Before I started this adoption process, I never would have thought about the distinction between identifying oneself as African American as opposed to an American from Africa.
Turns out this is kind of big deal.
I recently read a really good article in Adoptive Families magazine on this very topic: My Ethiopian Daughters.
I’ve always felt awkward with the term African American, partially because it seems inaccurate… there are plenty of black folks in the US who have roots elsewhere (like the Caribbean, for example). And most of my friends of color refer to themselves as “Black”, not necessarily as “African American”.
My daughter is Ethiopian, not African American.
Hers is a heritage of an ancient proud kingdom, ferociously independent, and (I hope I do not offend) somewhat elitist despite its struggles with resources, health, and natural disasters. She doesn’t have much in common with most of the Black population in the US whose heritage is more likely to be Western African or Caribbean or mixed, and filled with a whole different slate of struggles.
So how to teach her about this? Not sure.
I do know that she will be perceived as (and treated as) African American by people who don’t know her. People who are racist will dislike her because she is Black, and they won’t care that she is Ethiopian. Other Black Americans are not going to treat her better just because she is Ethiopian. So it’s important she understand what it means to be Black in America, not just Ethiopian in America.
I also know that I don’t want her to be uppity about her heritage. Some Ethiopians consider themselves superior to other Africans, and I want to avoid instilling this in her.
But I also want her to be proud of being Ethiopian (and of being Sidama, her ethnic group), to embrace it, and not to be afraid to claim it.
This is going to be tough thing to negotiate, I think.
**updated to link to Cat’s thought-provoking post on the same topic over at [A]typical Family.**
21 comments
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10 January 2008 at 7:25 pm
Farrah and Jed
WOW Chou-Chou that was very well said…
I’m just learning all this stuff, so just bear with me here.
I’m learning alot from u though!
Can you email me I have some questions..
adoptingmom29@yahoo.com
10 January 2008 at 7:52 pm
Mindy
Great series of thoughts on a potentially touchy subject! You handled it very gracefully, IMO.
This is a tough issue for me, too. Since my girls are both biracial/biethnic, and neither’s birthfather is identified, we just don’t know much about their ethnicities. It’s a lot of food for thought. Thanks for posting!
Min
10 January 2008 at 8:52 pm
haze
It’s a sticky situation in the states for sure. Not so much in Canada as we don’t have quite the same history of slavery here. It’s still an issue I have to think about though.S____ is fortunate that you are aware of the subtleties between being black and African American, and that you are willing to educate yourself and teach her how to handle her future in the USA.
10 January 2008 at 11:34 pm
MotherMotherOcean
I am glad you posted about that. i read the article myself. it is a very interesting topic because it brings in the idea of culture and roots being forefront. Thanks for posting it.
11 January 2008 at 12:22 am
Anna
I think just the fact that you are considering this topic and attempting to understand it is really commendable. As she is growing and learning you can have culture and different ethnicities all around you- in pictures, toys and freinds. She is human, then a girl, then black, than ethiopian etc. She will be many different things and as long as you can be as truthful and honest as you possibly can- she will learn.
She will learn through the experiences you offer to guide her through and introduce her to.
11 January 2008 at 2:03 am
3continentfamily
great article!
11 January 2008 at 2:38 am
Jocelyn
Very good post! Makes me think a lot too!
11 January 2008 at 2:49 pm
dawn
It is hard to figure it all out. It is something I think about constantly. I live in a city that has a large population of blacks (for lack of a better term) and they cover a huge portion of the diaspora (carribean, all over africa, etc and american blacks). With this comes great amounts of segregation and racism, sadly. Our little guy is Ethiopian first and foremost. He is also an american and he is also black. He will be viewed as a black male. That is how he will be seen in our society and treated. I struggle so much on how to socialize him. Because our city is so segregated and somewhat (understatement) racist, I struggle with where to take him for playdates, etc. Your S____ is so cute. I can’t wait to get our referral for our little girl. We are nearing the home strecth now for the referral and you are nearing the homestretch to hold S____ in your arms. What a great day that will be.
11 January 2008 at 5:29 pm
LoveNotes4CocoPrincess
Me, being of Ethiopian decent, born here in America and identifying myself as a “woman of color”, I appreciate where your heart is; however, the problem isn’t what S____ ethnic make-up and background is, the real problems lie in the hearts and minds of those who begat inferior totem-pole catorgories known as “racism”, and those who continue to force others to live under its “we are better than those people” banner. The real problem—-not finding a solution to end America’s nasty hateful superior thinking of mankind based on outward appearances—racism.How do we close the chapter of that part of history and move to a better place called “people”. But, as you learn and love, you will find the answers for S____ as the life lessons come.
