| Author | Message | ||
     roXie Unregistered guest Rating: N/A |
-------------------------------- Oprah claims she is a Zulu! Wednesday, 15 June , 2005, 10:25 London : Talk show queen Oprah Winfrey, startled a South African audience and baffled historians by claiming to be of Zulu ancestry. According to the Telegraph she told 3,200 fans at her Live Your Best Life seminar in Johannesburg, "I went in search of my roots and had my DNA tested and I am a Zulu." However local historians, refused to believe her claim, as there are few records of the Zulus having any connection to the African slave trade. "If there were Zulu people taken as slaves they would have been taken eastwards by Arab traders or Portuguese to their South American colonies," a historian said. "Those who ended up in North America, say in Mississippi where Miss Winfrey comes from, were mostly of West African origin," he added. ANI ---------------------------------------- I've always questioned this recent genetic geneology phenomenon. Oprah's claim contradicts some histortical facts. Oprah is the first AB I've heard to get this geneology test, the others were mostly british people of carribean descent. but unlike the west indies, the majority of african nations in N america were outnumbered and never able to regroup and restore their communities. Former-rival African clans/ethnic groups had no other choice but to band together and inter-mix into one super-tribe as a means to survive their inhumane ordeal and to preserve their culture the way THEY could. IMO, the average AB copuld have the blood of at least 4 peoples running in their veins(if you don't count the blood of Indian nations and the slave masters, or ellis Island immigrants.) To expect a pure genetic line of tribal ascent when one's ancestors have been out of africa for 300 years is ludicrious, especially for american blacks. But since it IS Oprah, this is expected of her. -_-' | ||
| Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 3448 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A |
roXie, I can't for the life me divine how ANYONE can definitively prove or disprove Oprah's claims. But I'm somewhat amazed the South Africans would reject including the world's wealthiest Black woman among their numbers. (Seems to me they may have squandered a chance at funding windfall.) Man! Those Zulu's don't play! | ||
| Kola Moderator Username: Kola Post Number: 1532 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
Well, I must say. She DOES look like a Zulu to me and always has. Especially in the "center" of her face. I can usually look at a Black American and 50% of the time tell at least ONE tribe that's inside their bloodberry. It's easy with people like Oprah and Nipsey Russell and Angela Bassett who are still MOSTLY Black. | ||
| Kola Moderator Username: Kola Post Number: 1533 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
No---Roxie. In North America, the WHITE MASTERS decided that the Slaves in AMERICA would be separated by tribe and not allowed to keep their languages, names, etc. A Dahomey (passive elitist) was forced to marry an Ashanti (rebellious warrior)---so that they could not communicate or relate to each other. If one tried to pass on the language to the field "babies", then they would be hung (see the film BELOVED). And eventually, THOUSANDS of Black Africans were HUNG in the 1600's to keep them from passing on any African culture to the newly named group---"the niggers". Hausa were paired with their enemy, Yoruba. Fulani were forced to mate with Denkinyira. Wolof and Azande were forced to mix. The Black Americans were created from a BREEDING SYSTEM by which 300 tribes were forced to mix, breed over hundreds of years. In the Carribean, South America and LOUISIANA, entire tribes were enslaved and were allowed to retain their own language and their mate within their own groups. At least until the early 1720's. _________ And there were SOME "Zulus" who did business in West Africa and could have been brought to America. Let's also not forget that Queen TinkaTekur's children and her sister, Queen Ambi (not the one in my novel) were slaves in BARBADOS and that their offspring were later shipped to South Carolina. This went on all the time. So it's feasible that Zulu slaves in the Caribbean or South America could have had children who were later shipped to the United States---especially Louisiana. It is VERY STRANGE that Oprah Winfrey DOES look so much like the Zulu people, however.     | ||
| roXie Unregistered guest Rating: N/A |
