Although thoughts of moving and de-cluttering my existence abound, simplicity lands with me differently today than it did a week ago. I have been listening to conversations on racial identity and the complexities of defining oneself when we have a mix of different origins or do not present as visibly black. As much as I am enjoying learning about the "one drop" rule - the rule applied during slavery in America which determined if you had one black relative anywhere in your heritage then you are determined to be black. Essentially, because intergration occured through violence and not as a result of consent, the black mother because the race determinant, distancing and absolving the father of responsibility. What happened was that those who did not recognisably appear as black, were able to seek out a an existence to "pass" as white and enjoy a life of privilege. This characterisation has led to the emergence of colourism among the black community that results in a hierarchy of those closer to being white in appearance, assuming superiority above those who are darker. The plantation owner perpetuated this division by giving those who were lighter skinned privileges above the others. It is all an extension of racism predicated on slavery. Negotiations of power feed into this definition, as racism served a function of ensuring that those who are white enjoy the economic benefits and thus access to resources and status were limited to a privileged few. Conversely, there is no definition of being white but only to preserve the purity of it. I recently had my DNA tested in an effort to find out more about my ancestral history. When my results came back I was defined as afro-Bermudian. This is a term I have not heard before but what it did for me was put distance between me and being from Bermuda. This is not a term that is used, ever, as Bermuda had no indigenous peoples but in the term that has emerged from the machinery that is seeking to define my ancestry, made me "other". I am being explained in relation to white people who live in Bermuda. So simplicity screams at me this morning - what does it all matter? Can we accept our humanity and celebrate the beautiful iterations that have emerged as we have mingled our DNA because love knows no boundaries of race. Our ancestors could not help it. Is this not the lesson? The torment of our poor young people who are seeking to just be productive members of society and be accepted as they are. Why are we pushing them to label and identify themselves when they exist on this earth and that by this very fact they belong and should be made to feel welcome in this world. We need to, yes, understand the history of how this came about but then have the courage to put it aside and say it no longer serves the way in which civilisation is advancing. Do we have the courage to let it all go and see a beautiful human being? Let's free our mind from the stress of all of this complexity and work to love one another for the beautiful beings that we are.
Comments