11 January 2008 at 6:06 pm
Katy
My thinking is as follows. It is not intended to try to argue with or persuade anybody; its just my thinking today as I continue thinking and learning. Please feel free to educate me, but here are my (long) feelings on the subject:
My children will be Ethiopian. And Ethiopian-American. And my children will be African American.
I’ve noticed that often when people talk about the distinction, they stress Ethiopia’s proud and fascinating history of “never” being colonized nor involved in slavery. Neither of these things are technically correct since Ethiopia lost its sovereignty to Italy and had it restored thanks in large part to Britain’s determination to defeat Mussolini. And Ethiopia had and active slave trade until 1924. I don’t mean to disparage or take anything away from Ethiopia’s proud and unique history, it’s just that a lot of us recite Queen of Sheba, Haille Sellasie, Olympians, Arc of the Covenant, resistance, and don’t go much deeper than that. Like every nation, there is good and bad and ugly in the history and culture.
The African American v. Ethiopian American comparisons more often than not completely ignore the fact that African Americans whose ancestors came here on slave ships also have a proud history of resistance and successfully fighting for freedom that began long before MLK, Rosa Parks, or black history month.
Additionally, those ancestors came here because the western world went in and exploited the people and resources, acting all paternalistic and taking whatever it wanted without regard to any concept of “fairness.” Today, much of the poverty and suffering in African nations, including Ethiopia, results from the historically exploitative and unfair policies of the western “first-world” or “developed” world toward “developing” or “third-world” African nations. It is that poverty that results in the ever increasing numbers of children being adopted abroad. I am not trying to analogize the horrors of slavery to international adoption, I am only trying to say that I see my future children as members of the African Diaspora, and many people will see them as coming to America as the result of ongoing paternalistic attitudes and policies of the U.S. (and others) toward Ethiopia.
I plan to teach my kids all I can about Ethiopia and to celebrate “Ethiopian culture” which may be Sidama, Oromenia, Tigrenia, Kembata, Guragena, etc. . . all pretty distinct, depending upon their origins. I plan to teach my kids about America, and to celebrate African-American history, which is American history, and participate in “African-American culture.” I think that defining “African American culture,” however, is a subject for a whole new and long discussion. So I’ll quit now.
11 January 2008 at 8:07 pm
Carol
Don’t you wish we could all be like little children…they don’t see our age spots, or our fat/thin bodies, or our color, they just see someone that loves them…..what we could learn……
11 January 2008 at 9:23 pm
Handlyrics
Great thought provoking post. I do however agree with Katy. There is no harm in teaching both and respecting all.
12 January 2008 at 10:03 am
Anonymous
Katy said
“They stress Ethiopia’s proud and fascinating history of “never” being colonized nor involved in slavery. Neither of these things are technically correct since Ethiopia lost its sovereignty to Italy and had it restored thanks in large part to Britain’s determination to defeat Mussolini. And Ethiopia had and active slave trade until 1924.”
Yes, Italy invaded Ethiopia between 1935-1941; the same way Hitler did to France, the Netherlands, Northern and central European countries, too. Are you calling this colonization? No. It is invasion. If you want to know more about Ethiopia, go back to her thousands years history. If you can’t do that, at least learn about the Adwa battle in 1896 when the Ethiopian (African) army defeated the European army the first time ever in the battlefield.
You think you know something about Ethiopia. But in reality you know nothing. Your knowledge about is just the kind of Gossip you are hearing from some immigrants that are not Habeshas and are trying to make the kind of history based fiction stories.
You seem have some kind of bad feeling towards Habeshas (Ethiopians). Is that because of they have their own distinct natural beauty and culture? The beautiful light and brown skin Abyssinians (Ethiopians) with nice face and body structure have nothing to do with you and leave them alone.
Tell your agency not to match you with them. Don’t come to Ethiopia with behaviour you have right now but with love, respect and the truth.
The Habeshas don’t care whether you are black or white. If you are a black, don’t think your skin have the right to talk or do anything about them especially if it is about something negative. Ask any Habesha in Ethiopia or elsewhere about racism based on black and white. May be only 1% can talk about without having the kind of feeling, but 99% of them have no idea about. You can call them arrogant but I call them proud and respectful people when they don’t feel and even think someone would discriminate them because of how they look like. Because of there is no any kind of bad history behind between them and the white race, the Ethiopians see the white race the same way they do to themselves.
Remember, when barbaric Islamic followers invaded the Christian Abyssinia (1529-1543) and changed the country ever since, the European Christian brothers and sisters came with thousands and sacrificed their life for the Abyssinians. After the war, almost all solders stayed at the heartland of Abyssinian. Some of the Habesha children today, the US and Canadian wonderful parents are adopted/adopting, could be the descendents to those European Christian sisters and brothers, too.
