Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases excerpts from three online articles about the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa.

The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, and educational purposes.

I quote online articles and excerpts of online articles to point out those articles to this blog's readers. I encourage you to read these entire articles.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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EXCERPTS ABOUT THE BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS MOVEMENT IN THE NATION OF SOUTH AFRICA
These excerpts are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

Excerpt #1:
From http://www.sahistory.org.za/article/ideology-black-consciousness-movement The Ideology of the Black Consciousness Movement
"The emergence of the Black Consciousness movement that swept across the country in the 1970s can best be explained in the context of the events from 1960 onwards. After the Sharpeville massacre in 1960, the National Party (NP) government, which was formed in 1947, intensified its repression to curb widespread civil unrest. It did this by passing harsher laws, extending its use of torture, imprisonment and detentions without trial.

By the late 1960s, the government had jailed, banned or exiled the majority of the Liberation Movement’s leaders. In response to this, an intensified wave of tyranny, and a new set of organisations emerged. These organisations filled the vacuum created by the government’s suppression of the African National Congress (ANC) and the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC) after the Sharpeville massacre in 1960. United loosely around a set of ideas described as “Black Consciousness,” these organisations helped to educate and organise Black people, particularly the youth. In fact, the eruption of the Black Consciousness Movement signalled an end to the quiescence that followed the banning of the black political movements.

The BCM urged a defiant rejection of apartheid, especially among Black workers and the youth. The South African Students Organisation (SASO) - an arm of the movement - was founded by Black students who refused to join NUSAS, another student led organization. At the same time, Black workers began to organise trade unions in defiance of anti-strike laws. In 1973, there were strikes throughout the nation, in cities like Durban. The collapse of Portuguese colonialism and the victories of the Mozambique Liberation Front (FRELIMO) in Mozambique, and the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) in Angola, stimulated further activity against apartheid. This culminated in the Soweto Uprising of 1976.

In 1976, student protests against Bantu education in Soweto, the Johannesburg informal settlement reserved for Africans, led to a two-year uprising that spread to Black townships across the country. The protests encompassed all Black grievances against the apartheid system, and in that period police reportedly killed many protesters, including schoolchildren. Workers then mobilised to protest police killings of innocent demonstrators.

In the following year, boycotts and unrest among students and teachers grew after Steve Biko, a leader of SASO, died in a Pretoria detention cell. He had been detained by the police under the Terrorism Act, and after the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in the 1990s, it was revealed that he was tortured and killed by police. Within a month of Biko’s death, the government had detained scores of people and banned 18 Black Consciousness organizations, as well as two newspapers with a wide Black readership.

The Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa is synonymous with its founder, Biko. From the beginning of Biko’s political life until his death, he remains one of the indisputable icons of the Black struggle against apartheid. As leader of the movement, he instilled courage among the masses to fight an unjust system under the banner of Black Consciousness. Defining Black Consciousness is no mean task. However, a broad understanding of the concept can be made from Biko’s speeches and writings, including those of his close friends and other writers."

Last updated : 12-Sep-2016

This article was produced for South African History Online on 20-Mar-2011

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Excerpt #2
From http://www.sahistory.org.za/article/black-consciousness-movement-south-africa The Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa
"The landscape of Black political activity in the 1960s was different that of the previous decade. The apartheid government had banished the Black resistance movements, in particular the ANC and the PAC. Black leaders, who were not imprisoned by the state, fled into exile. A barrage of restrictive legislation effectively silenced Black opposition through bannings, arrests, and the imprisonment of leaders. South Africa's economy grew and benefited White South Africans. For Black South Africans, however, the suffering continued.

Ironically, the seeds of Black resistance in the 1960s could be found at the ‘bush campuses’, like those at the University of the North and Zululand University. These institutions, created under the Extension of the University Education Act, Act 45 of 1959, became the breeding ground of Black resistance that was to become a force in the 1970s. Influenced by the American Black Power movement, the likes of Malcolm X, and closer to home by Frantz Fanon, Kenneth Kaunda, Julius Nyere and Kwame Nkrumah, a new framework of student thinking emerged. In South Africa, it was the late Anthony Lembede's Africanism that was a crucial influence in these universities.

Biko’s ideas became the major rallying point behind a pressure group that became known in South Africa as the BCM. From 17 years of age, up until his death on 12 September 1977, Biko had an illustrious political career spanning about 14 years. He came into the political limelight in 1963, the year that witnessed a rise in the Poqo-led unrest in his home area. Poqo was the armed wing of the PAC, similar to the armed wing of the ANC, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK, or “Spear of the Nation”).

Biko had just entered Lovedale College when his brother was arrested and jailed on suspicion of outlawed Poqo activity. He was interrogated by the police and subsequently expelled. This marked the beginning of Biko’s resentment against white authority. In 1964, he went to Marianhill in Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal) and attended a private Roman Catholic school, Saint Francis College. Although he found meaning in Christian principles, Biko, who was an articulate young man, resented the influence of whites thought on determining an African’s future.

As an advocate of the Black Consciousness (BC) philosophy - together with other literate Africans residing in the major urban centres - Biko developed into a highly respected intellectual in the 1960s. Biko began his search for self-identity, and hoped to build up the pride of Black culture - a culture that was scornfully viewed by the settler regime. Biko and his student colleagues had been receptive to the political ideas expressed by many Black intellectuals, and learned to use the emotional power of the message of Black Consciousness.

As a result, these ideas and slogans filtered down to a much broader group of socially underprivileged people, who were angry and impatient for meaningful action. This restructured consciousness emerged among students, beginning with those at Fort Hare and later the Durban Medical School (Natal University). These students constituted the new African petty bourgeoisie class."

Last updated : 31-Aug-2017

This article was produced for South African History Online on 10-Jun-2011

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Excerpt #3:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Consciousness_Movement#Related_groups

Note: This excerpt doesn’t include any content from these two significant sub-sections of this page: "Early years: 1960–76" and “The Soweto uprising and after: 1976–present"

“The Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) was a grassroots anti-Apartheid activist movement that emerged in South Africa in the mid-1960s out of the political vacuum created by the jailing and banning of the African National Congress and Pan Africanist Congress leadership after the Sharpeville Massacre in 1960.[1] The BCM represented a social movement for political consciousness.

[...]

History
The Black Consciousness Movement started to develop during the late 1960s, and was led by Steve Biko, a black medical student, and Barney Pityana. During this period, which overlapped with Apartheid, the ANC had committed to an armed struggle through its military wing Umkhonto we Sizwe, but this small guerrilla army was neither able to seize and hold territory in South Africa nor to win significant concessions through its efforts. The ANC had been banned by Apartheid leaders, and although the famed Freedom Charter remained in circulation in spite of attempts to censor it, for many students, the ANC had disappeared.

[...]

The term Black Consciousness stems from American educator W. E. B. Du Bois's evaluation of the double consciousness of American blacks being taught what they feel inside to be lies about the weakness and cowardice of their race. Du Bois echoed Civil War era black nationalist Martin Delany's insistence that black people take pride in their blackness as an important step in their personal liberation. This line of thought was also reflected in the Pan-Africanist, Marcus Garvey, as well as Harlem Renaissance philosopher Alain Locke and in the salons of the sisters, Paulette and Jane Nardal in Paris.[3] Biko's understanding of these thinkers was further shaped through the lens of postcolonial thinkers such as Frantz Fanon, Léopold Senghor, and Aimé Césaire. Biko reflects the concern for the existential struggle of the black person as a human being, dignified and proud of his blackness, in spite of the oppression of colonialism. The aim of this global movement of black thinkers was to build black consciousness and African consciousness, which they felt had been suppressed under colonialism.[4]

Part of the insight of the Black Consciousness Movement was in understanding that black liberation would not only come from imagining and fighting for structural political changes, as older movements like the ANC [African National Congress] did, but also from psychological transformation in the minds of black people themselves. This analysis suggested that to take power, black people had to believe in the value of their blackness. That is, if black people believed in democracy, but did not believe in their own value, they would not truly be committed to gaining power.[5]

[...]

...along with political action, a major component of the Black Consciousness Movement was its Black Community Programs, which included the organisation of community medical clinics, aiding entrepreneurs, and holding "consciousness" classes and adult education literacy classes.

Another important component of psychological liberation was to embrace blackness by insisting that black people lead movements of black liberation. This meant rejecting the fervent "non-racialism" of the ANC in favour of asking whites to understand and support, but not to take leadership in, the Black Consciousness Movement. A parallel can be seen in the United States, where student leaders of later phases of SNCC, and black nationalists such as Malcolm X, rejected white participation in organisations that intended to build black power. While the ANC viewed white participation in its struggle as part of enacting the non-racial future for which it was fighting, the Black Consciousness view was that even well-intentioned white people often re-enacted the paternalism of the society in which they lived. This view held that in a profoundly racialised society, black people had to first liberate themselves and gain psychological, physical and political power for themselves before "non-racial" organisations could truly be non-racial.

Biko's BCM had much in common with other left-wing African nationalist movements of the time, such as Amílcar Cabral's PAIGC and Huey Newton's Black Panther Party.

[...]

