What's the official animal of Black people everywhere?

[invalid]

I would say the elephant. The elephant is associated with a lot of royal and chieftain symbols all throughout West Africa. Not the lion. Many of the kings are represented as elephants themselves and there was a whole lineage of queens known as the “Elephant Queens” that I read in a book years back but can’t seem to find any reference to online.

A second animal I would say is the Great Ape but there is so much in the way of negative stereotypes that black people actively distance themselves from the animal. If you step outside of the historical stereotypes, we obviously know much about the high IQ of the Ape, their family systems, etc. And Apes were the only animal that the white msn feared. It’s a reason why the Ape is a symbol of my fraternity.

 

[Seoul Gleou]

It’s the Lion

I alway understood it to be,

Lion: Africa
Eagle: America
Bear: Russia
Dragon: China

The eagle the bear and the dragon represent ‘the beast’ or Babylon

so you think 54 countries all agreed that a lion is their symbol huh

 

[Luke Cage]

I would say the elephant. The elephant is associated with a lot of royal and chieftain symbols all throughout West Africa. Not the lion. Many of the kings are represented as elephants themselves and there was a whole lineage of queens known as the “Elephant Queens” that I read in a book years back but can’t seem to find any reference to online.

A second animal I would say is the Great Ape but there is so much in the way of negative stereotypes that black people actively distance themselves from the animal. If you step outside of the historical stereotypes, we obviously know much about the high IQ of the Ape, their family systems, etc. And Apes were the only animal that the white msn feared. It’s a reason why the Ape is a symbol of my fraternity.

I agree i was gonna say Elephant as well. But what kind of Elephant is it called specifically, because i know they have smaller ones in south asia too.

 

[invalid]

@Luke Cage I think it would be the African Elephant of which there are two species in Africa. The Asian elephants originated in Africa but migrated out.

Even in Asia they were regarded as gods.

 

[richaveli83]

Pitbull

 

[get these nets]

A second animal I would say is the Great Ape but there is so much in the way of negative stereotypes that black people actively distance themselves from the animal.

To your point,I've known and roomed with Alphas before and NEVER saw or knew that the animal was in any way associated with the frat.
Interesting.

Would love to see a documentary about African American life from the 1900-1910 era, and see the context that the frat was formed in. Choosing the ape seemed to be a deliberate rejection of outsider's propaganda. At a PWI. Good to know. Thanks.

 

[Spence]

“Ion, lyke LyOn, in Zion!”

 

[get these nets]

It’s the Lion

I alway understood it to be,

Lion: Africa
Eagle: America
Bear: Russia
Dragon: China

The eagle the bear and the dragon represent ‘the beast’ or Babylon

here comes the Eagle, here comes the Bear
and they're fighting to control the Lion's domain

 

[JadeB]

Bump

 

[get these nets]

Great discussion and points.

The symbols CHOSEN by people on the continent for their flags and currencies would give as clear an "answer"to this question as anything about Africa.
Same thing applies in the diaspora.

I put up a thread about a Black Money art exhibit that examined the symbols used on currency (banknotes). There wasn't a specific theme of the exhibit that traced depictions of animals, but I think that would settle the discussion.

Also, with so many of us accepting Christianity on the continent and diaspora during the last 500 years, parts of our cultures have incorporated biblical stories and symbols. The Lion plays prominently in Samson and David stories among others.

 

[bzb]

"i just wanna feel as liberated as lions in liberia..."

 

[CouldntBeMeTho]

Catset

 

[invalid]

@Get These Nets Its an unofficial symbol associated with the fraternity. Some chapters, like mine, have a history of using the symbol, other chapters don’t. It’s can be a bit controversial because the national organization still operates under respectability politics so they don’t like the fraternity being associated with the ape. But many chapters have a long history of using it as a symbol. With all fraternal symbols, there are secret fraternal meanings. Same instance here. There are deeper meanings, the outward sign of it is the ape.

Old school Alpha’s, like my grandfather, would in no way, shape, or form associate with the animal. Back in his time, there was still some lingerings of a ‘color’ factor in many chapters. They would not have identified with any sort of stereotype.

It’s more of a current generation thing. You’ll even see some chapters where members don ape mask and perform strolls and stepping that mimic the movement of apes.

But again, it’s an unofficial symbol and it’s not widely accepted across the board.

 

[Tryna Makit]

Africa is the only place lions are found naturally, so it's them.

 

[Easy-E]

Tbf, if you look at how his other promises have gone, I don't think he would've followed through with anything tangible for black people. He ain't gonna give black people a dime if he won't even give his fellow whites the 10k student loan relief he promised them.


As a side note, I know it sounds a little cheesey but Biden has made me rethink my views as a black man in relation to black women. Prior to this year, had never once considered the oppinions of black women in politics/law until he made katanji brown a supreme court pick. For the first time in my life I found myself actually wondering whether black women as a whole will look up to her the way we look up to Thurgood or Cochran. I know it's not a tangible thing like a check in the bank, but I'm genuinely curious whether Katanji can make black women dream in a similar way Mae Jemison did as a US astronaut.

If this era of America (COVID, WW3, supply chain issues, rises in gas prices) won't get ya'll out of this "inspiration" bullshyt, then nothing will.

The Democrats got us right where they want...