of the slave trade who live in the caribbean and the united states of america and brazil , e.t.c,

how connected do you'll feel to them, do you feel as connected to them as you would to other african nations?

i ask since I go to school in Jamaica and have Caribbean heritage and I feel connected to you'll so is it the same for you'll or not at all?

For some, they feel connected, and those are usually the educated ones, and I don't mean university educated. For others they see the diaspora as people who have left Africa a very long time ago, and disassociate themselves with the hitory of the  Atlantic slave trade. There are little to no stories of the trade in Africa, unlike in the diaspora, I think this is due to other things that had happened during colonialism. I'm sure Caribbean and Africans in the Americas have the same feeling towards Africans.

But Nigerians and Jamaicans for instance are the same people (most Jamaicans are of Nigerian ancestry) so it makes it a bit easier to feel connected with each other.

I've never really thought of it. . . and now that I think about it, I really don't feel that connected to them. The only thing that binds us together is just that they still retain some aspects of being "African". Even, between people of different African nationalities, or different ethnic associations, I don't feel connected to. I primarily first feel connected to my family units, then any associates/friends of my ethnicity, then everyone else (to varying degrees). Descendents of the slave trade would fall into "everyone else" for me. Maybe it's different for other people.

ChinenyeN:

I've never really thought of it. . . and now that I think about it, I really don't feel that connected to them. The only thing that binds us together is just that they still retain some aspects of being "African". Even, between people of different African nationalities, or different ethnic associations, I don't feel connected to. I primarily first feel connected to my family units, then any associates/friends of my ethnicity, then everyone else (to varying degrees). Descendents of the slave trade would fall into "everyone else" for me. Maybe it's different for other people.

Yeh, that's how a lot of people feel.

But Chineye, what if you found out that one of these descendants are Igbo?

It probably would, but not that much. If I found out that they were Igbo, then in my mind, they're only Igbo by descent. I'd still end up thinking of him/her as a black person, but not necessarily as an Igbo person. It would take quite a while before I start thinking of the individual as Igbo. . . that is, if I ever think of the person as Igbo.

thank you all for answering

the answers meant a lot to me

i find myself lately very confused about race and heritage.

i dont know what exactly to think of myself as, and i wish somehow that there were less classifications between us. but i cant change the past and the reality that i was born into ,

Get familiar with Africans, maybe take a vac there. you'll be surprised how much you have in common, and how much you don't. People in the Caribbean- as small as it is- are quite different. I'll feel easily connected to a Grenadian or Vincy, than I would a Barbadian; mostly because they are over-adopting western systems so they seem confused. .

.

I like Carribbeans. I just feel that they blame me for slavery. Its not my fault I did not kidnap,sell any blacks.

I feel strongly connected to black people everywhere.

there is one interesting website. www.slavevoyages.org

thank you so much for that website,

i feel connected to black people everywhere as well. i hope that we can grow as a people and wonder what i can do to help,
this website is very nice.

RichyBlacK:

I feel strongly connected to black people everywhere.

and all the tribalists says Amen

JJYOU:

RichyBlacK link=topic=243054.msg3574714#msg3574714 date=1236715713:

I feel strongly connected to black people everywhere.

and all the tribalists says Amen

I don't get it. . . JJYOU, do you mind explaining that for me?

jaleyne:

i find myself lately very confused about race and heritage.

i dont know what exactly to think of myself as, and i wish somehow that there were less classifications between us. but i cant change the past and the reality that i was born into ,

Race and Heritage have little to nothing to do with each other. I'll suggest to you, what I suggest to all people of African descent through slavery, just consider yourselves as Black. . . or, consider yourself based on you nationality (American, Carribbean, Brazilian, etc). Don't look to Africa, or anywhere else for validation and/or acceptance. Also, classifications have ALWAYS existed. It is what has helped us to managed, and get as far as we've gotten in just the last few thousands of years, and it won't be going away anytime soon.

I feel that-especially the Americans-that eventhough their fore-fathers were slaves; they helped in building America-made it what it is today (talk about unpaid slave labour)-so inspite of everything they should be proud of their fore-fathers who helped build the USA, eventhough its mostly through:sweat, tears and blood.
Truly, those descendants have a history most countries can't boast of.

I feel loathing and shame for the iniquities of my ancestors and myself.