No---Roxie. In North America, the WHITE MASTERS decided that the Slaves in AMERICA would be separated by tribe and not allowed to keep their languages, names, etc. A Dahomey (passive elitist) was forced to marry an Ashanti (rebellious warrior)---so that they could not communicate or relate to each other. If one tried to pass on the language to the field "babies", then they would be hung (see the film BELOVED). And eventually, THOUSANDS of Black Africans were HUNG in the 1600's to keep them from passing on any African culture to the newly named group---"the niggers". Hausa were paired with their enemy, Yoruba. Fulani were forced to mate with Denkinyira. Wolof and Azande were forced to mix. The Black Americans were created from a BREEDING SYSTEM by which 300 tribes were forced to mix, breed over hundreds of years. In the Carribean, South America and LOUISIANA, entire tribes were enslaved and were allowed to retain their own language and their mate within their own groups. At least until the early 1720's. _________ And there were SOME "Zulus" who did business in West Africa and could have been brought to America. Let's also not forget that Queen TinkaTekur's children and her sister, Queen Ambi (not the one in my novel) were slaves in BARBADOS and that their offspring were later shipped to South Carolina. This went on all the time. So it's feasible that Zulu slaves in the Caribbean or South America could have had children who were later shipped to the United States---especially Louisiana. It is VERY STRANGE that Oprah Winfrey DOES look so much like the Zulu people, however. ------------------------------------------ Um, I thought I said most of the same things. I wasn't denying that she had any Zulu blood, I just found it improbable that Zulu would be the ONLY african group found in her DNA. Think about it, 300 years of africans mixing except OPRAH'S ancestors?(!)o_O' Despite the division strategies by slave masters, the former enemies had to learn to get along and communicate with one another if they were to survive. But yeah, it did cost us most of our customs beyond the continental basics. The most culturally preserved AAs i've seen on these shores are the gullahs/geechees. | ||
| Kola Moderator Username: Kola Post Number: 1539 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: |
I agree with you, Roxie. It "IS" unlikely that Oprah would be a Zulu. But not anywhere near impossible. And I'm sure that the blood of Zulus could match the blood of quite a few other tribes. That's like testing Nigeria's Yoruban, Ekoi and Ibo tribes. All 3 would match. | ||
| Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 3450 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: |
roXie, I imagine you know that genetic traits are dominant/recessive. Thus, Oprah might be only 20% Zulu. But if her Zulu traits are dominant, they will outwardly manifest while her recessive traits might not appear until after she reproduces and those recessive traits dominate some of those of her mate. Kola, Do you know of any book(s) that provides a pictorial of all of Africa's tribes? I think MANY within the African Diaspora would enjoy attempting to see themselves amid such a reference. | ||
| Moonsigns "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Moonsigns Post Number: 523 Registered: 07-2004 Rating: N/A |
I have to be frank, I don't know shyt about tribes in Africa. However, I was watching an episode of B Smith, and she gave a web-site where one can get info to find out their African ancestry. The web-site is africanancestry.com--both she and her husband traced their heritage. Quite an interesting show to say the least! | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 1222 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
According to what I have read and maybe I need to read some more, Zulu is a cultural and linguistic group, not an ethnic one, that did not come into being until Shaka formed the Zulu nation in the early 1820's. By that time no slaves were being imported into the U.S--the British having banned the slave trade. Even if some slaves were being imported it is highly unlikely that the conquering Zulus who were lording it over the Xhosas and other groups in Southern Africa would have sold any of their own into slavery. They maintained a separate nation until the Zulu Dutch and Zulu British wars of the late 1800's at which time no slaves were coming to the west. Furthermore, almost all of us are from West Africa by way of the Caribbean. Do not believe the hype people. Ms.Winfrey's heart may be in the right place (and it is my understanding that anybody can become a member of any tribe if accepted into its ranks) but, other than spiritually, she is as much a Zulu as a Volkswagen bus is. | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 1224 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
To Wit: The History of the Zulu Nation - Zulu Kingdom KwaZulu Natal South Africa The history of the amaZulu or the Zulu Kingdom begins with Zulu, progenitor of the Zulu Tribe. Zulu, in fact, was the name of the son of a sixteenth century chief who settled in the region of present day KwaZulu-Natal on South Africa’s east coast. More than two hundred years later, in the early 1800s, the descendants of Zulu, having adopted his name to represent their clan, consisted of about 1500 people who fell firmly under the control of Dingiswayo, a powerful leader who had systematically begun to absorb the smaller clans of the region who he had defeated in combat. In turn however, Shaka, who had distinguished himself in Dingiswayo’s army, became chief of the Zulu clan and set about engaging in a similar process, only this time transforming his small chiefdom into what was to become a ruthless army that paved the way for the