Controversies and criticism
Criticisms of the Movement sometimes mirror similar observations of the Black Consciousness Movement in the United States.[19] On one side, it was argued that the Movement would stagnate into black racialism, aggravate racial tensions and attract repression by the apartheid regime. Further, the objective of the Movement was to perpetuate a racial divide – apartheid for the Blacks, equivalent to that which existed under the National Party rule. Other detractors thought the Movement-based heavily on student idealism, but with little grassroots support among the masses, and few consistent links to the mass trade-union movement.[18]

Assessments of the movement[20] note that it failed to achieve several of its key objectives. It did not bring down the apartheid regime, nor did its appeal to other non-white groups as "people of color" gain much traction. Its focus on blackness as the major organising principle was very much downplayed by Nelson Mandela and his successors who to the contrary emphasised the multi-racial balance needed for the post-apartheid nation. The community programs fostered by the movement were very small in scope and were subordinated to the demands of protest and indoctrination. Its leadership and structure was essentially liquidated, and it failed to bridge the tribal gap in any *large-scale* way, although certainly small groups and individuals collaborated across tribes.

After much blood shed and property destroyed, critics charged that the Movement did nothing more than raise "awareness" of some issues, while accomplishing little in the way of sustained mass organisation, or of practical benefit for the masses. Some detractors also assert that Black consciousness ideas are out-dated, hindering the new multi-racial South Africa.[21]

[...]

Defenses of the Black Consciousness Movement
Defenders of the BCM by contrast held that charges of impracticality failed to grasp the universal power of an idea – the idea of freedom and liberation for blacks. This was Biko's reply to many of the Movement's critics. Indeed, Biko rejected the "practicality" charge as an example of the compromises that hindered and delayed black liberation, saying in 1977: "We have been successful to the extent that we have diminished the element of fear in the minds of black people."[18]

Defenders of the movement argued that blackness was the best, most energetic organising principle that was available at the time, in contrast to laborious legal, non-violent and petition based integrationist approach used by white dominated moderate groups.

Biko made no bones about the 'consciousness' aspect of the movement and in this limited respect he is similar to Huey P. Newton of the Black Panthers in the United States. What was important to Biko and other leaders, was not creating yet another political party or group squabbling over local spoils, but a fundamental mobilisation and change in attitude and outlook of the black oppressed and destitute. Some contemporary BCM leaders claim that its principles are currently relevant and decry what they see as evidence of 'sellout' in the new South Africa. (See AZAPO reference below).

[...]

Black Consciousness in literature
...In comparison with the Black Power movement in the United States, the Black Consciousness movement felt little need to reconstruct any sort of golden cultural heritage. African linguistic and cultural traditions were alive and well in the country. Short stories published predominantly in Drum magazine had led to the 1950s being called the Drum decade, and future Nobel Prize winner Nadine Gordimer was beginning to become active. The fallout from the Sharpeville massacre led to many of those artists entering exile, but the political oppression of the resistance itself led to a new growth of black South African Literature. In the 1970s, Staffrider magazine became the dominant forum for the publication of BC literature, mostly in the form of poetry and short stories. Book clubs, youth associations, and clandestine street-to-street exchange became popular. Various authors explored the Soweto riots in novels, including Miriam Tlali, Mothobi Mutloatse and Mbulelo Mzamane. But the most compelling force in Black Consciousness prose was the short story, now adapted to teach political morals. Mtutuzeli Matshoba famously wrote, "Do not say to me that I am a man." An important theme of Black Consciousness literature was the rediscovery of the ordinary, which can be used to describe the work of Njabulo Ndebele.[24]

However, it was in poetry that the Black Consciousness Movement first found its voice. In a sense, this was a modern update of an old tradition, since several of South Africa's African languages had long traditions of performed poetry.

[...]

A main tenet of the Black Consciousness Movement itself was the development of black culture, and thus black literature. The cleavages in South African society were real, and the poets and writers of the BCM saw themselves as spokespersons for blacks in the country. They refused to be beholden to proper grammar and style, searching for black aesthetics and black literary values.[24] The attempt to awaken a black cultural identity was thus inextricably tied up with the development of black literature.”...

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents a compilation of internet quotes that I've found about the European children's game "Who's Afraid Of The Black Man". In some quotes this game is called "Beware The Black Man".

In the online quotes that I've found (as of November 18, 2017) the European countries where children have played or still play "Who's Afraid Of The Black Man"/"Beware The Black Man" include Germany, Slovenia, Switzerland, Finland, and, Austria.

The content of this post is presented to raise awareness of this game for socio-cultural purposes and NOT for recreational purposes as I fully admit that I would prefer that children not play this game.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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QUOTES ABOUT THE EUROPEAN CHILDREN'S GAME "WHO'S AFRAID OF THE BLACK MAN"/"BEWARE THE BLACK MAN"
Pancocojams Editor's Note:
Except for the first two examples, these quotes are given in no particular order. A few editorial comments are added after some of these quotes and numbers have been assigned to these quotes for referencing purposes. With the exception of the first two examples, I retrieved all of these examples from the internet on November 18, 2017.

Example #1:
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcfPVj5qR1E Afro.Germany – Being black and German | DW Documentary
DW Documentary, Published on Mar 29, 2017

Black and German: news anchor Jana Pareigis has spent her entire life being asked about her skin color. What is it like to be black in Germany? What needs to change?

“Where are you from?” Afro-German journalist Jana Pareigis has heard that question since her early childhood. And she’s not alone. Black people have been living in Germany for around 400 years, and today there are an estimated one million Germans with dark skin. But they still get asked the latently racist question, "Where are you from?”

Jana Pareigis is familiar with the undercurrents of racism in the western world. When she was a child, the Afro-German TV presenter also thought her skin color was a disadvantage. "When I was young, I wanted to be white,” she says.

Parageis takes us on a trip through Germany from its colonial past up to the present day, visiting other dark-skinned Germans to talk about their experiences. They include rapper Samy Deluxe, pro footballer Gerald Asamoah and Theodor Michael, who lived as a black man in the Third Reich. They talk about what it’s like to be black in Germany.”
-snip-
Quote at 2:01-2:26 of this video:
Jana Pareigis: "I mean I always had a lot of friends. I remember in kindergarten that um we played these funny games like “Who’s Afraid Of The Black Man”. And “Ten Little Negroes” it’s called in German. So um I remember sometimes they run after me and said “Jana Africana” it’s something like “Jana is an African. “Jana is an African”. And the problem is that “African” meant something bad.
-snip-
This quote from this documentary reminded me of the first time that I had read about the game "Who's Afraid Of The Black Man" (in 2008; Read Example #2 below). This documentary's quote about that game motivated me to search for additional online mentions of this game and then publish this pancocojams compilation.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/11/youtube-comments-about-being-black-in.html for Part I of a two part pancocojams series that presents comments from the discussion thread for the above mentioned YouTube video and discussion threads for two other YouTube videos about growing up Black in Germany. The link for Part II of that series is given in that post. Part II presents selected comments from the same three YouTube videos' discussion threads about being a Black adult in Germany or in certain other European nations.

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Example #2
From https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=123578
[given "as is" with spelling errors]

a) Subject: Folklore: The Devil The Color Black
From: Azizi
Date: 12 Sep 09 - 09:57 AM

The purpose of this thread is to explore the old belief that the devil and demons were the color black.

I'm interested in any recollections people may have of any supersitions, proverbs, folk songs, or children's rhymes, and children's games that refer to the devil, demons, witches being black (with no disrespect intended for those who are Wicca).

I'm also interested in any references to religious songs,folk songs, proverbs, or children's rhymes of the color white being good (pure) and black being evil (impure).

The impetus for my [current] research of this subject is a 2008 query that I found last night on an anti-rascist parents blog. The query was from an American mother living in Germany who requested information about a German children's game similar to tag called "Who's Afraid Of The Black Man". I'll post that query in my next post to this thread, and explain how that query led me to this subject.

I'll also provide a number of hyperlinks and excerpts from online sources that I have found on this subject. And of course, I hope that others will also do so.

By the way, I used Mudcat's search engine to try to identify any previous discussion thread on this subject, but didn't find any. If there is such a thread (or threads, or posts withing others threads) I would appreciate someone identifying them.

Thanks in advance for your participation in this thread.

**
b) Subject: RE: Folklore: The Devil The Color Black
From: Azizi
Date: 12 Sep 09 - 10:07 AM

Here is the query that I referred to in my first post to this thread:

"# 15. Sue armstrong wrote:

I live in Germany and was horrified to hear that my son was playing an (apparently common game ) in his gym class called "who's afraid of the black man?"

I told the teacher that I personally found the words offensive and that coloured children in the class might also feel really bizarre singing these words.

Her reply was that she had explained to all the class beforehand that the song was about a chimneysweep and none of the kids had a problem with it and were completely happy.

She basically told me I was overreacting and making an racial issue where there wasnt one.

I am lost for words. I have a meeting with her next week to discuss further.

I am not quite sure though how to get through to her as she obviously does not see a problem there.

I talked to my son who is asian about it and he understood what she had said and was okay with playing the game, but definitely understood how some might find it offensive.

What would you advise me to say to the teacher?"

Posted 18 Sep 2008 at 5:55 am

http://www.antiracistparent.com/2008/07/14/ask-arp-is-it-wrong-to-sing-this-childrens-rhyme/*
Anti-Racist Parent "Ask ARP: Is it wrong to sing this children's rhyme?"

