Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Being Black In Peace Corps

There has been a lot of talk lately about race in PC Senegal, and I just want to add my 2cents. I must start of by saying I’ve also been that one raisin amongst all the white chocolate, as a result the way I process the race issues is not the same as most. The issues of race for me surfaced when I moved to the U.S as a result I still don’t comprehend the issue entirely. I mean even the issue of race in the PC I just started understanding it because people are talking about. I never knew how comments such as “us whites, us whites in Senegal,” (as there are more whites tahn balck and people just ID with the majority, as its is the American way, majority rules)  were an issue till it was brought, and I guess that is due to my ignorance.  

In training most volunteers, as 95% of them are white just talk about how its hard being white in Senegal an forget to incorporate the minority of the group.  To me this is not an issue, as I understand there are more whites than other race, as they are just talking about their experiences. I remember during training when people said stuff like that, ill just talk about how hard of a time I’m having as been black, or just my experiences. As black in PC I understand the issue but I don’t empathize or quite comprehend. That has always been a problem for me, even between my friends back home, they will say something like that was so racists, they did that just because I was black, I will proceed having a dumb stare like, O really. I’ve had countless arguments with my cousin about it, when it comes to our neighborhood, sport players and as always I just don’t quite get it. As I said blame it on my ignorance.

Well for me, being black in Senegal, I’ve had more issues dealing with the treatments I received from Senegalese people than other volunteers. Mostly people automatically assume I’m Wolof (one of the major ethnic group here) when they see me. They automatically start speaking Wolof to me. I’ve had countless, pointless conversations proving that I’m American. I’ll tell people I’m a American Peace Corps volunteer, and they will proceed to ask me where are you from, “America.” Then they will proceed to ask where is your family from, where were you born and I’ll tell them America (expect a few close friends and my family) and they never believe me because there are no blacks in America. I know telling them I’m from America and I don’t know my origin is a lie. But its just to prove that there are blacks in America, who don’t even know Africa.

Also when I’m around other volunteer, Senegalese will just talk to the other volunteers, the Toubabds and just  ignore me. They will be so excited to talk to my peers, shake their hands, and when it come to me sometimes, I don’t even get a hi.  There have also been countless of times, were I was told I’m not light enough to be American, I need to bleach my skin, or I need to perm my hair.

These things annoys me  because these African treat themselves worst than they do a stranger, then will be so open and hospitable to Toubab , but when it comes to their kind they ignore them, or just don’t care. It annoys me that they have not learned to love themselves and be kind to each other instead of the “whiteman”

Yet again, I’m happy to be black here, because I don’t get harassed, bothered or get to shake dirty kids hands as my peers. I get to blend in more than they do and I feel I reach a level of integration that they will never be able to achieve.

As result of these issues within PC Senegal Liz (well more Liz) and I are coming up with solutions and plans that can be implement to make PC Senegal more inclusive to everyone, black, white, Asian, old young, church goers, gay, lesbian, etc. Because after all, at the end of the day our Peace Corps family is what we have and who we depend on to make it through the years as a Peace Corps volunteer, therefore we all have to be one BIG happy Family.

Kancorans

Its circumcision season here in the Fulladom What does that mean? It means little boys get their pines circumcised. So little boys who have reached that age, decided by their parents get their pines circumcised. 
Circumcised boys, at the coming out ceremony
Couple of boys get together in one house decided by their parents and they will leave there for a certain amount of time, till they are healed. After they are all together they will go to the hospital (for those fortunate to live in cities, if not the local doctor) and get circumcised. They will come home and learn some life skills till they are healed. During this time they are not allowed to see their parents. They are helped, taught by older brothers, uncles, whom have al passed that stage in llfe.

Kancoran
These men will go out dressed as kancorans to get money to help provided for the boys while they are under their care. The boys will sometimes sit on the road on all fours or sing, to also get money and donations. These kancorans parade the streets dancing scaring away little boys and women. They carry around machetes and whips, and they do use the whip to beat boys and women. While parading people, mostly women and children will run after and away from them: getting them to dancing. while doing so they will give them some money. You can even pay them so dance for you, while videotaping or taking photos.  
Dancing
After the healing period they will have a big ceremony, in which the boys will come out. During this time there will be various kancorans. After scaring boys and women they will have a big dance party in which they are allowed to stan around and watch. Various ceremonial things will be done to the circumcised boys, it involves beating them, doing flips over them, jumping over them, etc. Their family members will all be there with some men dressing up as women and the women dressed in men clothing with makeup and beeds all over them.  
Women in their outfits
Men dressed as women at the ceremonial event






The ceremony






The next day the boys will get dressed in newly-made outfits and parade the town, with some kind of hand-made toy in their hands, without kancorans.  
This kancoran cut someone face open.

Dancing



thanks to Mr. Pierre for some of the photos