emergence of the Zulu nation and its domination of the region. It’s a culture that in the nineteenth century earned the grudging respect of the world’s foremost imperial and military power and that even today is synonymous with pride and resistance. It is perhaps best known for Shaka, the ambitious and brilliant leader, and its name – Zulu – roles easily off the western tongue. King Shaka Zulu was something of a military genius but inevitably, after a dramatic fashion, time-honoured amongst the world’s monarchies, he was assassinated by his half brothers, Dingane and Mhlangana. They in turn quarrelled, with Dingane assuming leadership of the Zulu. Dingane lacked Shaka’s military and leadership skills however and the cracks in the kingdom began to show as rebel chiefs broke away. These cracks were exacerbated by armed conflict with the newly arrived Voortrekkers in 1838. The Voortrekkers were pioneers of Dutch extraction who comprise today’s Afrikaners. Ultimately Dingane was killed by the army of Mpande, his remaining half brother, who in turn succeeded to the monarchy and ruled the Zulu nation from 1840 to 1872. The shrewd politician Mpande was succeeded by his son (and Shaka’s nephew) Cetshwayo. The subsequent growth of military pride and strength, coupled with resurgence in nationalism, led the Zulus and the colonial power of Britain down the road to the Anglo Zulu War. The first clash happened at Isandlwana on the 22 January 1879 where the Zulu nation inflicted the heaviest defeat the British had until then suffered in the colonies. It was a conflict that ended with the eventual defeat of the Zulus six months later. At the end of the Anglo Zulu War the Colonial Office immediately initiated their policy of ‘divide and rule’ by splitting the power of the king between 13 chiefdoms. It was only in 1950 that the white Nationalist government restored the paramount authority of the Zulu king, but then, and even now, the powers of the king were largely symbolic. | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 1225 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: |
And: History of the Zulu People The history of the Zulu people can be traced back to the 19th century hero, Shaka Zulu, who, after the death of his father Senzangakhona, conquered many nations and amalgamated them under his reign, thus creating a huge Zulu nation. The name AmaZulu literally means “the people of heaven.” Shaka was the third born son of Senzangakhona. When Senzangakhona died in 1816, Shaka took over the reigns and within a time period of twelve years he became the greatest leader of his time. He formed the phenomenal nation of the Zulu people. During his wars that were known as Mfecane (or Difaqane), many people fled KwaZulu-Natal, then known as Natal, and moved north, spreading along their paths the IsiZulu language. In 1828 Dingaan, Shaka’s brother, assassinated him. After Shaka’s death in1828, Dingaan became the king of the Zulus but was killed in the battle of Ncome. However, the Zulu people won this battle. Cetshwayo, his brother, took over the reigns and in 1879 the Zulu warriors defeated the British in the battle of Isandlwana. In 1887 the British annexed Natal, today known as KwaZulu-Natal, and later incorporated Natal into a colony. Many of the cultures, customs, and traditions of Shaka’s time remain the corner stones of the Zulu people, and each year the Zulu nation celebrates the Heritage Day during which they commemorate their hero, Shaka Zulu and also revive their cultural traditions. Go back to the Homepage | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 1226 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
For further googling http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=History+of+the+Zulu+Nation&btnG=Search | ||
| Yvettep "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Yvettep Post Number: 483 Registered: 01-2005 Rating: N/A |
"Genetic test" or no. Whatever tribe Oprah decides she's from, that's who I'm gonna claim too. "I'm witcha my Zulu sister!" LOL | ||
| Kola Moderator Username: Kola Post Number: 1546 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
ABM---there's a book called "AFRICAN CEREMONIES" which costs about $100, but is worth the price. There are many books, it's really BEST to go to a major library and flip through a book that is devoted to each tribe individually----only the major tribes are ever covered. Africa has about 450,000 tribes. But take my mother's Tribe, the OROMO---they have about 150 tribes within that tribe, my mother's being the largest, the Waaq (Crow people) of Ethiopia, Somalia--from ancient Punt. The Hausa is another one with many sub-tribes. | ||
| Kola Moderator Username: Kola Post Number: 1547 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