-snip-

There are no responses to this query to date (though I probably will attempt a response summarizing my theory that "the black man" in this children's game originally was the devil, and then likely morphed to refer to a dark skinned person, perhaps a "gypsy"."

c) Subject: RE: Folklore: The Devil The Color Black
From: Azizi
Date: 12 Sep 09 - 10:21 AM

Here is what I posted last night in the Wikipedia talk section about the children's game "Tag" (with several additions of omitted words):

"As an African American I have concerns about the game "Who's afraid of the Black man" even if it really was/is about chimney sweeps.

I found another online mention of that game here: http://watchingamerica.com/News/17920/white-southerners-still-don%E2%80%99t-trust-obama/ about attitudes among some White Americans in the South about Obama winning the Presidential election Die Welt, Germany "White Southerners Still Don't Trust Obama"By Katja Ridderbusch' Translated By Ron Argentati' 19 January 2009

See this note at the end of the article (made because the reporter said that the interviewer still "was afraid of black men": ..."the German children's game "Wer hat Angst vor dem schwarzen Mann," or, "Who's afraid of the black man" is similar to the American kid's game "tag" where the object is to avoid being touched by the "monster." Misunderstood political correctness has also reached this facet of German culture and the adjective "black" is now increasingly being replaced by "wild," or "evil" although the original game had nothing to do with race."
-snip-

I then found a mention of "Whose afraid of black man" in this google book:

"Death bringing the plague (or should one say, the plague bringing death?) survives in the game of German and Swiss children "Who's afraid of the black man?" (Wer hat Angst vorm schwarzen Mann?) pg 14 The gender of death: a cultural history in art and literature - by Karl Siegfried Guthke" ? 1999 http://books.google.com/books?id=ml36rowcpTUC&pg=PA14&lpg=PA14&dq=german+children's+game+%22who's+afraid+of+the+black+man%22&sou
-snip-

A reader's review of this book also mentions that game by the "Who's afraid of the black man" name:

Ancient and Modern Britons: Volume One (Ancient & Modern Britons) by David Mac Ritchie (Paperback - March 15, 1991)
http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Modern-Britons-One/product-reviews/0939222108/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1 **
-snip-

Finally, I found a reference to the game "Who's afraid of the black man" this google book: Twentieth-century theatre: a sourcebook By Richard Drain: http://books.google.com/books?id=WMwk3Wrn-14C&pg=PA186&lpg=PA186&dq=german+children's+game+%22who's+afraid+of+the+black+man%22&s

In the sentence I refer to that game is described as a "ridiculous party game" [for adults] p.186 To say: "should I go to the theatre today?"isn't the same thing as: "I've got to go to the theatre today. With an obligation to go to the theatre like that, the citizen concerned gives up of his free wil all those other stupid evening pastimes, like skittles, cards, pub politics, romantic rendezvous, not forgetting ridiculous party games that just waste your time like "Who's afraid of the black man?", "Tailor lend me your wife", and so on."

-snip-
I'd love to know more. The teacher's comments about the "Black man" [originally?] prreferring to chimney sweeps" is probably not correct, since chimney sweeps (who, because of their profession) were blackened by soot were thought to be good luck, particularly seeing them at the first of the new year, but maybe at other times.I've read that this is because in some European cultures chimney sweeps also carried baskets of shamrocks at certain times...Anyway, that superstition about it being good luck to see a chimney sweep at the first of the new year morphed into the belief that a dark haired man entering your door the first of the new year meant good luck etc. My point is that the chimney sweep origin doesn't wash with me (if you'll excuse that expression). I think the "black man" reference was probably a demon or a monster or the devil. But I have no sources for this.

Again, I hope that someone adds more information to this. And maybe one way of doing so is to mention the game and hopefully some German people or other people will add what they remember or know about it now-since it appears that it is still being played-but hopefully with a name change."
-This is the end of my quotes about that game on that Mudcat forum.-

*This anti-racistparent.com page no longer exists as of at least 11/18/2017. Another archived "antiracistparent.com" page with a similar title “Is it wrong to sing this rhyme?" refers to the children's game “brown girl in the ring” http://archive.li/B9uoe#selection-213.0-455.4.

I recall that I attempted to write a response to this blog post as noted above, but I had difficulty using the response feature on that website. I'm not sure if my response to that blog post was ever published and I don't have a copy of that response.

In addition to the theories that I mentioned above about the possible meaning of "black man" in that game- theories that I wasn't sure were correct then and still am not sure are correct now- the gist of my response was probably that I hoped children wouldn't play the game "Who's Afraid Of The Black Man". I hoped then and still hope now that instead of playing "Who's Afraid Of The Black Man", that game would be replaced by very similar tag games such as "What Time Is Is Mr. Wolf" because, whether "the black man" who is referenced in this game actually was or is meant to refer to a Black man, that game could have negative psychological and sociological impact on children playing that game who are Black or dark skinned AND children who are White or other races. I still very much stand by that opinion.

** I'm not sure which review of this book I was referring to in this comment. However, I've added two readers' review of this book in the comment section of this post because they may provide an explanation as to why "black man" was used as the name of the character who chases people in the children's game "Who's Afraid Of The Black Man Game"/"Beware The Black Man".

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Example #3 [This post includes a video of children playing with words in Slovene ? or German ?]
From https://abcwellbeing.wordpress.com/2013/01/24/whos-afraid-of-the-black-man/
January 24, 2013 · by sloveniaabcwellbeing · in Comenius, Games, School, Slovenia. ·
"Participants: 1 Black man and up to 30 children (or more)

Equipment: Outdoor (or larger gym); a playground with two lines

Instructions: We choose a hunter – the Black man. He stands on one of the lines and the other pupils stand on the other line which is on the other side of the playground. The Black man asks: >>Who’s afraid of the Black man?Nobody!And what if he comes?Then we’ll run away!<< and they run to the other side of the playground. The Black man runs to the other side, too, and while he runs, he tries to catch them. Whoever is caught becomes his assistant ad helps him to catch the others. All the players, including the Black man, can run only towards the other side of the playground. They’re not allowed to return to the start line. If they do, they have to join the Black man and become his assistants. The person, who is caught last, becomes the Black man in the next game." **** Example #4: [selected comments] From https://www.toytowngermany.com/forum/topic/95788-common-schoolyard-games-in-germany/ Common schoolyard games in Germany
a) Started by Showem, 1 May 2008
England
Posted 1 May 2008
"My sister-in-law is teaching German in Australia to primary school kids and wants to lighten up the curriculum by playing some games. She was wondering if there are any specific schoolyard games that kids in Germany would play? I couldn't think of anything in particular (having not really been around kids in school much) other than "Fang", the name for tag. Any other ideas or game names?"

**
b) blowwavedave
Isarvorstadt, Munich
Posted 5 May 2008
"Apparently there's one called "Beware of the black man"...seems to be pretty popular here, although don't quite think that's very PC..."

**
c) Freising
Posted 5 May 2008
..."Wer hat Angst vorm Bösen Wolf (instead of "Beware the black man")
The wolf stands on one side of a playing field, the sheep on the other
Wolf: "Wer hat Angst vorm Bösen Wolf."
Sheep: "Keiner!"
Wolf: "Und wenn er aber kommt?"
Sheep: "Dann laufen wir davon."

Now all the sheep try to reach the other side, and the wolf tries to catch as many as he can. Every caugth sheep turns into a wolf and has to help to catch the others in the next round."....

**
d) Guest meikeerik
Posted 9 May 2008

blowwavedave said:
Apparently there's one called "Beware of the black man"...seems to be pretty popular here, although don't quite think that's very PC...

I always thought "der schwarze Mann" was death incarnate or "the black death" or something like this. I'm pretty sure it's not referring to anyone's skin color, but maybe I'm just naive? :unsure:"

**
e) Freising
Posted 9 May 2008
"It´s the german bogeyman. He has been around for centuries in fairy books, ghost stories, etc. He might also be the devil. "Der schwarze Mann" is supposed to scare children, and he is probably more scary, when they dont exactly know what it is. I dont think that children would have had any reason to be especially scared of Africans...

On the other hand, I imagine that in the USA for example, a kid hearing the expression "the black man" might get a different idea about what it means."

****
Example #5
From https://books.google.com/books?id=tx4uDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT496&lpg=PT496&dq=who%27s+afraid+of+the+black+man+(children%27s+game)&source=bl&ots=a8DgregkCW&sig=nMJ2kGWzAPi0Qg9xrL1tKRcJGjg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiB4MPljMnXAhUDWCYKHY-pDOYQ6AEIaTAP#v=onepage&q&f=falseChildren Away from Home: A Sourcebook of Residential Treatment
Editors: James K. Whittaker, Albert E. Trieschman
Aldine, 1972; no page number given
“Lotspiech: At the risk of bringing up Jung’s name, do these games follow symbolic structure patterns, such as dream patterns follow?

Lorenz: “Some do. For instance, the game “Who’s Afraid of the Black Man”. It is one of those infectious games in which you put a group of children at one end of a long alley and one single child, who represents the black man, at the other end; then they must change places. The whole group has to get to the other side of the alley, and the black man has to touch one or more of them, who, in the process, are thus converted into black men. I have been told by the Austrian educator, Meister, that this game was a symbol of pox and that it was played as a sort of religious ceremony symbolizing infectious diseases.

Fremont-Smith: There get to be more and more black men?

Lonenz: Yes, until all of them are on the same side. The more children have become black, the less chance the rest of them have to escape being infected with blackness."

