Saturday, January 9, 2021

Trinbagonians talk. (81) Our Beautiful Blackness

Ah hav’ to talk about colorism. Since de 1700s colorism did start. We does trash each other instead of holdin’ on to each other. Dis way was drill in we, since slavery. In 1712 Willie Lynch, a British slave owner in de West Indies, was invited to Virginia to teach other slave owners, how to make African people tu’n against each other because of their different skin tone. Colorism did come down from we ancestors an’ it is a curse. Ah did grow up in a house wit different shades of black. Dis was due to our African an’ European ancestors. Our African heritage is de race dat we hold on too. Dat is where we got love an’ kindness from. Ah hav’ been slighted because of meh European heritage. When Paul an’ Sarah was small, a man wit a Jamaican accent did say to me dat he “…doh like when black women go wit white men. Look at yuh children.” Ah did tell he dat he doh kno’ me! Doh say notin’ to me! Dat man did go on talkin’ tryin’ he best to shame me, buh de owner of de store did tell he to stop bein’ rude to me. While he was talkin’, Paul an’ Sarah were whisperin’ to each other, sayin’ dat their father is not white an’ de man was chuipd. Ah did tell dem to never make a excuses for who dey are. Our ancestors came from Africa, England an’ Ireland an’ we are not goin’ to lose sight of dat.” Ah never had a problem in Trinbago, buh colorism is more widespread in de US. When ah had Paul, somebody did ask me if he fadder was white. Ah tell dem no buh ah see doubt on their face. Ah did feel bad buh ah did let dat shit go. Years later, de same t’ing did happen when ah had Sarah. Another person ask me de same t’ing. Ah did get real vex an’ ah look at she an’ say, “A black woman standin’ in front of yuh, wit meh baby an’ yuh talkin’ shit! Ignorance does make alla-All-yah happy, Oui.” It doh matter what color yuh is, it is buried deep in many of us dat we better than somebody or somebody is better than we. It really doh matter yuh skin tone; Somebody go like yuh or somebody go dislike yuh. All ah kno’ is dat blood does go through all of us. We are supposed to be smart yet we act chupid. Is we doh kno’ how some words an’ de way we does behave, does hurt. Black people stop hurtin’ one-an-other. It hurts when it come from other races, buh it more hurtful when we do it to each other. Do yuh DNA yuh go be shock when yuh see de people yuh related too.

I have to talk about colorism. Since the 1700s, colorism was started. We trash each other instead of embracing each other and this is something that has been embedded in us since slavery. In 1712 Willie Lynch, a British slave owner in the West Indies, was invited to Virginia to teach his methods to other slave owners, on how to turn color and shades of African people against each other. Colorism is passed down from generation to generation. It is a generational curse. I grew up in a house of different shades of black and this was due to our African, European ancestors. Our African heritage is the one that we embrace because that is where the love and kindness came from. I have been insulted because of my European heritage. When Paul and Sarah were children, a man with a Jamaican accent said that he “…hates when black women go with white men. Look at your children.” I said “Sir, you don’t know me, do not say anything to me.” He went on criticizing me until the store owner told him to stop being disrespectful. While he was talking, Paul and Sarah were whispering to each other, saying that their father is not white and the man was stupid. I told them, “To never make excuses for who they are. Our ancestors came from Africa, England and Ireland and we are not going to ignore that fact.” I never had a problem in Trinidad and Tobago, but colorism is more prevalent in the US. When I had Paul, I was asked if Harold was white. I said no but I saw doubt on the faces and I felt a bit hurt but I ignored it. Seven years later when I had Sarah, a woman looked at her and angrily said, “She is white!” I angrily said, “I am a black woman standing in front of you, with my baby and you are talking shit! Ignorance is bliss to a fool!” It doesn’t matter what color you are it is embedded in us that we are better that somebody or somebody is better that us. It doesn’t matter what shade of black you are; Someone is going to love you or someone is going to hate you. All I know is that blood flows through us all. We are supposed to be intelligent yet we act oblivious to the fact that words and actions hurt. Black people stop insulting each other. It hurts when it comes from other races, but more hurtful when we do it to each other. Do your DNA you would be surprise when you see the people who make up your lineage.

 

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