I was born in a country where many persons refer to themselves as Africans, Indians, Syrians, Chinese. As a young girl growing up in Trinidad and Tobago, I was brainwashed into thinking that this was the correct racial designation for persons with predominantly African, Asian or Arab features. In actual fact , if you are born in Trinidad and Tobago or you are a naturallized citizen of Trinidad and Tobago, then you are a Trinidadian or “Trinbagonian”. Regarding your race, you are either Black, white or brown depending on your ancestors. I was always amazed that people who are born in Trinidad in particular, identify their race by a nationality (not theirs) of the people from whom they are told are their ancestors.
Many of these people have never visited these countries they claim to be their homeland. In many cases, they have absolutely no idea what region their ancestors came from. Many of these people have no clue if their ancestors came from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kenya, Ghana, Korea or China. However, they will claim African, Indian or Chinese as their race even though that is really a nationality. What part of India or Africa exactly are your ancestors from? If you cannot answer this question, you do not know where you are really from. Which language did they speak? There are hundreds of local languages in India for example. On the other hand, let us address the “Africans” from Trinidad. First of all Africa is a continent not a country. What part of that continent are your people from? Can you speak the language? The answer to all my questions is, “No”. Therefore who are you? News flash, you are Trinidadian. You are so far removed from your “ancestors”, they don’t even know you.
As I am writing this article, I am in India on a business trip and I am having breakfast with some of the athletes/crickters I represent from around the world. One is from Jamaica, another from Barbados and the other from Zimbabwe. We are interrupted by two ladies dining next to us, inquiring whether there are any players in our team from Kenya. Upon first sight one would guess they were from India. It turns out the ladies are Kenyans. Yes Africans! They can easily pass for Indians, but they are Africans. What amazed me most of all is the fact that they know exactly who they are. They were not lost in their features.
The diverse genealogy of the people of Trinidad and Tobago in particular, have caused many Trinidadians to identify themselves as Indians, Syrians, Africans , Chineses etc. This is not the case in many neighboring Caribbean countries like Barbados and Jamaica. Despite their genetic composition and ethnic background, a Jamaican is a Jamaican first. Trinidadians on the other hand, are more tribal than patriotic. This actually means the identity of the average Trinidadian, resides outside the country.
I understand that colorism and tribalism are real challenges that affect many societies. We have come a long way. I am very encouraged by the attitude of the Gen Z population. They do not care about “your ancestors”. They care about love, freedom and about being themselves. I find it refreshing that this generation is less bothered by the complexities of race and color. They know who they are and understand that their nationality is not their race. The past and the present are two different things. This new generation of Gen Zs live in the present. We must be grateful for our past, but we cannot live in it. We have to stay present. We can no longer carry the pain and scars of our ancestors. Convert that pain into a sense of pride. Be proud that we are a combination of our history, but we can only be from the place in which we were born. I remember the first time I went to South Africa in 2003 and a black South African woman walked up to me asking what part of America I was from. It was clear to her that I was not South African despite my obvious blackness. It was also clear to me at that moment that I was not considered African by the real Africans.
By the way, remember those two ladies I mentioned I met at breakfast with my athletes? Well. they asked me if I was from Brazil. I was ok with the question this time because I know who I am and where I am from.
Cheers
Basia Powell aka Legend Agent
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