****
Example #6:
From https://anteroinen.tumblr.com/post/100176708095/whos-afraid-of-the-black-man Who’s afraid of the black man!?” “Kuka pelkää mustaa miestä?!”
"That was a game when I was a kid. I guess it still could be, but I don’t go into kindergartens, so I don’t know what kids play these days. There are two safe zones and the Black Man is in the middle, whenever the Black Man shouts “Who’s afraid of the Black Man?!” you must change the safe zone and the Black Man can make you another Black Man if they catch you. This repeats until everybody is a Black Man.

It was brought to my attention that some people think that the game is racist, and I get why they say that. (The Black Man is apparently originally Saint Jacob, who is traditionally thought to make the water get cold after the summer. Practically nobody knows this though.) But at the same time, I haven’t met anyone who actually thought the Black Man was an actual black person when playing the game either.

My Black Man was quite mannequin-like with a featureless face and black fumes coming out of it. Horrifying in retrospect, but it was fun enough as a kid. Others have described monsters from their nightmares too, others just thought of it as some regular person with black clothes like Batman and lastly a chimney sweeper is a common interpretation.

I guess a few reasons as to why people don’t quite so easily associate the rhyme actual Black people are:
Musta (lit. black) isn’t even that commonly used for black people. I’ve heard that tummaihoinen (lit. dark-skinned) is preferred, although I am not sure. Finnish racial politics are mostly skewed towards immigration, so actual racial monikers are rarer anyway.

Musta (lit. black) has the meaning of dirty and tarnished. If you say that “something is all black” in Finnish, you will mean it is covered in dust and soot and it needs to be cleaned. This goes a long way to explain the chimney sweeper interpretation of the rhyme.

Black people aren’t exactly plentiful in most places in Finland. If you live in the country side the ratio of all POC to ethnic Finns is probably without exaggeration as low as 1:200. In the cities the situation is different but I think 10% is probably too high an estimate. It is hard to say for sure, since the Finnish Census Bureau doesn’t keep racial statistics.

Obviously though, times change and people gather new ideas (and meet new people, more importantly for this case). What to me was a creepy but great game might ruin someone else’s day. So I went looking for what people have come up with:
“Who’s afraid of the octopus!?” (note: in Finnish octopus is mustekala or ink-fish)
“Who’s afraid of ice man?!”
“Who’s afraid of the forest troll?!”
“Who’s afraid of Groke?!”
Etc.
The octopus one is the most common, and kind of clever since it ends up using the stem from the word black innocuously. Though, I must say I don’t feel like a flubbery octopus is even remotely as threatening as the faceless, oozing obsidian mannequin I conjured up in my mind, so that one doesn’t really satisfy me. An actual monster like the Iceman or a Troll is much, MUCH better.

Opinions, followers?

“Who’s afraid of Slenderman?!”
-snip-
That blog post has no comments as of this date (November 18, 2017).
I added line spaces to enhance the readability of that blog post.

****
Example #7
From https://www.thelocal.ch/20111017/1496
Parents slam school over 'racist' game
Meritxell Mir
17 October 2011
"The parents of children who attend a primary school in Valais in southern Switzerland have complained over the use of a game entitled "Who’s afraid of the black man?", a hide-and-seek game they argue is “racist".

Hedi Putallaz, the parent of a pupil at a primary school in Monthey first became aware of the game, used by teachers in a gymnastics class, back in 2010.

He complained to the head of the school, who instructed the teachers to suggest that the game should instead be called "The wolf in sheep’s clothing", according to a report in the La Tribune de Genève daily.

But in a recent class, one of Putallaz’s son’s teachers again suggested playing the game entitled "Who’s afraid of the black man?"

According to the head of the school, the staff member concerned was an external coordinator, so he was not aware of the directive.

This was however the final straw for Putallaz and his wife, who is of afro-American origin. Now the couple want the educational authorities in Valais to issue an “official directive” to change the name of the game in all the schools in the canton, where it is still widely used.

“The Valais should not be considered the Mississipi of Switzerland,” say the parents in their request to the cantonal authorities because they consider the game to be a throwback to a racist past many blacks had to overcome.

“If the game was called ‘Are you afraid of the Jew’or ‘of the homosexual’, how would people react?” Putallaz said.

Jean-François Lovey, chief of the Department of Education of Valais, is yet to review, but he told La Tribune de Genève that he does not see the situation in the same way: “Honestly, it is a harmless game,” he said.

“The reasoning of these parents shows the extreme [political] correctness of our society,” Lovey added.

The Putallaz family is now awaiting a resolution from the educational authorities in Valais, but they have already warned that if their petition is not accepted, they will bring the issue in front of the European Court of Human Rights."
-snip-
I don't know what the outcome was for this formal complaint.

****
Example #8
From http://abneyj.blogspot.com/2012/09/whos-afraid-of-black-man.html
Jamiere Abney; Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Who's afraid of the black man...
Nobody?
"Apparently this is children's game here in Europe (Germany/Austria?). So here's the story...

Marvin, Jose, and I are driving on our way to a local school where we are teaching kids the fundamentals of flag football to build the relationship between the Seals football club and local youth. We were discussing drills or games we could have the kids do today during the hour or so we have with them. We talk about different versions of tag using the flags vs just taggin the individual or playing some type of capture the flag type game w/ the football being the "flag". Then Marvin explains to us a tag like game, similar to something I've played w/ a twist. It's call "Who's afraid of the black man". What makes it hilarious is that Marvin is a black guy from Austria and apparently growing up he often played this and would be the sole individual picked as the "tagger" since he was the fastest growing up. The basic rules of the game are as such:

The game begins w/ a single tagger ("the black man" or Marvin, an actual black man in this case lol)
The sole tagger tags others who then also become taggers or "black men"
The initial single tagger states: "who's afraid of the black man". The group responds: "Nobody" . The tagger then says: "What will you do if he chases you". And the group shouts: "run". And the game of tag begins.

Now this sounds somewhat horrible, but we all died laughing at the cheer irony that A) Marvin often was the initial tagger at his school and B) that this game was allowed to be played at all w/ a name and back/forth responses like that. Ahh good times w/ my roommates.”
Posted by Jamiere Abney at 1:23 PM
-snip-
A photograph of Jamiere Abney is placed next to his name attesting to the fact that this writer is a Black man.

****
Example #9
From http://schouweiler.ecole.lu/projets/comenius/schollyardgames/germany/game_1.htm Schoolyard Games from Germany
"
Who is afraid of the big "black man" (It's a synonym for one child.)
It's a game for 10 - 40 children. There is a field like a rectangular.The "black man" is standing on one side of the rectangular. The children are standing opposite of the man.The man calls:"Who is afraid of the big "black man ?" The children answer: "Nobody !" Than they run to that "black man" and try to pass him without being caught by him. The children who were caught by the man belonge to the team of the "black man" now. the last child who wasn't caught is the winner."

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a video of Bob Marley singing "Zimbabwe"

The content of this post is presented for cultural, linguistic, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Robert Nesta Marley for his musical legacy and thanks to the publisher of this video.

One love to the citizens of Zimbabwe during this historical time.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/zimbabwe-mugabe-expected-fall-celebrations_us_5a1047d3e4b0dd63b1aabead?ncid=inblnkushpmg00000009
Zimbabwe’s Ruling Party Ousts Mugabe, Party Sources Say
The 93-year-old leader has ruled the country for the last 37 years.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Bob Marley - Zimbabwe



b1bek, Published on Oct 24, 2010

Bob Marley - Zimbabwe. 1979-21-07 Amandla Festival - Harvard Stadium, Boston, MA

****
LYRICS: ZIMBABWE

(Robert Nesta Marley)

Every man gotta right to decide his own destiny,
And in this judgement there is no partiality.
So arm in arms, with arms, we'll fight this little struggle,
'Cause that's the only way we can overcome our little trouble.

Brother, you're right, you're right,
You're right, you're right, you're so right!
We gon' fight (we gon' fight), we'll have to fight (we gon' fight),
We gonna fight (we gon' fight), fight for our rights!

Natty Dread it in-a (Zimbabwe);
Set it up in (Zimbabwe);
Mash it up-a in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Africans a-liberate (Zimbabwe), yeah.

No more internal power struggle;
We come together to overcome the little trouble.
Soon we'll find out who is the real revolutionary,
'Cause I don't want my people to be contrary.

And, brother, you're right, you're right,
You're right, you're right, you're so right!
We'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight), we gonna fight (we gon' fight)
We'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight), fighting for our rights!

Mash it up in-a (Zimbabwe);
Natty trash it in-a (Zimbabwe);
Africans a-liberate Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
I'n'I a-liberate Zimbabwe.

(Brother, you're right,) you're right,
You're right, you're right, you're so right!
We gon' fight (we gon' fight), we'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight),
We gonna fight (we gon' fight), fighting for our rights!

To divide and rule could only tear us apart;
In everyman chest, mm - there beats a heart.
So soon we'll find out who is the real revolutionaries;
And I don't want my people to be tricked by mercenaries.

Brother, you're right, you're right,
You're right, you're right, you're so right!
We'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight), we gonna fight (we gon' fight),
We'll 'ave to fight (we gon' fight), fighting for our rights!

Natty trash it in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Mash it up in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Set it up in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Africans a-liberate Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Africans a-liberate Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Natty dub it in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe).

Set it up in-a Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Africans a-liberate Zimbabwe (Zimbabwe);
Every man got a right to decide his own destiny.

