Thought of the Day - Is Being African = Being Backward?

Growing up in a typical African family where my dad was the main bread winner and my mom was a home maker, I naturally aspire to have all that goodness I experienced as a child with my family, you know, all that good stuff, always having extended family around, plenty of food in the house all the time, just in case.  I want to keep all the good things that I experienced, saw and loved as a child and learn to steer away from the things that I saw/experienced that perhaps I shouldn't have.

This is how the family dynamics were as seen through the retina of a 7-8 year old.  My mum was an amazing cook, and still is by the way, each and everyday she would concoct some amazing dish and have it ready for my father for when he got back from work.  Usually this would be way past my bedtime, and being the stubborn son I was, I would always insist on waiting for my dad before I went to sleep, and then proceed to pass out by the couch day in day out.  Even when we had helpers or housemaids (quite a common phenomenon in Tanzania by the way), my mom would never have my dad's food prepared by the house helper, she took it upon herself to cook and was proud of the fact that only she had the privileges of cooking for her beloved husband.  How amazing was that?

I also loved the fact that by being a stay at home mom, she really took the time to bond with me, her last son.  Each day we would spend at least an hour going through my homework together, and bless her she was very patient.  I must have red the little red lorry about a million times without really understanding what it meant, (it was after all in English!) but eventually the effort paid off and my performances at elementary school dramatically improved.  I loved the fact that she was able to spend so much time with me.  I also loved the fact that on the few occasions that my dad was around, you could actually speak to him, watch Tom and Jerry cartoons together and actually have fun, a far cry from the experiences of most of my friends who were petrified of their fathers.  Mind you, joking and having fun with my dad didn't mean he would go easy on you if you messed up, he would just as easily whip you like you were adopted and the following day still sit down and watch cartoons with you.  I remember once he asked me to read the little red lorry, but not in the usual way that my mother always did, he started in the middle of the book, now I had memorized the book but only if I started reading from the beginning! after finding out that I still could not read he proceeded to show mum how to teach me to read...to cut a long story short  I'm still traumatised to this day, my dad Mr. Ponda would not last 5 minutes as an elementary school teacher, bless him, he has the patience of  a mosquito!

We were very close knit as a family unit, we were blessed to be able to experience traveling as a family, weekly outings as a family, we did everything together as much as we could.  As a result even today, we can't bare be apart form each other and when we are all together, there is always an excuse for a celebration.

Today I find myself in a society in which most of the things I experienced as a young African boy are deemed backward and old fashioned.  I'm often told, "you are now in Europe/North America, you have to adjust yourself and leave those backward ways".  It's funny because I don't consider myself backward at all, I'm just against the idea that everything traditional is backward and everything adopted from the western world is current and thus better.  Rather than follow blindly, why don't we combine the beauty of both cultures, without painting everything with one brush!  No culture is perfect let's not get brainwashed into hating ourselves and where we come from, for something that we will never truly be a part of, no matter how modern you think you are.  I think it's fair to say that there are quite a few of us Africans in the diaspora who, as a result of being so anxious to "fit in" denounce everything about our culture only to realise down the line that as much as you dress and talk like your adopted culture, you will never be considered on of them, as a result you end up being caught in the middle, not an African and not a European/American.

Just a thought

Hajj Pictures - 2010

I received this amazing set of pics from a generous reader...thanks homie.  May we all have the opportunity to perform the holly pilgrimage atleast once in our lifetime...enjoy...Click on " read more" below to see the rest of the photos.

The Saudi Press Agency said that a record number of Muslims were expected to make the Hajj this year - over 3.4 million anticipated over the five days of the pilgrimage. One of the pillars of Islamic faith, the Hajj must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by any Muslim who has the ability to do so. Pilgrims perform a series of rituals including walking around the Kaaba, standing vigil on Mount Arafat and a ritual Stoning of the Devil. At the end of the Hajj, on November 16th, the three day festival of Eid al-Adha begins around the world. 

A Muslim pilgrim prays atop Mount Al-Noor during the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca November 9, 2010. (REUTERS/Mohammed Salem)

A general view shows the Saudi holy city of Mecca, as seen from the top of Noor mountain, late on November 13, 2010. (MUSTAFA OZER/AFP/Getty Images)

Some Friday Humor

You just gotta love kids...this had me in stitches! Have a blessed Friday everybody

World Aids Day

To commemorate World Aids Day (December 1st), I've gone for a little shock therapy. Warning powerful video below.  Aids is real, you've probably heard a lot of people harping on and on about it, well... have a look.