Before leaving for Morocco, I got into a heated debate with someone on Panama Jackson’s blog. My opponent’s contention was that black people shouldn’t look at Africa as a united continent because the continent is made of many different peoples. My position was that there are many cultural things that run throughout Africa that unites its people.
It took me going to Morocco to actually confirm this. There are two Africas. Geographically Morocco is in Africa but culturally…well that’s another story.
It really hit me hard on my way back from Essouria. We were driving along and our driver Abdul was playing some Guinean music. It sounded African but the people who usually perform this kind of music look Arab. And the topic of Morocco being African came up.
“You’re in Africa but you’re not really in Africa,” he said.
And that’s when it hit me. People in Morocco don’t really consider themselves African. But yet almost everything about them screams AFRICAN!
I remember thinking, “Maybe they are in denial, culturally.”
Morocco is made up of many different cultures and believe it or not it is very European in some areas. I didn’t sense much I could relate to outside of the dancing and some of the singing, especially being a Black American.
It felt strange to have so many eyes watching me as I walked down the street. We were the only Black Americans in the hotel we were staying in. We were the only Black Americans in most of the restaurants we ate in.
While I was there I got mistaken for an NBA star and a bodyguard for my girlfriend. She was asked several times if she was a famous American singer. We went to one club and they almost confused her for Macy Gray (just between us my girlfriend is about 4 shades lighter than Macy Gray and is much better looking).
It was an eye opening experience to have young kids shout out names of famous Black Americans to me. I got two Muhammad Ali’s, and three Mike Tyson’s. Weird how racism works huh? Never in my life have so many people asked me what I do for a living. As if to say “How did you afford to come here?”
After staying there for a week and seeing what I’ve seen, I have come to the following conclusion: In the minds of many Africans there are two Africas; a Black one and an Arab one.
But after all of that, we are all still brothers.
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
I just read the article on your recent trip to Africa. I, myself, am an African from Nigeria. Ironically, I also spent 8 years of my life living in Rabat, Morocco. I agree very strongly with your comments. Speaking from experience, I know that Moroccans do not consider themselves African. Nevertheless, what is particularly interesting is that whenever a sub-saharan African country receives some sort of acclamation, for example defeating a prominent European soccer power, they are quick to remember or endorse the fact that they are Africans. On the contrary if Africa is discussed in negative connotations they are quick to suggest that they are not Africans, quick to point differences in appearance, in complexion.
Moreover, Morocco, despite its geographic location does have its facets of racism. Many different times I was reminded of my blackness, “Which I proudly say I am black and proud”, with the term ‘Azi’ (excuse the spelling); translated to english it means slave.
I am from Tanzania in East Africa and one subject certain sub-Saharan African scholars debate frequently is the differences and issues around “Arab Africa” and “Black Africa”.
Too many times people see Africa as the ‘dark’ continent, misrepresented by the supposed Pan-Africanism that we as Africans are supposed to symbolise because we are from a poor continent.
Is it fair to say that visitors to Africa need to brush away their stereotypes the same way African immigrants need to take their rose-tinted glasses when they come to the West?
Thank you for responding.
I’m really enjoying the feedback and I hope this can create some kind of dialogue among us to get some greater understanding.
Excellent article, but it has many flawed theories that i would like to comment on, if i may. u said there is “arab africa” and “black africa”, now are you aware that black arabs exist? parts of morroco have black people that are darker than the stereotypical image of a black person . Same thing goes for most of north africa. Then we have the east africans (sudan, ethiopians,eritreans,somalians) who do not resemble ur typical black african. Their darkest person can pass for a sri lankan or a indian. In fact, they don’t consider themselves “african” but as a native of their respective countries. They have the middle eastern features, so what category would they go under? their muslim and speak arabic. I am of ethiopian origin, so i speak from experience and knowledge of that region. to seperate africa into two categories is impossible. My people can pass for arabs, but you will be met with laughter if their called one, on the other hand, comparing them to black americans , or other africans is an insult. my friend (shes african american)and I visited addis abada last year, and it was quite sad the reactions she received. Even though to her face they smile nicely, they would call her the “adoon” which means the slave. There is racism yes, but goes far deeper than black and arab. its all cultural, they discriminate within in themselves, and brace off into clans and tribes. Believe me, if you had visited ghana or senegal , you would still face the same reactions. At the end of the day, the media potrays african americans in a certain light, and the rest of the world eats it up. Including the motherland you speak of.Just like how the media shows the starving side of africa.
