ozzie. Several years ago, I tried to explain that it is not the same, but I gave up. LOL

Sineater will tell you that hon, and sweetie are not condescending either. Most women who live in California cringe when they hear those terms. Those are Southern words.

The U.S. has a lot of different Sub cultures. We react differently to certain phrases and words.

The second question is a little more complicated. Most black people do not have a tribe that they visit in Africa. In fact, I don't know any that do that. Many years ago there was a mini-series called "ROOTS" on TV. Several Black people did trace their roots back to various tribes, and studied black history. I don't think Obama, and Oprah are talking about their African roots when they meet up.

His mother is White. He was raised in the U.S., as was Oprah.

Re: Sineater - Yank questions :)

tcmsecretuseid — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 02:00:54 GMT

Lobs, btw, about 16 American posters have moved to CS from the American boards.

You might get more answers than you ever wanted. 😉

Re: Sineater - Yank questions :)

lobs211 — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 02:08:49 GMT

Thanks Americans LOL

I still dont understand though - Africans are tribal people and black Americans are from Africa but the ones in USA dont relate to Africa is that right?

Maybe their history starts in USA for them or they dont have a connection to land? They dont identify with a tribal link? Is that right?

SO their history must start where these ones now were born -= ie) USA

I am trying to make sense of this LOL - to me I picture an Africa American getting to 18 or whenever and going 'Home" to find their history, their story, where thier people come from and what not but this is not the case it seems.

Thanks for taking the time - Im not gonna use "Yank" anymore I dont think 🙂

Cheers

Re: Sineater - Yank questions :)

this-one-time-at-bandcamp — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 02:11:30 GMT

Kinda reminds me of my mum, when some American woman insisted she say a few words in "Australian"...........she replied, "I am......it's called the "Queen's English"........

Re: Sineater - Yank questions :)

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 02:13:56 GMT

Why would an American born in Hawaii even have any knowledge of a language used in Africa.

good question

Re: Sineater - Yank questions :)

this-one-time-at-bandcamp — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 02:18:15 GMT

I'm certainly not offended, and neither were Southerners when the Pommies started singing, "The Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming, and they won't be going, until it's over, over there"........ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v33jF5TGLw

Re: Sineater - Yank questions :)

the*scarlet*pimpernel — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 02:20:12 GMT

A few years I went traipsing off to the UK. I particularly wanted to go to Scotland, as that's where my fathers ancestors were from.

Scotland was beautiful, I loved it. Then I went to Ireland and it felt like home.

I have since learned that my ancestors were Irish and moved to Scotland during the Great Potato Famine.

I imagine the American Indians might have the connection to the land and the tribes that Lobs has mentioned.

Re: Sineater - Yank questions :)

love*today — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 02:21:32 GMT

They could have knowledge of their language through family.

Kinda like when Others come to Aus, they still speak their language at home and they certainly pass down traditions to their offspring.

Re: Sineater - Yank questions :)

this-one-time-at-bandcamp — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 02:29:18 GMT

Kinda like when Others come to Aus, they still speak their language at home and they certainly pass down traditions to their offspring.

15 generations removed?

Re: Sineater - Yank questions :)

tcmsecretuseid — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 02:30:40 GMT

LOL. No my black friends, and their children are Americans. They go to school with fellow Americans, and they really don't have anything in common with African tribes.

My fathers ancestors were Cherokee Indians. I know very little about the Indian culture. I have no ties to any tribe.

There are still some Indian tribes who do recognize their culture, and history.

Re: Sineater - Yank questions :)

lobs211 — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 02:31:08 GMT

Is **bleep** getting hung on me and I dont even know it??

Yeah maybe Pimpy, this makes more sense for American Indian people? I still dont understand why black Americans arent interested in where the come from LOL but I dont know any, never met one

It looks like its just not important??

I find that really interesting

Re: Sineater - Yank questions :)

tcmsecretuseid — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 02:34:15 GMT

Pimpy, my husband was born and raised in Scotland. He lived in New Zealand for three years when he was a kid. They all called him a pommy when he lived there.

My two sons were born in America. They have been to Scotland many times, but they don't feel as if they are Scottish. I have a step-daughter who moved to Adelaide (from Scotland) nearly 5 years ago. Her twins are starting to sound very Australian. I'm sure the girls will think of themselves as (mostly) Australian when they grow up.

Re: Sineater - Yank questions :)

lobs211 — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 02:36:01 GMT

My fathers ancestors were Cherokee Indians. I know very little about the Indian culture. I have no ties to any tribe.

Tmc - dont you have a connection then to the Cherokee tribe? You dont identify?

one-time - 15 generations is nothing - try 60,000 years LOL and yep still going strong 🙂

Re: Sineater - Yank questions :)

tcmsecretuseid — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 02:37:13 GMT

Lobs, I don't know any black people who are "from" Africa. They ancestors were brought here several generations ago.

Re: Sineater - Yank questions :)

tcmsecretuseid — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 02:39:38 GMT

I'm off for dinner... but very quickly, no, I don't know anything about the culture as it is now. The Indians were put on reservations, and a lot of the records were lost. My fathers dad lived on a reservation when he was younger. I've seen one picture of that. He died before I was born.

Re: Sineater - Yank questions :)

this-one-time-at-bandcamp — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 03:20:25 GMT

one-time - 15 generations is nothing - try 60,000 years LOL and yep still going strong

I guess I misunderstood your statement.......when you said Others, you were referring to the aboriginals, not the Greeks, Poles, English or Americans who emigrated to Australia.........I can understand their clinging to their tribal and ethnic customs, much as many of our "Native Americans" do.........

Re: Sineater - Yank questions :)

this-one-time-at-bandcamp — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 03:23:26 GMT

Oh, and the first black American I ever met was an American Marine in Geelong. He was part of a cruiser's baseball team, and they played a series of games against my dad's team, the Geelong Cats. It was from the two Marines who stayed at our place that I was given so much candy corn, that I couldn't look at it for decades after.

Re: Sineater - Yank questions :)

love*today — Fri, 08 Aug 2014 03:28:09 GMT

I said others and I was referring not to aboriginals.

If the family is a strong proud family of their heritage I cannot see why customs and stories would not be handed down? Even through 15 generations. Children's customs come from their upbringing.
I cannot speak for African Americans but some celebrities come across as very proud of their history.