This happeneda bout two weeks back.
I currently live in a white area, I grew up around here for bits-and-peices of my childhood aswell, so I always do a courtesy nikka status check when I see Black folk around just to make sure they don't get kidnapped by the Klan.
Running into a store, I get out in the parking lot.. A breh and sisteren. Car. Hood is up. The lady is sitting in the passenger seat and breh is leaning on the passenger door.. I go "Ayo bro you aight?" to the dude.. Not even in a heavy Wu Tang Clan Brooklyn Zoo Voice or anything, just a courtesy nikka inspection, maybe a jump or a ride to the gas station.
nikka gon "Is YOU alright?"..
I'm like "That's all the time, my nikka.. But I'm asking YOU if your car good".. Got some aggression in my voice at this point.
Homie just says "nah we good".. I say 'aight' go about my business.
Come back out, white nikka giving them a jump.
This happeneda bout two weeks back.
I currently live in a white area, I grew up around here for bits-and-peices of my childhood aswell, so I always do a courtesy nikka status check when I see Black folk around just to make sure they don't get kidnapped by the Klan.
Running into a store, I get out in the parking lot.. A breh and sisteren. Car. Hood is up. The lady is sitting in the passenger seat and breh is leaning on the passenger door.. I go "Ayo bro you aight?" to the dude.. Not even in a heavy Wu Tang Clan Brooklyn Zoo Voice or anything, just a courtesy nikka inspection, maybe a jump or a ride to the gas station.
nikka gon "Is YOU alright?"..
I'm like "That's all the time, my nikka.. But I'm asking YOU if your car good".. Got some aggression in my voice at this point.
Homie just says "nah we good".. I say 'aight' go about my business.
Come back out, white nikka giving them a jump.
That's cuz they bow brehI'm not black but I give all non white dudes the nod. Asian brehs looking like
........I know what you are saying and do empathize but don't take it too serious..
Older black men or black men 30 plus always do the nod anyone much younger won't get it or understand it. I don't even bother with younger black men doing the nod.
I however do NOT tell the story or even divulge anything about it with non POC especially white people. I simply just let it be a "black mystery" when any cac sees it and goes "Hey why do you guys all do the nod to each other".
I learned the story of the nod or at least a version of it from a much older black man when I was 16 and doing a summer job at a old folks home.
Elder told me "The nod was a way of protection for us black folk as lynchings and murders were quite common. Mind you we didn't all have cars so we had to walk everywhere. The nod was a way for black men who didn't know one another to have a friendly greeting and if something ever did happen and a black man ended up missing from coming home from work or walking at night then at least someone can say "hey I saw him on such and such road at this time" so we would know where at least the direction a black man was heading so we know where to at least look".
When I heard that story....the nod had much more meaning to me.