Source: https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/bobmarley/zimbabwe.html
-snip-
Here's information about the word "natty" that I included in a discussion thread about Bob Marley's song "Natty Dread" that I started in 2007 on Mudcat's folk music forum

https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=100728

"Subject: RE: Natty Dread
From: Azizi
Date: 12 Apr 07 - 11:07 PM

http://www.answers.com/topic/natty has this definition for 'natty':

"nat·ty (năt'ē)
adj., -ti·er, -ti·est.
Neat, trim, and smart; dapper.

[Perhaps variant of obsolete netty, from net, elegant, from Middle English, from Old French. See neat1.]

nattily nat'ti·ly adv.
nattiness nat'ti·ness n.

The adjective natty has one meaning:

Meaning #1: marked by smartness in dress and manners
Synonyms: dapper, dashing, jaunty, raffish, rakish, smart, spiffy, snappy, spruce"

-snip-

http://takeourword.com/TOW127/page2.html provides this information about the origin and meaning of the word 'natty':

"Most etymologists seem to favor the explanation that the word is a variation of the obsolete netty "neat, elegant" from Middle English net "clean, tidy" (14th century). This would make it a relative of modern English neat, which also comes from Middle English net. Net also meant "neat, clean" in Old French, hence modern French nettoyer, "to clean". The source of the Old French word is Latin nitidus "elegant, shiny", from the verb nitere "shine".

Interestingly, neat dates from the 16th century, while natty first appears in the 18th century in Grose's Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue: "Natty lads, young thieves or pickpockets." The Indo-European root here is *nei- "to shine", which may have given English the word lilac, from Persian nil "indigo"."
-snip-
Based on those definitions, my sense is that Bob Marley was encouraging the Black revolutionaries in Zimbabwe to take over that nation in a neat, efficient, and dashing way.

Whether that happened then, it appears to be happening now.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about the limbo dance and showcases two videos of limbo songs and five videos of limbo performances.

This post was previously published in 2012 with the title "Focus On Julia Edwards and The Traditional Limbo Dance"

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, cultural, and entertainment purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and special thanks to the memory of Trinidadian Julia Edwards, who was an influential pioneer of the limbo dance. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE LIMBO DANCE
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limbo_(dance)
"Limbo is a traditional popular dance contest that was known to be originated on the island of Trinidad.
The dance originated as an event that took place at wakes in Trinidad and Tobago, and was popularized by dance pioneer Julia Edwards[1] (known as the First Lady of Limbo) and her company which appeared in several films, in particular Fire Down Below (1957), and toured widely in the Caribbean, Europe, North America, South America, Asia, and Africa in the 1960s and later. The film Julia and Joyce (2010) by Trinidadian/American dance researcher/choreographer Sonja Dumas features the evolution of the Limbo and the contribution of Julia Edwards to the explosion of its popularity.

Rules
A horizontal bar, known as the limbo bar, is placed atop two vertical bars. All contestants must attempt to go under the bar with their backs facing toward the floor. Whoever knocks the bar off or falls is eliminated from the contest. When passing under the bar, players must bend backwards. No part of their bodies is allowed to touch the bar and no part other than their feet may touch the ground. After everyone has completed their turns, the bar is lowered slightly and the contest continues. The contest ends when only one person can successfully "limbo" under the bar without penalty.

Traditionally, the limbo dance began at the lowest possible bar height and the bar was gradually raised, signifying an emergence from death into life. In its adaptation to the world of entertainment, troupes began reversing the traditional order. Julia Edwards added a number of features that are now considered standard, such as human 'bars' formed by the limbs of other dancers and the use of fire in the performance of limbo. Limbo dancers generally move and respond to a number of specific Afro-Caribbean drum patterns. As Limbo gained popularity as a tourist activity and a form of entertainment, pop music began using Caribbean rhythms to respond to the emerging craze in the United States. One major example is the song "Limbo Rock" (recorded by Chubby Checker), which became a number 2 charted hit on the Billboard Top 100, from which emerged the popular quote/chant that is associated with limbo which Checker also helped to popularize: "How low can you go?" Limbo was brought into the mainstream by Trinidadian Calypsonian Brigo (Samuel Abrahams) with his popular Soca song "Limbo Break"


Limbo is unofficially considered the national dance of Trinidad and Tobago,[citation needed] which refers to itself as the land of limbo, steelpan (steel drums), and calypso

[...]

As Limbo spread out of Trinidad and Tobago to the wider world and the big screen, in several other Caribbean islands, such as Barbados and Jamaica, limbo became a major part of the tourism package. Indeed, in Jamaica, the trendy limbo music of the 1950s was often based on a clave rhythm. It is also widely heard in Jamaican mento recorded in the 1950s, in songs such as "Limbo" by Lord Tickler and Calypsonians or "Limbo" by Denzil Laing & the Wrigglers, as well as many other songs not directly related to the limbo dance theme. Limbo is still practiced and presented by numerous dance troupes in the context of the Prime Minister's Best Village Competition and during the Carnival season in Trinidad and Tobago.

In touristic presentations, professional limbo dancers often invite spectators to participate after their presentation. The massive popularity of limbo emerges directly from this audience participation. In recent years, limbo dancing has been conducted as a social "icebreaker" game for tourists at Caribbean and other tropical resorts. The winning dancer often receives a prize.

The name comes directly from the Trinidad dialect of English; Merriam–Webster lists the etymology as "English of Trinidad & Barbados; akin to Jamaican English limba to bend, from English limber".[2]

History
The word 'limbo' dates back to the 1950s. It is conjectured that limbo is a West Indian English derivative of 'limber'. Limber is a sixteenth-century word used in the dialectical sense to refer to a cart shaft, alluding to its to and fro motion:
"Consistent with certain African beliefs, the dance reflects the whole cycle of life....The dancers move under a pole that is gradually lowered from chest level, and they emerge on the other side, as their heads clear the pole, as in the triumph of life over death".[3]

This dance is also used as a funeral dance and may be related to the African legba or legua dance.[4]
The limbo dates back to the mid to late 1800s in Trinidad. It achieved mainstream popularity during the 1950s. An alternative explanation of the name is suggested; that the version of the limbo performed in nineteenth century Trinidad was meant to symbolize slaves entering the galleys of a slave ship, or a spirit crossing over into the afterworld, or "limbo", but no literary reference is known to substantiate this postulated linkage."...

****
INFORMATION ABOUT JULIA EDWARDS AND THE LIMBO DANCE
From http://www.webeat.org/honorees/honoree_2003.htm
"Julia [Edwards] describes the Limbo as Trinidad and Tobago's only true national dance, originally performed at wakes. the limbo was done for nine nights, where some mourners said prayers and others danced the limbo. On the first night, the bar would be at its lowest and would be gradually raised each successive night. This symbolized the elevation of the soul of the dearly departed from its lowest levels on earth to the highest in heaven. When the bar was at it's highest, it was declared victory night, signifying life's triumph over death. On that victory night, the bongo was danced.

As a purely artistic endeavour, this did not sustain rapt attention because the climax came at the beginning, not at the end. Julia turned the dance on its head by using sticks to prop up the bar and the beginning at the highest point, while alluringly working her way down. Of course the costuming had to be more attractive than the mournful black and white, and consequently Helen Humphrey was brought in to do costuming that was more vibrant, and which is today being associated with the dance all over the world. Holly Betaudier, who was the first person to encourage her to dance professionally, came into the troupe to bring his tremendous organizational skills, and they introduced the signature song "I want somebody to Limbo like me". Julia further experimented, first introducing the flaming limbo and later the human limbo.

These Julia took to every corner of the globe, from Dakar to London, Japan to India and from North and South America to Europe. Julia and her troupe not only gave command performances to appreciative audiences, but in its wake brought HONOR and glory to the country's Dance by stamping Trinidad and Tobago as the "Land of Limbo"...
-snip-
Unfortunately, I haven't found any film clips of Julia Edwards.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS OF LIMBO SONGS
Example #1: Frankie Anderson - The Limbo Song



DrQuickbeam, Published on Oct 27, 2010
-snip-
This song is also known as "Limbo Like Me".

****
Example #2: Chubby Checker - Limbo Rock (6 February 1963)



MattTheSaiyan, Published on Dec 5, 2016

Chubby Checker lip-syncs "Limbo Rock" and is awkwardly interviewed, in this clip from the Australian version of "Bandstand". A kinescope recording.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS OF PEOPLE DOING THE LIMBO
These videos are presented in chronological order based on their publishing date on YouTube with the oldest dated video given first.

Example #1: Princess Shemika Limbo Interview



Tropicalxplosion, Published on Nov 29, 2009
-snip-
This interview features Shemika Charles, born in Trinidad and raised in Buffalo, New York. Note that the narrator for this video mentioned that the limbo was traditionally only danced by men. Female physiques create more challenges to getting under very low limbo bars.

****
Example #2: Exclusive & Exciting Live Limbo Dancing Video



Published on Jun 11, 2011

The art of Limbo dancing is a skill that requires fitness and a flair for excitement. MNI Alive captured some exclusive video of the real art of Limbo dancing performed by the Tassa Drummers & Dancers, at the 2011 Carassauga Festival of Cultures.

****
Example #3: Limbo Dance



Tashema Wallace, Published on Nov 12, 2011

ujamma dancers performing for Sesame Flyers

****
Example #4: BEST VILLAGE TRINIDAD:Limbo



Karel Douglas, Published on Mar 18, 2015

BEST Village Trinidad Limbo

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Example #5: North West Laventille Folk Performers



103FMTrinidad, Published on Jul 23, 2015

The North West Laventille Folk Performers rocked the NCC's VIP Lounge with their limbo performance last night at the launch of Carnival 2016.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitors comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about a common dish throughout the world that consists of beans and rice.