Chris, the only thing I don't like about the SHAKA ZULU movie is that there were many CONGO Kings who were far greater than Shaka...who in the end, just as the movie showed....was not the brightest man, strategist. But of course, they don't EVER want a film to be made about CONGO's Katanga men. There was a virtual world war carried out against the Transatlantic slave trade by the Congo, the Ashanti and the West African Queen States---and yet no film has been made and very few books have been published about it. Historical documents only mention it as a "fragmented" affair and in the U.S. books (unlike the French and Portugese books) they totally downplay the ASS-WHOOPING that the British received from the Congolese and the Ashantis. Queen TinkaTeker II and the Queen of Ghana were especially some rough ass women. | ||
| Cynnique Unregistered guest Rating: |
Oprah is a tribe unto herself surrounded by white lackeys who secretly hate her and black detractors who secretly envy her. She is descended from zebras. | ||
| Anonymous Rating: N/A |
Cynnique wrote: Oprah is a tribe unto herself surrounded by white lackeys who secretly hate her and black detractors who secretly envy her. She is descended from zebras. Funnee! | ||
| Slow Poke Unregistered guest Rating: N/A |
LOL Cynique. She's always funny as hell anonymous. The most sensible person too. | ||
| Yvettep "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Yvettep Post Number: 485 Registered: 01-2005 Rating: N/A |
Cynique-was it you who said Oprah should start her own religion and appoint herself "Poperah"? LOL! "She is a tribe unto herself, descended from zebras."--Another gem! OK, so I'll be Zulu or Zebra--or Zebrulu!!! | ||
| Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 3469 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A |
Chris, Much oblige for the Zulu lecture. DEFINITELY a keeper. Kola, Why do you say there are other African chieftans who are more worthy of note than Shaka? And why, then, does Shaka receive disproportionate credit? | ||
| Kola Moderator Username: Kola Post Number: 1557 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: |
ABM, the "WHITES" have annointed Shaka as the one we can embrace. Just as in America---they annoint Dr. King, but do not want to acknowledge/annoint Malcolm X and definitely not Marcus Garvey, both of whom were more radical than King and neither of whom was interested in "White people" or having a relationship/society with them. The CONGO KINGS of the 1600's whooped the shit out of the European invaders---which is why the Slave Trade of West Africa never did catch on in the CONGO or reach the Zulus and Xosha of Southern Africa. Katanga (there were a line of them) was by far the mightiest, most powerful King to ever wage war against the WHITES.....not only that, he was a brilliant Strategist, and in WESTERN HISTORY, he (they) is all but Non-existent. The Ashanti were also far more epic in their wars against the Whites, and they were the West African tribe that was the LEAST affected by the slave trade because of it. Queen TinkaTekur II (the mother of the Black Americans) was burned at the stake by her own people because she drowned two dozen White Dutch children---after her own 6 sons and 2 daughters came up missing from their picnic on the beach. Queen Nzinga was also a fierce war horse against the slave trade, but I like TinkaTekur better, because she is DIRECTLY RELATED to the Black Americans---her sons were the first slaves of New York City and Vermont. ____ Shaka Zulu was a great King and ruler---but there are so many GREATER symbols of black manhood who were far more ambitious and larger than Shaka that we should be making films and books about. I plan to attempt to do this. If I can ever get my writing career to take off in a serious way. One must have a NAME to do much in show business. | ||
| Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 3472 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A |
Kola/Chris, Somehow. We must begin to on a large/global scale begin to share these legendary tales of African valor and heroism. Because these, like tales of African discovery, might help abate negative Black self-perceptions. | ||
| Kola Moderator Username: Kola Post Number: 1562 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
ABM-- with my novels and hopefully, someday, my film productions ----it's my intention to do just that. As I said to someone before, I think it was Yvette---I DO use my life/career to create BLACK MEDIA as opposed to NIGGER MEDIA.... ...which is what ALL BLACKS must begin to do. As many horrible conditions as I write about, uncover in Africa----I can't pretend that those hiddeous events (scarification, AIDS, etc.) are ALL AFRICA IS ABOUT. When Black African children see a woman like OPRAH building schools in S. AFrica and bringing BLACK DOLLS with nappy hair to S. African children (she has a doll company that mass produces them)------they are being shown an image of Africa being saved by its OWN BLACK HAND. This is very important. If Whites really want to help Africa---they should finance BLACKS to bring these "gifts" as Nuruddin Farah calls them back to Africa. African children would then be inpsired to save themselves. | ||
| Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 3488 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A |
Kola, You do an absolutely splendid job creating Black and countering N*&&a media. I believe the things African should take from Whites are the "United States Constitution", Adam Smith's "The Wealth of Nations" and "The Scientific Method". Because it's largely upon the principles within those texts that Whites dominate the world. | ||
