A question of identity

November 12, 2002

RECENTLY there has been much discussion on talk radio on the use of the term "black" as a term for cultural identification. Rolfe Commissiong, among some of his other comments on the matter, expressed the view that Cromwell Shakir and I have a problem identifying with the term black.

He suggested this is because of some latent issues emanating from our former association with the Black Muslims, arguing that we in some way feel a need to put some distance between ourselves and our pasts.

I don't want to challenge Mr. Commissiong's (pictured) right to a hold an opinion. However, I would like to use his opinion as a point of departure because his comments are indicative of significant identity differences within the black community and represent a subtler manifestation of the ongoing black-on-black melodrama.

Your medium may perhaps be a better forum than the airwaves for putting this issue into perspective and providing some much needed clarity as I would like to address what I consider to be attempts to perpetuate very divisive and negative stereotyping.

First let me say that elitism takes many forms and, unfortunately, has many unknowing proponents. Many black activists suffer from an uncharacterised syndrome which manifests itself as a need to be known as a "supra black". The weapon of choice for some of these activists is to paint other blacks, who may not share their points of view, as less than (or not deserving to be called) black. Intellectual dishonesty and a virus of "phobic ignorance" which generally affects the masses of uncritical thinkers are some of the serious side effects of this syndrome.

The term "black" as a catch-all identity for persons having any degree of African descent was popularised in the mid-to-late 1960s and soon after became accepted as the official classification, supplanting the term negro (which was broadly considered a negative term).

Many will say that the adoption of the term "black" provided something of a cultural catharsis in that prior to its use people of African descent were for the most part made to feel ashamed of their dark skins and could easily be intimidated by being called "black".

However, due to some strong activism in the '60s manifesting itself in the Black Power movement, the idea of black pride emerged and was embraced. Artists like James Brown captured the spirit of that movement with hit songs like (Say It Loud) I'm Black and I'm Proud.

The widespread use of the term "black" has, in my view, had a positive effect in healing centuries of negative self-images. However, like most medicines that are taken to make one well, once you are better the continued use (or abuse) of these same prescriptions can make you sick.

Racial classification by colours is a problem for contemporary human society. There are only two examples of colour identity: black and white. The major problem with colour identification is that it disregards many of the more important aspects of a human identity such as language and culture. And also right within those blanket colour terms there exists a multitude of ethnicities and mixed ethnicities.

The aim of what began as a white supremacist and racist ideology was to end identities that were based on all of those cultural, geographic and ethnic variables. In order to achieve this, they promoted the value of one's skin colour and united people under a concocted racial umbrella with colour providing the new yardstick for racial identification.

The racial terminology of black and white is an outgrowth of this racist ideology, even though they were adopted for different reasons; you may say one was an action and the other a reaction. Neither adequately reflects the myriad ethnicities classified under the colour terminology and often for political or economic reasons groups are moved in or out of these classifications.

Then there is the problem of those who are the products of mixed cultures, a classic example being Tiger Woods and his definition of himself as a "Cablinasian". There is also the problem of the right of self-definition; our slave master called us negro and later in reaction to the same master we adopted the term black. We actually need to rationally or scientifically come to our own self-definition.

We, the so-called black people, in truth have not found a word to adopt that satisfies who we are. It may turn out to be more than one word; instead it may be several words, each giving a clearer distinction for what in reality is several identities. The same would be true for the so-called white race; they would need to abandon that terminology for those that reflect truer geo/cultural identities.

I once made the recommendation during a think-tank session of the Human Rights Commission that Bermuda should take the lead in making the use of both the terms black and white an offence under the Bermuda Human Rights code.

Humorous, I know, and I never thought my suggestion would be adopted; I just wanted to demonstrate that part of the disease of racism is in the use of such terminology.

In summary, I will unashamedly continue to use the term black and at times African (or Afro-Bermudian) as my identity while I know neither is truly satisfactory. For those who choose to be judge over whether others or I are deserving of any of those identities, I hope they can appreciate that there are explanations other than fear, shame or embarrassments that are associated with these identity issues.

KHALID A. WASI

City of Hamilton