This post also showcases the Costa-Rican Calypso song "Beans And Rice" and includes the lyrics to that version of that song.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these YouTube examples. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT RICE AND BEANS DISHES
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_and_beans
"Rice and beans are a staple food in many cultures around the world. It provides several important nutrients, and is widely available."

**
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallo_pinto
"Gallo pinto or gallopinto is a traditional dish of Nicaragua and Costa Rica, made with rice and red or black beans. The beans are quickly cooked until the juice is almost consumed.

The history of gallo pinto is found in Nicaragua and Costa Rica, where the dish originated.[1][2][3] One theory suggests that gallo pinto was brought into Latin America by African slaves.[4]

Etymology
Gallo pinto means "spotted rooster" in Spanish. The name is said to originate in the multi-colored or speckled appearance that results from cooking the rice together with black or red beans.

[...]

See also
Hoppin' John - the equivalent dish in the Southern United States."
-snip-
In my experience in the United States, "rice and beans" is usually referred to as "beans and rice".

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: Costa Rica Puerto Limon Calypso,Rice and Beans



saprissa26, Published on Jun 17, 2008

Costa Rica Puerto Limon,El Legitimo Calypso Limonense,Rice and Beans

****
Note: This is tune was used for the song "Limbo Rock" which was recorded by Chubby Checker.

****
Example #2: Demo Rice and Beans-Calipso de Costa Rica



Allan Estrada, Published on Oct 8, 2011

Grupo de Calipso de Costa Rica


****
LYRICS: RICE AND BEANS (Spanish & English lyrics)*
Con caracoles rice and beans
Con lagostas rice and beans
con turtuga rice and beans
a mi me gusta rice and beans
Con patacones rice and beans
Cue [que] sabrosos rice and beans
a mi me gusta rice and beans

Rice and beans con coco rice and beans
rice and beans with coconut
con caracoles rice and beans
con camarones rice and beans
con pescado rice and beans
Con lagostas rice and beans
con turtuga rice and beans
con las aletas rice and beans
con piernas de rana rice and beans
que sabrosos rice and beans
a mi me gusta rice and beans
I like it rice and beans


*I retrieved these lyrics on November 16, 2017 from a website, but didn't document that site's name or its link. And now I can no longer find it via Google search.

Additions and corrections are welcome for these lyrics.

****
English lyrics: "Rice And Beans" [from Google Translate]

With snails rice and beans
with lobsters rice and beans
with turtle rice and beans
I like it rice and beans
With patacones [?] rice and beans
how tasty rice and beans
I like it rice and beans

rice and beans with coconut rice and beans
with snails rice and beans
with prawns rice and beans
with shrimp rice and beans
with fish rice and beans
with lobsters rice and beans
with turtle rice and beans
with the fins rice and beans
with frog legs rice and beans
how tasty rice and beans
I like it rice and beans

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases an introductory video about the Omoleshe Project and also showcases two videos of children from the Omoleshe Dance Group in Namibia, South Africa dancing while banging together two soda cans.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Omoleshe Projects Namibia for their health awareness, social, and cultural work in Namibia and thanks to the Omoleshe Dance Group for their creative performances. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO-INFORMATION ABOUT OMALESHE PROJECTS
Example #1: Omaleshe Projects Short Version



dryaddryad, Published on Oct 1, 2011

We are a charity, working in partnership with Omaleshe Projects Namibia, using the teaching of dance, drama and drumming, soccer and workshops as a means of raising HIV awareness and protection of harm from abuse amongst children. The HIV prevalence rate in Namibia is around 22% and a recent Amnesty International Report (2007) identified a high level of violence against women and children and a high level of child rapes within Namibia.

Omaleshe is an oshiwambo word meaning young and vibrant and our vision is to bring joy, energy and confidence to orphans and vulnerable children and to help them to realize their potential. We are reliant on donations and if you would like to help us to continue our work you can donate online through http://www.omaleshe.com

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS- SODA CAN DANCING
Example #1: Soda Can Dance from Oshakati, Namibia



blacfoundation, Published on Oct 10, 2012
-snip-
Here's a comment from this video's discussion thread:
Penny O'Brien, 2014
"This is the Omaleshe Dance Group from Oshakati, not Windhoek. They are well known in the North of Namibia and they are rehearsing at the Youth Centre."

****
Example #2: Omaleshe perfoming at Maroella Mall Ongwediva



Andrew Nangolo, Published on Jun 17, 2014

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about Walter Ferguson and showcases two Afro-Costa Rican Calypso songs by Walter Ferguson: "Cabin In The Wata" and "Callalo".

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Walter Ferguson for his musical legacy. Thanks also to the transcribers of these lyrics and thanks to the publisher of these sound files on YouTube.

Hat tip to Hever Orias Sarmiento for sharing information with me about Walter Ferguson.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT WALTER FERGUSON
From

"Although Walter Ferguson Gavitt was born in Panama, in his childhood his parents decided to try their luck and moved to Costa Rica. From then on his life and his talents as a musician are intrinsically tied to Costa Rica’s rich culture.

Walter Ferguson was born in 1919 in Guabito, Panama, but his family soon moved to Costa Rica and he grew up in Jamaica Town, a district of Puerto Limon. His parents lived in Cahuita, and with time he managed to reunite with them and to claim his own space. His father, Melsha, who was a cook in the luxury hotels of Panama City, traded in his cooking pots for a machete and banana seedlings that he planted in Cahuita, attracted by the concessions to supply to the United Fruit Company.

He spent his childhood between cacao plants, almonds tree and fantastic stories of pirates and ghost ships that the area’s folklore is saturated with. Ferguson developed special skill in the use of the slingshot with his left hand, a fact which, on more than one occasion, saved him from being bitten by serpents. “People think that I’m protected by witchcraft because I never miss,” he said reminiscing about his early years.

[...]

His musical trajectory begins with a lute that his brother gave him. He then learned to play and master the clarinet. He later played in his first musical group called “Miserable,” known for its varied Caribbean repertoire like guaracha, rumba and bolero and in which he shared many experiences with Calypsonians like Ollé and Rají.

[...]

Ferguson considers himself to be the man of a thousand stories. Through his ironic and powerful Calypsonian expressivity we’ve gotten to know Anancy, Tacuma, Kiaky Brown and by all means to Doctor Bombodee.

Walter Ferguson’s lyrics reflect his characteristic humor, irony and, without a doubt, his great sincerity and oftentimes had a great deal to do with the challenges of being the King of the Calypso. His voice is gentle and his lyrical style is up-front-honest to the core and this is what enthralls his listeners.

Walter, in Panama, has become something of cult for those who enjoy his honest proposal. It is Calypso pure and simple, with a quality of production that we deserve ourselves and that really honors a personage who would almost be forgotten in his native Cahuita, Costa Rica. Ferguson has always emphasized in his interviews that Lord Cobra, Lord Panama and Lord Kontiki were always targets of admiration for him. But, it was with Wilfred Berry, Lord Cobra, that he always wanted to sing. His desire, however, never crystallized.

He explained in an interview that one night he borrowed a guitar to try it out “to see if it was any good.” He was singing “despacito,” when a fellow worker challenged him to face Lord Cobra, very famous in Panama. “He had a very brilliant voice, very beautiful. I do not know where he got that name,” he said about Lord Cobra. In spite of all the hype, however, the duel never took place, as, usually, when Ferguson was in Panama, Lord Cobra was performing in Costa Rica and vice versa.

Much of the information for this article was taken from an article by Rainer Tuñon Cantillo in TragaluzPanama.

****
SHOWCASE EXAMPLES
Example #1: Callaloo [Walter Ferguson]



Heredia por Media Calle, Published on Jan 31, 2011

CALLALOO

EVERYBODY GOT ITS OWN OPINION
SOME MAY BE RIGHT, AND SOME MAY BE WRONG
BUT CALALOO, EVERYBODY LOVES CALALOO
A BLESSING FROM ABOVE

YOU EAT IT IN THE MORNING, AND YOU EAT IT IN THE DAY
YOU EAT IT IN WHEN YOU FEEL THAT YOU WILL BREAK AWAY
CALALOO, EVERYBODY LOVES CALALOO
A BLESSING FROM ABOVE

YOU EAT IT IN THE MORNING, AND YOU EAT IT IN THE NIGHT
YOU EAT IT WHEN YOU FEEL THAT YOU WILL LOSE YOUR SIGHT
CALALOO, EVERYBODY LOVES CALALOO
A BLESSING FROM ABOVE

I KNEW A WOMAN SHE NAME WAS SUE
SHE WOKE UP ONE MORNING ALL BLACK AND BLUE
SHE CALL TO HER SISTER HER NAME WAS LU
BEG HER TO COOK HER SOME CALALOO
CALALOO, EVERYBODY LOVES CALALOO
A BLESSING FROM ABOVE

GOOD FOR YOUR BELLY AND GOOD FOR YOUR SIGHT
TIGHTEN EVERY JOINT THAT IS GETTING SLACK
BUT CALALOO, EVERYBODY LOVES CALALOO
A BLESSING FROM ABOVE
-snip-
Here's information about "calaloo" from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callaloo
..."Callaloo recipes
A Jamaican breakfast including callaloo (bottom right)
Callaloo in Trinidad & Tobago and other eastern Caribbean countries is generally made with okra and dasheen or water spinach Ipomoea aquatica. There are many variations of callaloo which may include coconut milk, crab, conch, Caribbean lobster, meats, pumpkin, chili peppers, and other seasonings such as chopped onions and garlic. The ingredients are added and simmered down to a somewhat stewlike consistency. When done, callaloo is dark green in colour and is served as a side dish which may be used as a gravy for other food.