“Ethiopia had and active slave trade until 1924”
Crap. Who told you? Have you been there? Are you saying the Habesha were sold to Europe, America and elsewhere as salves? What is wrong with you? What is your problem with the beautiful Habesha people? If you don’t like them, leave them alone. Nobody talks about you. Why are you doing this with hate in your mind? Are you looking to become a mother? Then act that way.
In case If you don’t know. The Habeshas (Abyssinians) are mixed races having both white and black chromosomes in their Gene other than the rest of the sub Saharan Africans. You can learn more about from the Anthropologists finding. Habeshas are using the only African (black people) Alphabet (fidels) for 3 thousands years. If you want to know them with the truth, read and watch their 3000 years recorded history. when you are talking about them, don’t talk about a 100 or less year’s story based on blackmailing from the other side.
The Habeshas are much more than you think off them. They are respectful, proud, trustworthy, happy, beautiful, religious and ancient people.
I’m Habesha
12 January 2008 at 4:45 pm
SZ
Anonymous,
Please read the first paragraph of Katy’s comment ” …as I continue thinking and learning… “!
I’d like to know where she read about Ethiopia’s active role in slavery ’til 1924, …and maybe point out the difference between occupied and colonized, etc…
But what you’ve said is entirely out of line!
I do see you had some nuggets of documented history, which by the way could have enlightened the readers here, shrouded in garbage that was uncalled for!
To say nothing of the fact that this isn’t the forum to do what you did!
Correcting her is one thing, inquiring as to what it is that she read so as to say what she did, …pointing out what to read so she’d have a better understanding of Ethiopia’s unique and complex history – this is what higher forms of life (read: cultured, courteous people) do!
You may be well read – but, please take a look at the way you went about imparting what you know!
(The last thing I’m going to say is just between you and me.)
That right there is precisely what is wrong with Ethiopians (the ones in the US), …they turn into fawning imbecils when discussing history/politics; where the level of debate seldom rises above the shite!
Alas, I, too, am Habesha!
PS – My sincere apologies to Katy. You didn’t deserve that! Pay no attention to it. …We’ll talk.
PPS – Chou2, Ain’t nuthin’ but a family thing! know what I mean???
12 January 2008 at 7:30 pm
Katy
SZ, be’Tam ammeseganhalho. Sorry for my phonetic spelling. I sincerely appreciate your kind words.
Anonymous, Wow.
Chou-Chou, Sorry to take up so much space in your comment section.
I certainly did not mean to come across as disrespectful to Habesha. I am very much interested in the history of Ethiopia. I am trying to learn as much as I can, but am (obviously) by no means an expert. I did not mean for my comments to come across as negative or critical. I do know about the battle of Adwa, and the unique, inspiring, and admirable power and will of the Habesha people to be independent and proud. I did not word what I was trying to say about Italian occupation well at all.
I guess what I was trying to say is that, at least in the context of international adoption from Ethiopia, many of us are told about the glorious highlights of the history of the nation, but information about any controversy, opposition, or more recent history is harder to come by. For example, everybody here has heard of Ras Tafari, but not as many have heard of the Mengistu regime. I am not trying to focus on the negative.
My poorly articulated point was just that when white adoptive families talk about their children being Ethiopian-American and not African-American, they often then point out a few of the brightest and most beautiful aspects of Ethiopian history, and then compare and contrast this to some of the most tragic and sad aspects of the history of many African-Americans.
I may be completely misinformed about some things and appreciate the opportunity to be set straight. I did not mean to imply that Habesha had been sold as slaves to the United States or Europe.
I was aware of a history of slavery in Ethiopia because I was aware that Ethiopia’s initial application to the League of Nations was denied, in part, because the practice was allegedly ongoing. I don’t recall where exactly I first learned this. It may have been from the book a History of Ethiopia by Harold G. Marcus? I’m not sure. But I just did a quick internet search for links and came up with these cites. Perhaps they are written by people who have a particular agenda, and I am a fool to cite them. I don’t know. I would love to be pointed in the direction of reliable sources. Here are some quotes/links:
2.3 The Hapshis (Ethiopian Slaves) of India: The long-standing trade between Ethiopia and India was accompanied by a considerable export of Ethiopian slaves. Such men, women, and children came to be known in India as Hapshis, a corruption of the Arabic word Habash, or Abyssinian.
And
Those Ethiopians (Hapshis, Siddis) played a major role in Indian history, they rise from slavery to the highest positions.
