Debunking the Nizam race discourse - Pt 1. The Stranger's Response
by Christian Hume on Friday, April 1, 2011 at 10:10pm
Professor Selwyn Cudjoe quotes Police Service Commission Nizam Mohammed as writing the following to him:
“But our race. A stranger coming into contact with one of us for the first time does not see a doctor, lawyer, or our religion. What he recognises immediately is our race, so why can’t you?” “Be proud of who you are, and forget statements like ‘There is no Mother India, or Mother Africa’ or ‘Don’t think for one minute you will not have to give up your heritage for Caricom to survive.’ We live in a global village now, so celebrate your heritage.”
Nizam Mohammed's attempt to explain a stranger's reaction upon coming into contact with 'one of us' contains one deep flaw - it fails to take into account the cultural and personal realities of the stranger. Let me explain. Nizam Mohammed obviously fancies himself as King Indian, so let's start there. Most people in Trinidad and Tobago would say "Indian" if asked to name Nizam's race. Fair enough. But if Nizam were to walk through the market in Mumbai, India, what would be his race then?? Would he be Munda?? Would he be Oran?? Gaddis maybe?? Or perhaps Khassis?? If he were put in a room with a Sri Lankan, an Indian, a Bangladeshi, and a Pakistani, what would be his race then?? Would they recognize him as 'Indian", or would they see him as someone who has their DNA and just leave it at that?? Would the Pakistani want to know whether he was Muslim or Christian before deciding how to "recognize" him?? Would the Indian want to know whether he was Christian or Hindu before deciding how to "recognize" him. Will they be able to look at him and decide on their own what to recognize him as??
What about yours truly. I am a jet black Negroid. I define myself as "black". In Nizam's language, I am African, and most Trinis would readily concur with that. Fair enough. If I were to walk through the market in Abuja, Nigeria, what would be my race?? Would I be Igbo?? Would I be Hausa?? Would I be Fulani?? I were put in a room with a Rwandan, a South African, and a Senegalese, what would my race be then?? Would the Rwandan want to know if I were Hutu or Tutsi before deciding how to "recognize" me?? Would the South African want to know if I was Zulu or Inkatha before deciding how to "recognize" me?? Would the Senegalese want to know if I were Wolof, Serer, or Diola before deciding how to "recognize" me??
You see in the West, the idea of how people recognize "race" is very different to how it is done in the parts of the world where the races we think we know so well originate. The average non-African thinks that all Negroids are "African". Try explaining that to the Wolof and the Serer of Senegal, a Hausa, Igbo, or Fulani of Nigeria, a Bemba of Zambia, or a Kenyan Masai. It simply is not as cut and dry as simply "African". Similarly, among the phenotype that Westerners define as "Indian", you have the five castes of India. You have the Lankans and the Tamils of Sri Lanka, the Bengalis of Bangladesh,the Kalasha and Punjabis of Pakistan. In BOTH the cases of the "African" and the "Indian" phenotype, we have not even scratched the surface of the unending number of tribes and ethnic groups that make up the full spectrum of each phenotype. Nizam may not be able to tell the difference between a Tamil from Sri Lanka and a Bengali from Bangladesh. Chances are, they can. Similarly I may be unable to distinguish between a Zambian Bemba and a Shona from Zimbabwe. Chances are, they can.
It is very simplistic then to say that a "stranger" will recognize you as a particular race upon first seeing you. How a "stranger" goes about the process of recognizing you depends on who that stranger is. It depends on the social, cultural, and personal realities of that "stranger". US President Barack Obama is "black" by US definitions. In Trinidad and Tobago, he would be a "dougla". Lewis Hamilton the Formula 1 race-car driver is black in England. In Trinidad and Tobago, he too would be a "dougla". So Nizam has done this country a disservice of monumental proportions with his superficial explanation of how a stranger would react to "one of us".
So in terms of Trinidad and Tobago, what about those people who, by dint of immediate parental ancestry, cannot be simply placed into Nizam's dichotomous categories of "African" and "Indian"?? In other words, what about the proverbial "dougla"?? What would be their race Nizam?? Or better yet, what would their RACES?? Where do these people fit in Nizam's racially dichotomous world view?? Is he advocating quotas for them too?? More on than in the next note.
“But our race. A stranger coming into contact with one of us for the first time does not see a doctor, lawyer, or our religion. What he recognises immediately is our race, so why can’t you?” “Be proud of who you are, and forget statements like ‘There is no Mother India, or Mother Africa’ or ‘Don’t think for one minute you will not have to give up your heritage for Caricom to survive.’ We live in a global village now, so celebrate your heritage.”