Callaloo is widely known throughout the Caribbean and has a distinctively Caribbean origin, created by enslaved Africans using ideas of the indigenous people along with both African (okra) and indigenous (Xanthosoma) plants. (See Palaver sauce for the West African dish.) African Americans invented a version of the original West African dish known as collard greens. Trinidadians have embraced this dish from their ancestors and over time have added ingredients such as coconut milk to modify its flavour. Callaloo is mostly served as a side dish, for Trinidadians, Bajans, and Grenadians it usually accompanies rice, macaroni pie, and a meat of choice. In Guyana it is made in various ways without okra."...

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Example #2: Cabin in the wata [Walter Ferguson]



Heredia por Media Calle, Published on Feb 3, 2011

Canción costarricense "Cabin in the wata" de Walter "Gavitt" Ferguson. Video acompañado de paisajes del Caribe Sur de Costa Rica.
-snip-

Lyrics: Cabin In The Wata

(Walter Ferguson)

THIS MODERN GENERATION
EVERY DAY THE PEOPLE GETTIN' SMARTER
THEY MADE ME TO UNDERSTAND
BATO BUILT A CABIN IN THE WATER

CABIN IN THE WATER
MISTER BATO WAS THE AUTHOR
I KNEW HE WAS A DIVER
BUT I NEVER KNEW
THE FELLOW WAS A BUILDER

THE MISTRESS OF THE NATIONAL PARK
BATO TOLD HER IT WAS A RUMOR
SHE DECIDE TO TAKE A WALK...
LO AND BEHOLD! A CABIN IN THE WATER

THE BUILDING WAS QUITE ERECT
IMAGINE IT WAS STANDIN' IN THE SEA
THE LADY CALL HIM AN ARCHITECT
BUT YOU HAVE TO PULL IT DOWN
INMEDIATELY!

THEY CAME INTO BIG DISPUTE
BATO TOLD HER:
-"ME BORN COSTA RICA"
-"YOU COULD HAVE BORN IN ETIOPIA
ME NO WANT NO CABIN IN THE WATER"
KIAKY BROWN WAS TELLIN' ME
ABOUT THE CABIN IN THE WATER
BATO BUILT SOMETHING IN THE SEA
MUST BE BUILT IT
WITH THE DEVIL AND HIS DAUGHTER

From https://www.justsomelyrics.com/342066/walter-ferguson-cabin-in-the-wata-lyrics.html

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases two renditions of the Swahili Gospel song "Moyoni Mwangu" sung by two Seventh Day Adventist Choirs: Ambassadors Of Christ Choir (Rwanda) and The Morning Star Choir (Bugema University, Kampala Uganda).

The Swahili lyrics to this song and their English translations are also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are associated with and The Morning Star Choir (Bugema University, Kampala Uganda). Thanks also to producers and publishers of these videos on YouTube. Thanks also to commenter genubi for transcribing the Swahili lyrics for this song and their English translations.

****
WHAT IS THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION FOR THE SWAHILI PHRASE "MOYONI MWANGU"?
Google translate's translation feature from Swahili to English indicates that "Moyoni mwangu" means "my moon". That same result is given by the translation feature at https://www.wordhippo.com/what-is/dynamic-translation/00b22ef138ba86ee251fdbbd1f8ed5e803c7c890.html.

However, both sites give "I Have a Song in My Heart" as the Swahili to English translation for the title for another YouTube video "Nina Wimbo Moyoni Mwangu"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5ZETN5kC6s. Also, the transcription for the lyrics that are given below give the first words as "in my heart". Therefore, it seems to me that "In My Heart" is a more likely title for this song that "My Moon."

If that second translation is correct, why was the translation "my moon" given for that phrase?

****
LYRICS: MOYONI MWANGU
(composer?)

Moyoni mwangu ninashukuru jina lake Bwana
Na roho yangu inafurahi sababu ya pendo lake
Alitupenda sisi wanadamu, ooh alitupenda
Akamtuma Yesu mwanawe, aje atuokoe
O Mungu wangu …
*
Mungu wangu Bwana wangu, ulipenda ulimwengu
Ukamtuma mwana wako Yesu aje atukomboe
Na si tunakushukuru, sababu ya pendo lako
*
Tangu sasa watu wa dunia wamushukuru Mungu
Ametimiza ahadi yake, kweli ametupendeza
Pendo lake halina kipimo, ooh alitupenda
Bila shaka ametuokoa tumwimbie kwa shangwe
O Mungu wangu …
*
Mungu wangu Bwana wangu, ulipenda ulimwengu
Ukamtuma mwana wako Yesu aje atukomboe
Na si tunakushukuru, sababu ya pendo lako
*
In my heart I glorify the name of the Lord
And my soul rejoices in his love
He loved mankind; indeed He loved us
He sent his son Jesus, to come and save us
O my God …
*
My God, my Lord, you loved the world
You sent your son Jesus to save us
And we are thankful for your love
*
Therefore people of the world should thank God
He kept his promise, truly he fulfilled us
His love is without measure; ooh he loved us
He freely saved us; let us sing for joy
O my God …
*
My God, my Lord, you loved the world
You sent your son Jesus to save us
And we are thankful for your love
-snip-
Posted in the discussion thread for the video given as Example #1 below by genubi (2017) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJfLJeSGJ9E

****
SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: Ambassadors Of Christ Choir - Moyoni Mwangu (Official Video)



Wyld Pytch/51 Lex Records, Published on Jun 17, 2013

-snip-
Here's information about the Ambassadors Of Christ Choir (Rwanda)
From http://www.ambassadorsofchristchoir.org/about-us/
"Welcome! The Ambassadors of Christ Choir (AOCC) aspires to invite all people to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ through the gift of music.

We are a church choir affiliated to the Seventh-Day Adventist church of Remera, Kigali (Rwanda). We began this ministry in the year 1995 and hitherto we thank God who has seen us grow from very humble beginnings to a greater service that has taken us to many mission fields across the African continent.

We are Ambassadors chosen to proclaim the grace of Him who has called us from darkness to His marvelous light and our message in song goes to all nations and tongues."...

****
Example #2: THE MORNING STAR CHOIR - MOYONI MWANGU



ENDSON MABAMBA, Published on Oct 31, 2017

The Morning Star Choir-Bugema University
Kampala Uganda
-snip-
Here's information about Bugema University (Uganda)
From

"Bugema University (BMU) is a private, co-educational Ugandan university affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church.[3] It is a part of the Seventh-day Adventist education system, the world's second largest Christian school system.[4][5]

[...]

History[edit]
The institution started in 1948 as a training school for teachers and pastors for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in East Africa. At that time it was called Bugema Missionary Training School. Later, the name changed to Bugema Missionary College and then to Bugema Adventist College. In 1978, the first class offering degrees graduated with the Bachelor of Theology degree. The college expanded and by the late 1980s curricula for Business and Education were added. In 1994, Bugema Adventist College changed its status from "college" to "university". In 1997, Bugema University was granted a tertiary institution license from the Ministry of Education and Sports.[9]"...

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents some general comments about the relatively new? custom of Black Americans hosting formal and often very lavish sweet sixteen parties that are similar to Latin American quinceañera (parties for females turning fifteen years old.)

This posts also presents selected comments from a 2017 discussion thread of a YouTube video entitled "Niyah African Sweet 16 Dance". These selected comments document the opinions of some African commenters' and other commenters' about Black people in the United States hosting "African theme" parties.

The above mentioned video is featured in this post for referencing purposes only.

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in this video and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S COMMENT ABOUT SWEET SIXTEEN PARTIES
I happened upon this "Naiyah African Sweet 16 Dance" video while searching online for information about the female name "Naiyah"/"Naiya", "Niyah" and other similarly sounding names. Prior to watching this video and reading its entire discussion thread, I didn't know that Black Americans* having formal sweet sixteen parties was a thing. However, after watching multiple YouTube videos, it appears that the custom of Black Americans hosting sweet sixteen parties occurs throughout the United States. The Black sweet sixteen party videos that I watched which cited a location were from New Jersey, New York, Atlanta, Georgia, Durham, North Carolina, and Los Angeles, California. Some of the birthday celebrations that are documented in these videos were more lavish than others.

All of the Black American sweet sixteen videos that I saw listed on YouTube were for females. The earliest YouTube that I found of a Black American sweet sixteen party is from 2010. That said, it's likely that Black Americans hosting these types of sweet sixteen celebrations predate 2010.

As some commenters note in several discussion threads for (Black) sweet sixteen videos, the custom of hosting a formal party for one's daughter or niece etc who has turned sixteen is very similar to the Mexican
quinceañera https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quincea%C3%B1era#United_States. It's possible that the custom of lavish sweet sixteen parties, with some shared Mexican/Latin American quince traditions -such as the grand entrance, formally replacing the honoree's flat shoes with high heels, and choreographed dance performances-with and/or without the honoree- may have been introduced to non-Latino Black Americans by Black people who are now living in the United States but who are from Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

Also, as some commenters wrote in the YouTube discussion threads that I've read, the Black sweet sixteen "bashes" appear to be family/friends events (often including young children) that are very similar to wedding receptions.