**********************
Ethiopia applied for membership in the League of Nations in 1919 but was initially denied because of the survival of slavery in Ethiopia. After Empress Zauditu and Ras Tafari issued proclamations making slave trading a capital offense the League of Nations immediately (1919) accepted Ethiopia as a member. The sanctions against slave trading did not abolish slavery but it was a significant step in that direction. In 1924 slavery itself was abolished by edict in Ethiopia.
***********************
The Anuak are a tribal minority living as agriculturists in the fertile Gambela region of Western Ethiopia. In the Abyssinian Empire many became slaves and were taken to Addis Ababa and other large towns where they worked as domestic servants and carriers. Slavery was abolished in the area when it came under British rule in the early 20th century, but it was resorted when the Gambela region was ceded to Ethiopia after World War II.
************************
I certainly did not intend to steer this conversation in this direction or to criticize a nation, a people, or any individual. I am honored to have been welcomed into the lives of Habesha that I have met, and it will be my honor to travel to Ethiopia many times in the future. I love learning about the rich and complex culture(s) of such beautiful people and look forward to continuing to draw it into my life.
12 January 2008 at 8:17 pm
SZ
Katy, …my pleasure!
Again not to hijack Chou2′s comments section, …but this is what I meant! If we’re going to trade and share history, experiences, war stories and plights, …such is discourse.
12 January 2008 at 8:26 pm
SZ
BTW,
Richard Pankhurst’s an authority on Ethiopian history, …and thank you for all the links. I plan to read all of them when I can.
Right now, I’m exhausted, and sleep-deprived! And will be for the next 2 weeks!
12 January 2008 at 8:43 pm
Tami
well, you certainly know my view on this subject. My daughter will know that she is Ethiopian however she will also be raised as African American. In your article you put the word “elitist” and I certainly hope that you do not carry that over. In the US people of color are too divided as it is regardless of where we come from. By you raising a daughter her entire life in the US if you don’t plan on having her identify with African Americans at all you are setting her up for failure. She needs to understand both sides because this is where she is being raised and the AA kids will be her friends and she looks like them…teach her both, tell her where she comes from, who she is, she will understand and identify. Don’t make the mistake of making her an elitist. Finally, please don’t believe that being an AA is a bad thing or all about the struggle it isn’t.
13 January 2008 at 5:13 am
chou-chou
well, gosh – I leave y’all alone for a while and all hell breaks loose.
SZ, thanks for the voice of reason.
Katy, thanks for the grace under fire.
The rest of you: please remain civil. Discourse is encouraged. Attacks are not, and I reserve the right to remove comments in the future that are more inflammatory than informative.
22 January 2008 at 4:43 am
Anonymous
Reading this I’m very disappointed… Ethiopians elitist? I’ve never met any Habeshas that thought they were better than anybody else, personally I think it’s just pride in their culture and heritage and Everybody should feel good about themselves but when it comes to the point your putting others down that’s elitist and that doesn’t pertain to just Ethiopians Eritrean can be elitist basically any nationality on earth.
I’ve lived in the US all my life and do not identify with African American culture. I’ve never been called African American. Does that make me elitist? No it doesn’t. It’s a shame that just because of the color of my skin I ( and many other Africans who immigrate to the USare in the same boat) denied the basic right to self designate our ethnicity.
Honestly why would you want your child to identify as African American when this Ethiopian child already has its own culture. It’s like adopting a Palestinian child and wanting to raise it and make them white american. The term African american was popularized but Jesse Jackson and because AA can’t trace their ancestry and for a long time were 2nd class citizens in America. If they new exactly which country they originated in they would not be called that. So you want to punish this kid because they know what country there are from?
By the way habeshas are proud in many other aspects of our culture besides never being enslave or colonized( Italy was only in Ethiopia for less than 5 years and never did take control over our country J and when Ethiopians share that part of their history with others it’s not elitist its history and a proud moment for all people of African descent not just Ethiopians!
And if you didn’t know Ethiopians and Eritrean consider themselves first by their tribe( amhara Oromo) or were they live( like I’m gojamme I’m gondare or tigaru) than habesha is amhara and tigray people. Then Ethiopian is all inclusive term except for rebels who feel oppressed and want their own country,. It depends on the context, if black means all people of African decedent or brown skin they will tell you they are black but in America black only refers to African Americans so it’s a no-no for Nigerians Somalis and so on.
I’m sorry for rambling and hope I didn’t t make any unnecessary generalizations and that this was any bit constructive this is my first post keep in mindJ
11 February 2008 at 9:37 am
preparing our kids - or not - for discrimination « Habesha Child
[...] is the issue of E’s identity as Ethiopian v. African American, which I talked about [...]