When I said there were two Africa’s I meant that there is an Arab Africa and a Black Africa, geographically Morocco is in Africa but I think what my driver meant when he said “But you’re not really in AFRICA.” was that we weren’t in the bush so to speak.
Yes I am aware there are Arabs that are dark but based on what I saw and the people I spoke to I would think those same dark Arabs you speak of would consider themselves Arab before they consider themselves black, kind of the way dark Latin people consider themselves Latin before they even think to recognize their African features.
I didn’t experience any racism over there and I guess the reasoning behind that was because I was an American who was a tourist (i.e. spending money) they weren’t going insult someone who is a guest in their country. They are very careful in their collective hustle. Now keep in mind I don’t speak French or Arabic so they could have been saying a ton of crap behind my back.
I was asked by our guide “Why do they (meaning Hollywood/media) portray Black Americans in such a bad way?” And I told him basically that it was all about money. And that a lot of black people don’t have control over how they are portrayed. And the ones who do sometimes choose to cash in to get rich.
very true. black americans are shown in a bad light in the media. But u should know , morrocans and most north africans arent even arabs, their berbers. Its funny, the perceptions we have, if u visit the middle east and speak of a morrocan as a arab, they will also laugh. all bs really..all this labels and such. Anyways excellent article:) keep em coming
I feel that there are many “Africas” just from having lived in South Africa, spent a fair amount of time in Senegal, and visited Zambia, I can definitely see that there are all kinds of religious and cultural differences (and this is just in three countries out of 50 something). From what I have seen, there is a Muslim Africa, a really rich one, a really poor one, a Christian one, a Black one, a White one, an Indian one, a mixed one, a polygamous one…and too many languages to even count….ect. This is not to say that there are no unifying factors. Of course there must be (one being the preference for the European aesthetic, unfortunately). I think that as African Americans, we tend to want to connect with the “motherland” as a whole because we don’t have much of a true historical sense of our specific African roots (due to slavery of course) nor sufficient education about the continent (especially those of us who still think it’s a country). Therefore we cling to the continent as a whole with the hopes of affirming an identity outside of the U.S. In doing this, we often don’t take into consideration the vast diversity between countries and regions….but even affirming the fact that we have African roots at all is a start, because, as a previous poster stated, African-ness is often denied across the board. The next step will be to educate ourselves more thoroughly on the fact that there is more to Africa than Kente cloth and Kiswahili.
RE: CuriousSoul, Yes I know that most Moroccans consider themsevles Berber. I just didn’t want to confuse people with that term who are not familar with it.
The Berbers are very confusing because some of them are of Jewish decent. And believe it or not some Berbers are blondie with blue eyes.
Its very interesting to read about this. I’m a Kenyan, have never travelled outside Africa but have travelled some within Africa.
I guess I already know that we’re all different in some way. Just like the English are different from Italians/Germans/other Europeans. I celebrate the differences, they make life interesting. But as far and wide as I travel in Africa, Africa is just Africa. There’s a certain something that just makes me feel as if I am still at home when I’m walking through a chaotic market in Accra, or trekking up a hill in Malawi. I’ve been mistaken for a local in every country I’ve gone to. Even Ethiopia.
Yes we all different, but we’re all Africans. And nothing, not even our own prejudices, can change that.
Moroccans are best described as “Moroccans” because there are pure Berbers who usually have blue/green eyes and blonde hair and whose language is tamazight which some believe has similarities with Celtic and Germanic languages, as for Arabs some people from the middle east led armies through north Africa and converted the native peoples the Hamitics (the Egyptians, Libyans Berbers) to the religion of Islam. Modern Moroccans are believed predominantly Berber however over the centauries intermarriage has meant that the majority of Moroccans are Berbers mixed with Arabs or at least people believed to be Arabs.
I think the media these days portrays Africans or Blacks as being one way. Normally being of a darker skin tone with nappy hair,wide nose and big lips. Also, all the talk of former slavery might take aways the pride of some africans. Being from ethiopia, I know how proud of people we are. Most ethiopians have the slender nose and are a lighter shade( but not all) So they consider themselves to be different from other Africans and dont think they’re black. Also having one of the first African empire and not having been colonized, they feel a sense of extreme pride that can come off as vanity. As I see it, if you or any of your ancestors are from Africa, then you are African. Why are we so emmbarased to be called Black? Why do most Africans like to hear that they look mixed? Black is beautiful, I wish more could see that.