What defines an African according to the Europeans, is the continent, our culture, our skin tone, and our kinky hair if I may say. As for me, what defines an African is not the continent which was named by the Europeans. (The ancient Roman used the name Africa to refer to the present-day Tunisia, and during the Middle Ages' as the Europeans explored the size of the African continent, they decided to extend the name Africa to the rest of the continent). Only an individual can determine what defines he/she. Despite the fact, that there were also white people, who are also considered as African based
on their continent, the blacks (Africans) are the only race that is considered or seen as second-class citizen, and can not be rank with the Europeans or whites among others. If the blacks (Africans) aren't the only African people, but are being treated differently in the world; then I think the problem is their identity, which is the skin tone and hair, and of course our history.
When a black person meet, an European or white the first question they ask he/she is "where are you from?" It does'nt matter if you were born there or how long you have lived there, they still don't see you as part of them or one of them. For instance, I have lived here long enough, and i am now a German or EU citizen, but I can't tell them i'm a German, if I say i am a German, they still ask about my nationality, since I look different from them. Recently, I was at an occasion, and some of the people at the event, had recognized me as a journalist, because they had read my reports in the Newspaper; they walk up to me, and asked the same questions, (where i'm coming from, but this time in different dimension, they asked if I was here seeking asylum, or as a refugee?), and my reply was a capital NO; even though I said no, my answer seems not to be enough for the person interrogating me on my nationality, and the reason why I was living in Germany. Anyway, I told them how I visited Germany in the past, and had nursed the hope of studing here, before I got trapped by marriage. Then I told them i am a Nigerian, but i am actually a German now (dual citizen), but I couldn't tell them i'm German immediately, because I knew they will question my identity, and one them noticed my confidence, after seeing my ID card he said that the world has charged so fast, and people are becoming one race (I smiled...) or another, including German. That Germany is international now, that next time I should say "i am a German". I want to believe he was talking from a religious point of view, because he is a religious leader.
When you go on the Train some of the whites or Germans having racism boiling in their blood don't want to sit next to a black person; there was a time I sat opposite a white guy in the Train the way he looked at me, nobody told me before I changed my sit. While sitting beside another white skinned girl; she kept staring at me in a very annoying manner. I'm not the only black or African who have had such experiences; some blacks or Africans have faced so much from Racists, even experts, foothballers, and tourist, that, they are no more bothered by racial activities of the racists. What I haven't experienced are the Germans racist (Nazi) that HIT. Because I heard that some of the German racist can hit you; if you meet the wrong ones. It is so scary when you see the report on the racist, and how they deal with the foreigners. In some part of Germany racism isn't about the colour of one skin alone, once you are a foreigner they don't want you in their country, because they believe the foreigners have increased unemployment in the labour market.
What has racism got to do with marriage? Some German mother In-laws are the most common racist. Every African who is inter married will meet them, although some of them might be very nice. Anyway, racism is not a problem in America or Germany alone. Racism is everywhere, even in Nigeria people are tribalistic. And also there are blacks who don't like white as well. So much racism in the world. People really need to learn to see each other as one race one blood, because we are all created by one Creator (Genesis 1:27).
Another thing, a lot of Europeans don't know that Africa is a continent, that contains a lot of African countries. They just believe all Africans are one, and the same I mean the Blacks. Maybe, that is why some of them believe all Blacks are sick, and poor people who need help. The one that surprised me is the fact that even in the 21st Century some of them still see Black as the 'Theory of Evolution' claimed. They see Africans as another specie of monkeys in human cloth. Sadly enough, I hope they don't teach the Kids such theory in school, because I have faced a situation, where Kids asked me some funny questions I just smiled. An example of such question? "is it true that banana's come from Africa?" A Child once asked me this question, and I asked who told him, he said his teacher. What sort of seed of racism are they trying to sow with such teaching? I just wondered? Another question from another Kid is: Is it true that all the children in Africa are sick, no food, and they don't wear clothes? All these are not true stories of an African Child. By the way, not all Africans live in mud houses, and work only on farm lands. We have Kids who were born with silver spoons in Africa (Nigeria). There are rich, and poor people in Africa (Nigeria) as there are in other continents of the world.
As an African or Black, if you dress too low or cheap, you are considered poor and needy, if you dress gorgeous, and expensive, they consider you living a false life, (she just want to belong or fit in). i.e my husband will always say to me, "Don't overdressed, because some people will only laugh at you". I did not understand this, because I was born and brought up in Lagos. Lagos is one of the biggest city in Nigeria, and the social life there can be compared with that of New York City. I'm familiar with the social high life of Lagos; I love to dress from hair to heels. Most of my family and friends can testify to the fact that i am a fashion conscious person, especially when it comes to dress, and high heels. I don't even blamed some of this Europeans, because I heard some Africans or Blacks go to them begging them for their used clothes, with the claims that they can't buy clothes here due to the prices. They present themselves so low, and some of the Germans just see them as second class citizen. Dressing or looking good in Germany has nothing to do with rich or poor or race. Everyone can dress the way he/she want. Some Africans or Blacks have so much inferiority complex, and they like to infect others with it.
Are Black People More Racist to their own race? The Blacks attitude towards their fellow blacks in Europe (Germany/France). If you are walking on the street, and you see a black, don't just bothered to say hello! Because they will not answer you, some of them even try to run away from you, if they sight you from afar. I didn't understand this either until I had my experience with some blacks living in Germany and France in the course of running my Afro-Shop Business; which made me to have contacts with most of them around. I almost got to the verge of running away from blacks too, and i'm really surprised at the characters some of them. Nigerians back home, for example, are wonderful people, but the story here in Europe (Germany/France) is different.
I will advice Blacks to stop tearing each other down, we should learn to love, and respect ourselves and others; same to my Europeans brothers and sisters allover the world let love be our watchdog. Let love be your greatest aim. If you love others as yourself, you wont want to hurt or kill them for any reasons. As an African or Black, know that you are not inferior, and know that you are not a claim of "theory of evolution". For you are a product of God. Live your life according to God's standard, and noone can take that from you. Shalom!
Queendaline Schneider.