| Anunaki3600 Regular Poster Username: Anunaki3600 Post Number: 46 Registered: 04-2005 Rating: N/A |
Oprah can claim to be a Zulu or of any other ethnic group, but the main thing is that she has accepted to being an African. This reminds me of when I first came to L.A. in the late seventies. I was invited to a "home party" in the hood where people of all generations were present. One grand-pa suddenly got mad at one of the kids and shouted "YOU ZULU" at the kid. I guess now a days being a Zulu is not being looked as someone with a bone going through one's nose. Hee hee heee. Times have changed for da betta. | ||
| Chrishayden "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Chrishayden Post Number: 1228 Registered: 03-2004 Rating: N/A |
Kola: Like Genghis Khan, Napoleon, Phillip of Macedon and many other conquerors Shaka Zulu was not a nice man. | ||
| Cynnique Unregistered guest Rating: N/A |
Yeah, Chris, nice guys finish last. From what I've seen of some of their idols, Oprah actually looks like she could be descended from the Benin tribe of West Africa. She has a broad face with a small, spreading nose, and slightly bulging eyes. (Just call me Kola Boof. LOL.) | ||
| Kola Moderator Username: Kola Post Number: 1594 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
Cynique----you would have to SEE the Benin people (Djimon Hounsou is from there) to see that Oprah looks much more like the Zulus. She really does. If you went around Africans enough and saw the different "mannerisms", body types and facial types from the tribes----you would begin to see GREAT DEAL of Africa in people like Bill Cosby, Toni Morrison, Redd Foxx, Mary J. Blige, Aretha Franklin, Samuel L. Jackson, Denzel and his wife. The tribes (foreheads, lips, noses, jawlines and CHEEKBONES) are not hard to recognize. In fact, African cheekbones are VERY OFTEN mistaken for Indian cheekbones by AAs----and dare I say it, the Indians and Italians and Scandinavians ALL got their cheekbones from Africans anyway. | ||
| Africanqueen Regular Poster Username: Africanqueen Post Number: 50 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
Just wanted to say that this is an interesting topic  . Um well, I'm a Dinka from Sudan where war and slavery presently exists. I doubt that I come from another blood though:D Still, there's many of us residing in the US today and many in Australia, Germany, etc and I often wonder if we'd ever return. I mean I've lived here for 10 years and this is the longest I've lived anywhere in the world. But I worry about the kids that are the future of Sudan.. would they really ever want to go back considering the facts and stuff going on right now? I know I can live anywhere on earth as long as there's no guns and bombs thrown on my roof daily. I expected Sudan to be a peaceful country by now. For Christ sake, this thing started the minute I was born and I never got to live on the same land, always moved, always had to get used to different people.. no wonder I appreciate all races so much. But UN bringing people from all over just concerns me. LOL, I don't want to end up a grandma raising Sudanese Americans...Ummmm, SCARY! lol | ||
| Cynnique Unregistered guest Rating: N/A |
Oprah has a short neck and is not slender with long limbs. What does that indicate? | ||
| Kola Moderator Username: Kola Post Number: 1607 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
LOL Cynique. Many tribes have that build. But seeing the person in MOTION and the way the features move...is the key. Just like when Black Americans TALK...I can tell what part of the country they're from, usually. | ||
| Abm "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Abm Post Number: 3533 Registered: 04-2004 Rating: N/A |
I'll tell you who finished first: That gotdayam Genghis Khan! I read somewhere dude's reported to have over 13 MILLION living lineal descendents. And his lineage has been traced to European, Asian, African and Middle Eastern monarchies. Dude's even reputed to have sired nobles of Transylvania’s House of Dracula. | ||
| Africanqueen Veteran Poster Username: Africanqueen Post Number: 54 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
Kola, You put the smiley face like this : ) but both together and doubled spaced from a word. like this ... hope that helps, ttyl. | ||
| Kola Moderator Username: Kola Post Number: 1627 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
Well, my word. I DID IT! LAMO I made a smiley!!! Thank you so much Nyibol. ABM, thank you too for telling me other stuff which I'll try right now. | ||
| Yvettep "Cyniquian" Level Poster Username: Yvettep Post Number: 498 Registered: 01-2005 Rating: N/A |
I used to know an African guy at Purdue who used to "rap" to Black women by looking long and lovingly in their faces and telling them which tribes all their features were from. It had such an effect--historians to biologists to vet scientist all just swooned and giggled like school girls at this. Then to top it off, he'd write his very special gals a poem in Arabic. They had no earthly idea what the poems said--they could have been his grocery lists--but I guess it worked! | ||