Nizam Mohammed's attempt to explain a stranger's reaction upon coming into contact with 'one of us' contains one deep flaw - it fails to take into account the cultural and personal realities of the stranger. Let me explain. Nizam Mohammed obviously fancies himself as King Indian, so let's start there. Most people in Trinidad and Tobago would say "Indian" if asked to name Nizam's race. Fair enough. But if Nizam were to walk through the market in Mumbai, India, what would be his race then?? Would he be Munda?? Would he be Oran?? Gaddis maybe?? Or perhaps Khassis?? If he were put in a room with a Sri Lankan, an Indian, a Bangladeshi, and a Pakistani, what would be his race then?? Would they recognize him as 'Indian", or would they see him as someone who has their DNA and just leave it at that?? Would the Pakistani want to know whether he was Muslim or Christian before deciding how to "recognize" him?? Would the Indian want to know whether he was Christian or Hindu before deciding how to "recognize" him. Will they be able to look at him and decide on their own what to recognize him as??
What about yours truly. I am a jet black Negroid. I define myself as "black". In Nizam's language, I am African, and most Trinis would readily concur with that. Fair enough. If I were to walk through the market in Abuja, Nigeria, what would be my race?? Would I be Igbo?? Would I be Hausa?? Would I be Fulani?? I were put in a room with a Rwandan, a South African, and a Senegalese, what would my race be then?? Would the Rwandan want to know if I were Hutu or Tutsi before deciding how to "recognize" me?? Would the South African want to know if I was Zulu or Inkatha before deciding how to "recognize" me?? Would the Senegalese want to know if I were Wolof, Serer, or Diola before deciding how to "recognize" me??
You see in the West, the idea of how people recognize "race" is very different to how it is done in the parts of the world where the races we think we know so well originate. The average non-African thinks that all Negroids are "African". Try explaining that to the Wolof and the Serer of Senegal, a Hausa, Igbo, or Fulani of Nigeria, a Bemba of Zambia, or a Kenyan Masai. It simply is not as cut and dry as simply "African". Similarly, among the phenotype that Westerners define as "Indian", you have the five castes of India. You have the Lankans and the Tamils of Sri Lanka, the Bengalis of Bangladesh,the Kalasha and Punjabis of Pakistan. In BOTH the cases of the "African" and the "Indian" phenotype, we have not even scratched the surface of the unending number of tribes and ethnic groups that make up the full spectrum of each phenotype. Nizam may not be able to tell the difference between a Tamil from Sri Lanka and a Bengali from Bangladesh. Chances are, they can. Similarly I may be unable to distinguish between a Zambian Bemba and a Shona from Zimbabwe. Chances are, they can.
It is very simplistic then to say that a "stranger" will recognize you as a particular race upon first seeing you. How a "stranger" goes about the process of recognizing you depends on who that stranger is. It depends on the social, cultural, and personal realities of that "stranger". US President Barack Obama is "black" by US definitions. In Trinidad and Tobago, he would be a "dougla". Lewis Hamilton the Formula 1 race-car driver is black in England. In Trinidad and Tobago, he too would be a "dougla". So Nizam has done this country a disservice of monumental proportions with his superficial explanation of how a stranger would react to "one of us".
So in terms of Trinidad and Tobago, what about those people who, by dint of immediate parental ancestry, cannot be simply placed into Nizam's dichotomous categories of "African" and "Indian"?? In other words, what about the proverbial "dougla"?? What would be their race Nizam?? Or better yet, what would their RACES?? Where do these people fit in Nizam's racially dichotomous world view?? Is he advocating quotas for them too?? More on than in the next note.
Nazim's comments are dangerous and can lead to separatism in small, rather immature post colonial society. I subscribe entirely to your view. I see my walking through the streets of POS and people classing me as from Morvant, Diego, Chaguanas etc. But all I will think about is doubles, roti, yams and "wotlessness"
ReplyDeleteOne wonders what he intends to gain by these views, why is it Trinidadians seem to stumble upon themselves every so often and reveal a stupid, ignorant underside? Nazim is not the first to have these through Trinidad short history and not be the last.
Living where I do at present, Sweden northern Europe ( not Switzerland!) one become more are of one's identity and origin. I'm a trini first every thing else after.
Really bad spelling using an IPad, sorry.
ReplyDeleteHi Darren J
ReplyDeleteare you on facebook?
can/will you link me there? Maven Huggins
what are you doing in Sweden (Not Switzerland)?
i wrote this piece in April. It is September ad race/ethnicity issues have become even bigger predominant considerations'/ I struggle to find the right space in this place
regards
maven