This Made Me Tear Up

[Poitier]

My friend is in Mozambique and described a similar experience on his blog

 

[Sleepy Walker]

I was told in some places as you walk through the airport they welcome us back home, I already know I'm going to cry.

 

[Black_Panther_JS]

A lot of Black people need to realize this

 

[Matt504]

I gotta find the youtube vid of her telling this story, it made me emotional

 

[Poitier]

My friend:

After visiting one historic site in Maputo, Joana invited me to her neighborhood (bairro), called Maxaquene. She took a chapa to pick me up, and we rode a chapa together to her neighborhood. When we arrived, I saw that her neighborhood looked a lot similar to a couple of the townships that I visited in South Africa. After walking through her neighborhood for a while and being introduced to some of her friends, she took me to the gates of a school. There was a function going on. I realized that it was some kind of ceremony because there was a large group of people sitting at tables. There was also an emcee talking to the crowd. We waited for a while, but I wasn’t quite sure why. We were “conversing,” but I probably understood 20% of what she was saying. Thus, I didn’t know exactly why we were waiting outside of the function. She may have told me. I don’t know. Nonetheless, a well-dressed guy about my age came to meet us from the inside of the gate. He spoke with Joana a bit, and Joana told me to go with him.

At this point, your guess is as good mine as to what was happening. The guy brought me across the courtyard in front of the function toward where the emcee was addressing crowd. Therefore, anyone that was sitting could see me in my shorts and sneakers walking toward the emcee (at this formal gathering). At this juncture, I was nervous because it seemed like I was going to be introduced to the crowd. Even worse, I thought they wanted me to speak. I was nowhere near “Congratulatory Announcement Ready” in the Portuguese language.

While the microphone was off, I was introduced to the emcee. He said his name was Flávio. His English was a lot better than my Portuguese. I was standing behind him while he addressed the crowd. I was beginning to realize that the event was a graduation celebration. This realization is more based on the fact that there was a young man standing in a cap and gown, rather than my comprehension of Portuguese. Instead of wishing that I wouldn’t have to speak, I began to prepare and practice my short introduction and speech in my head. Then Flávio told me to sit down next to the DJ. “Wheww.” My heart had skipped a beat. I was much more relaxed now because I figured he wouldn’t ask me to stand again to give a speech when I was already standing. During the brief intermission, he took me to the tables, and I briefly met Rufin. He told me, “Stay cool. You are home.” When it was time to eat, I acted as if I wanted to truly feel at home. I was excited that the African food that people in the states rave about was on my plate, and it did not disappoint.

 

[Apollo Creed]

A lot of Black people need to realize this

I dont think people realize only "Certain types" of Africans can even get into America and how for the most part the common African (not the ones in political power or other high offices) sees and understands they and the Black man of the western hemisphere are one in the same.

I dont think people understand also the mental conditioning that took place in West Africa in the early 1900s by the likes of Missionaries either.

A lot of people have feelings about one group or another yet dont understand the complex things that created the mess.

My mom is from the continent and always said the people in SC, Mississippi , and New Orleans especially all reminded her of the people back home.

I

 

[Black_Panther_JS]

I dont think people realize only "Certain types" of Africans can even get into America and how for the most part the common African (not the ones in political power or other high offices) sees and understands they and the Black man of the western hemisphere are one in the same.

I dont think people understand also the mental conditioning that took place in West Africa in the early 1900s by the likes of Missionaries either.

A lot of people have feelings about one group or another yet dont understand the complex things that created the mess.

My mom is from the continent and always said the people in SC, Mississippi , and New Orleans especially all reminded her of the people back home.

I

the Black kids at my school (for the most part) make fun of Africa and Africans and probably don't even realize that African and African-American is 1 and the same
also they got brainwashed by white america and think Africa is 1 big desert with poor hungry Africans, no water and lions, zebras and giraffe everywhere

 

[DreadBrown]

Good read,

My sister wrote a song about a similar experience she had in Tanzania

 

[Elle Driver]

That's what happened when I was in certain countries in Africa, when you share that you're African American, they genuinely feel sorrow.