| Kola Moderator Username: Kola Post Number: 1634 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
LOL Yvette. I'm going to post some good photos of ZULU women---so that people can see exactly WHY I'm saying that OPRAH looks like one. Not saying SHE IS. But that she looks like the Zulus. Let me have my son bring me my special book. I'll be back. | ||
| Africanqueen Veteran Poster Username: Africanqueen Post Number: 56 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
NP Kola, anytime | ||
| Kola Moderator Username: Kola Post Number: 1639 Registered: 02-2005 Rating: N/A |
OK I done put up my pictures. Yall go see if OPRAH looks like the Zulu's http://www.thumperscorner.com/discus/messages/2152/5930.html?1119323927 | ||
| Anonymous Rating: N/A |
::::When Black African children see a woman like OPRAH building schools in S. AFrica and bringing BLACK DOLLS with nappy hair to S. African children (she has a doll company that mass produces them)------they are being shown an image of Africa being saved by its OWN BLACK HAND. This is very important. If Whites really want to help Africa---they should finance BLACKS to bring these "gifts" as Nuruddin Farah calls them back to Africa. :::: I doubt that his message is that simplistic. And besides, his wife Amina Mama, chair of the Institute for Gender Studies at the University of Cape Town, presumably where he now lives, is the wrong color for you anyway (and ABM, certainly). In fact, the University itself, the whole city of Cape Town, and the entire Cape Province (which at one time was, I believe, about 85 percent "coloured") are the wrong color for y'all. So don't go there. I remember that the great Olympic sprinter, Frankie Fredericks, who's from Namibia in Southern Africa and went to school at Brigham Young, also attended the University of the Western Cape, which, in order to attend, one had to be "coloured," which, in practical terms would make him a few shades darker, last time I looked, than Maurice Greene -- whose autograph, I must confess, I got at one of the first NYC Marathons I ran (but only because he was sitting next to Susie Favor Hamilton who was signing laminated 8x10 glossies, LOL she's so cool). Oh, and more possible evidence for Oprah being Zulu : ) is that she ran the Marine Corp Marathon in '94, in a respectable time as I remember, I think it was under 4 and a half hours, all the more impressive because her body type, like mine, is all wrong for distance running. And I'm no scientist but I don't believe there is a DNA test that identifies ethnicity, despite Christopher Munnion's chuckle piece in the Telegraph. The last I heard The Human Genome Project had just about solved the genetic code for Down's Syndrome and other things and were starting to amass a literature on the genetics of skin color, albeit incomplete, however, it wasn't designed to tell us anything about human differences, especially as specific as ethnicity. After all, what is ethnicity anyway, you mean there's a DNA test that can identify Tegla Laroupe as an indigene of a Pokot rather than a Nandi area of the Rift Valley? Which is all it is anyway, isn't it? And besides, the scientists on the human genome project aren't interested in human differences, they're just trying to get the human baseline. I mean, we all watched the OJ Simpson trial and heard the results of DNA tests on his blood. As I remember, there were statistical probabilities whether it was his blood, not whether he derives from a particular ethnic group in Africa. It's scientific myth and if not, is only good for one generation anyway. I'm half hunter, half gatherer. In Nurddin Farah's latest novel, the main character returns to Somalia against the wishes of his American wife and children. She calls Somalia "a jerkwater of a ruin" and he speaks to them by telephone throughout the novel, but never describing them by ethnicity or color, and without a signifier -- such as a name or a bit of slang -- which would identify them as anything other than "American." That is his choice, not mine. I may have missed something, but I don't think so. Once there, he reunites with his former friends, including Seamus, the Irish friend from his and his Somali best friend's college days in Italy. I don't remember the author identifying Seamus as "white," although he might of, I'm less sure than in the case of the American wife and daughters. In Seamus's case, the main character was anxiously anticipating the language in which Seamus would address him (because Italian was the language they spoke before Jeeblah moved to the States). Seamus addresses him in English, which is a nice part of the book. There's another UN worker who is described only as an "Italian-American." The 18 US Army Rangers who died in the clashes with the warlord he calls "Strongman South," are not described by color or ethnicity. http://web.uct.ac.za/org/agi/staff.htm She looks like the exact color of some of the women in Jean Toomer's "Cane" y'all are in denial about. And she's like really, really, smart : ) |
