In America, Colored and Black often refer to the same racial group, but in South Africa, the different racial groups are clearly defined and have a distinction between Colored and Blacks. I have learned that the Colored people of South Africa are different than Blacks and that Colored South Africans are still marginalized in South African politics. I learned that the Colored population entails anyone who is not of Anglo history and incorporates not only Indians but South Africans with ethnic histories that derive from centuries of blood mixing. Colored people come from mixed ancestry of “indigenous Khoi and San tribes, West African slaves, Dutch settlers, Malay indentured laborers and even some Caribbean sailors.” There is a great amount of diversity in heritage that is grouped under one category which is fascinating to me. From what I know as of now, I compare South African's Colored to America's Latinos, because although Latinos come from a variety of countries and backgrounds they are grouped into the same category based on language. I am curious about the identities Colored people identify with. With such a diverse range of backgrounds that qualify as colored, how do people define their heritages as individuals and what characteristics define Coloreds' group identity? While Black South African's racial position has been advanced following the dissolution of Apartheid and representation by the African National Congress, unfortunately Colored people are still marginalized in favor of “bona fide Africans.” I am interested to learn more about the experiences of South Africans' Colored population and the different, stratified racial groups in present day South Africa.
http://www.theroot.com/articles/world/2013/10/south_africas_coloreds_identify_most_with_blacks_in_the_us.4.html
You pose an interesting question. I wonder if all Colored people feel a common cultural identity given that they can be from different ethnic backgrounds. I know Colored people are more common in Cape Town than in many other parts of South Africa so it'll be interesting having discussions with them about how they view themselves in the fabric of South African society.
ReplyDeleteI really liked learning about the history of the Colored peoples. It reminded me of the history/ culture of creole peoples in the Americas. It is interesting that across the diaspora there are different names for mixed peoples but yet they share similar stories.
ReplyDelete"From what I know as of now, I compare South African's Colored to America's Latinos, because although Latinos come from a variety of countries and backgrounds they are grouped into the same category based on language."
ReplyDeleteThat's a really interesting way to think about it! Thanks for your point of view, it helped me view things differently!
I liked how you pointed the similarity of how South Africa and the United States use categories, yet how different the terms are based on race.I also learned that the colored community is different from the black community, yet in America the term "colored" just means non-white.
ReplyDeleteI like how you compared the different groups of South Africa to Latinos, it's a great comparison. They're not quite identical just because Mexicans and Salvadorians are from different countries yet are called Latinos. South Africa has coloreds and blacks yet they're in the same country. But still the closest comparison I can think of! I am also curious about what characteristics define coloreds' group identity, as well as the other groups.
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