I'd love to know more about the history of (Black non-Latimo) sweet sixteen parties in the United States. If you are aware of these parties before 2010, please share that information in the comment section below. Thanks!

*I'm using the term "Black American" instead of "African American" because I want to include Black people living in the United States who may not consider themselves "African Americans". For example, one sweet sixteen video that I watched was for a girl who is Garifuna* (from Honduras) and another sweet sixteen video that I watched was for a girl who is Nigerian (living in the USA)**.

* "Shelsy's Super "LIT" Sweet 16 (2015 BlayFilms)"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeC589nTVH0

** "Queen Essy Sweet 16" (2017) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnNcAt-dbuk

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Niyah African Sweet 16 Dance



Nicole Campbell, Published on Apr 21, 2017
-snip-
Statistics as of November 27, 2017 at 6:57 PM ET
1,300,910 views

total likes (thumbs up) 23K

total dislikes (thumbs down) 1K

total comments - 1,501 Comments

-snip-
*This total view number is very high for this type of YouTube video.

****
SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT BLACK AMERICANS HOSTING AFRICAN THEMED PARTIES
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3hb8buLU0w

Pancocojams Editor's Note
These selected comments are representative examples of that discussion thread's comments on this topic. These comments are given in chronological order based on their publishing date with the oldest months' comments given first, except for replies.

The comment that follows the word "REPLY" are usually but not always the one that followed the preceding comment in that discussion sub-thread. "***" marks the end of a sub-thread of comments.

I've numbered these comments for referencing purposes only.

July 2017
1. Modern Moana
"do you even know what part of Africa you are from?"

**
REPLY
2. Shekinah's World
"exactly what I was saying this whole joke of a video"

**
REPLY
3. Modern Moana
"+Shekinah's World yes its disrespectful to see this . especially when only one certain country wears dashikis . lol ...they need to learn the history first . people from Africa hate seeing culture appropriation."

**
REPLY
4. Modern Moana
"Its from Nigeria"

**
REPLY
5. Shekinah's World
"Girl yes I know! I'm Nigerian lol"

**
REPLY
6. Modern Moana
"+Shekinah's World yeah they should really stop wearing those and be themselves . its not "pro black" and Africans don't even call them self black they call them self whatever country they are from whether it be Ethiopian, Nigerian ,or morrocan.... I find it very funny how blacks decided to steal someone else's identity /culture ...they need to get a DNA test and find out what African country they really are from and not steal other peoples culture"

**
REPLY
7. Modern Moana
"+Shekinah's World just because you are 'black" doesnt make it automatically okay to claim everything that is from Africa ...they forget that Africa isn't a country lol."

**
REPLY
8. Shekinah's World
"YES took the words right out of my mouth! another argument I hate that they make is "There are so many countries in Africa so theirs no way for us to know exactly what country we're from" like what......If I didn't know what country I was from I wouldn't Just go and start practicing some random culture just because it's "trendy" that disrespect to the highest form."

**
REPLY
9. Modern Moana
"+Shekinah's World exactly and I hate when people like to make fashion trends out of other peoples culture. They have to have some kind of respect for other peoples culture . just like I love Asian culture but I'll never wear a kimono or a geisha dress lol so disrespectful on so many levels"

**
REPLY
10. adenike akinsola
"I'm so lost on this whole "African" themed party like how is African a theme"

**
REPLY
11. NW Johnson
"I was t inking the same thing oh! I am Liberian and you can just tell when people are straight from Africa, but these people only wore dashikis. There were no old mas with patterned head ties and lappas."
-snip-
"mas" = mothers

"lappas" = material wrapped around the waist down to the ankles (a skirt). The top that is worn with this is sometimes called a "bubba". Also, "gele" (pronounced "gay-lay") is another name for wrapped "head ties"/"head scarfs".

**
REPLY
12. Modern Moana
"+NW Johnson exactly!!"

**
August 2017

REPLY
13. Obe T.
"That is so true. Africa isn't even a country and it baffles me that people categorise it as if it is a country with one culture, language, etc. Also, you're right in saying that it is not good to just pick and choose from the various cultures present on the continent just because it will make them look "unique and different". It is ridiculous. And am I the only one who has noticed that the individuals appropriating the various African tribes/countries only pick the good things from the tribes/countries? EX: the food, the clothes, the dances, the music, etc. It is never the bad that comes along with it. But it is not only African Americans who do it as well, other Africans do it too. And they themselves are not helping by referring to Africa as a country.

With this video, I see nothing "African" about it. It would be nice if people would quit referring to the continent as a country."

**
REPLY
14. Modern Moana
"+Obe T. Exactly , when will people learn"

**
REPLY
15. Obe T.
"They won't learn and that is the problem right there. I myself am from the continent(Ghana to be exact) and it bothers me when people refer to the continent as a country and its people as one people having the same things. And when I point out that the people(well at least in my country) tend to identify more with their tribes instead of what colour they are, some people get offended by it, which confuses me as tribes have been around for thousands of years."

****
July 2017

16. Angeleena Adu
"I'm confused is she actually african? or is it african themed because of the dashikis?"

**
REPLY
17. Nicole Campbell [video publisher]
"Angeleena Adu its just a theme it' was other decorations that represents Africa in the party"

**
REPLY
18. Angeleena Adu
"Nicole Campbell ohh I see"

****
19. Rican Beautyx
"The only thing african about this was the dashikis. Bye!"

**
REPLY
20. Rican Beautyx
"As an african i will take the time to break it down for my non african brothers & sisters
1. Africa is not a place where people wear dashikis all day long.
2. African songs dont have this dancing.
3. Dashikis is not the national dressing code for any africans alive. Amen hallelujah
4. African songs are more lit and have lots of nice dancing beats to it.
5. Africans can not show their thighs infront of their parents like that and most likely there would be no boys at your party apart from your cousins and small nephews plus if you start to bring any funny dance that party is off
6. Africa is a continent not a dashiki world.

**
REPLY
21. Nicole Campbell [video publisher]
"Rican Beautyx that's good to know but everyone with these negative comments is missing the point here this wasn't a African dance it was a theme once again these are a bunch of kids celebrating my god daughter birthday everyone so busy worrying about what they wearing lets be thankful these was doing something positive they not put gang banging in the street they enjoying life so to anyone who's African no disrespect to you but this is a trend jersey does its all different themes people do"

****
22. Sadejah Ogun-McCants
"This is kinda disrespectful to me, how you wear a dashiki with booty shorts and this is an African dance??? I only saw 1 or 2 African moves."

**
REPLY
23. Icy crown
"How is that disrespectful? lol"

**
REPLY
24. NW Johnson
"Being from West Africa, Africans generally listen to the same music from there, you know Liberians, Nigerians, Ghanians, etc. But I did not here any song I recognized. I think they are black Americans trying to get back to African roots, because they are only wearing dashikis. If you go to a real African event you will see all the old mas wearing their head ties and lappas with different patterns. Not trying to throw any form of shade, just saying I see mostly black Americans wearing dashikis, a lot of my relatives and friend who are also African don't. You can just tell when people are raw Africans."

**
REPLY
25. Nicole Campbell [video publisher]
"NW Johnson this was sweet 16 African theme party this a trend that everyone doing with they sweets A few years ago my daughter theme was Egyptian"
-snip-
The commenter's response could be interpreted to mean that she is distinguishing an "African" theme party from an "Egyptian" theme party, even though Egypt is in Africa.

****
26. Shakena Sampson
"african pride baby !!"

**
August 2017

REPLY
27. Akbbba 1
"Shakena Sampson there was nothing 'african' about this but their dashiki and since they were clearly faux print those werent even african, just to let you know."

**
REPLY
28. Shakena Sampson
"Akbbba 1 it was because she enjoyed the african culture ,even though shes not fully african or not she still enjoys and embrace their culture so it is african pride. her and her family enjoyed it thats all that matters , doesnt matter what material you have on, its the fact that shes embracing her ancestoral culture. point. blank. period."

**
REPLY
29. Shakena Sampson
"Akbbba 1 just to let you know 😘"

**
REPLY
30. newnen
"Shakena Sampson deep sigh young lady, woow its clear you dont know and a probabley young so I'll just consider you and explain. People have a very weird perception of what african culture is, where it came from idk. But this is NOT african culture not even a little bit the 'dashikis' dont even look african if she was wearing kente or ankara or any other trational cloth and used actual African (high life, afro beats ) music fine.

But i wont let you who clearly does not know anything of any african culture try and dismiss the truth and say this is in any way shape or form african that is highly disrespectful if you dont know. we already have it tough with people thinking we are all poor we dont need people defaming our cultures and history, this was very cute but its clear she didnt do a single bit of research to learn of any of the true african cultures availiable to her and the fact you want to label this as african when someone is telling you this is not our cultures just shows how deep the disregard runs, for you this is may be a trend but for us this is our language, history and culture its shame other diasporas so deeply learn of their histories whilst our own dont even bother to learn of one dynasty when there is so much ready for then to discover instead we are their 'style' which will surely pass.
-snip-
The bold font was used in the original comment

****
August 2017

31. Tiima Jayy
"Where Specifically Is She From In Africa ? ONE African Song Being Played....??? Okay."

**
REPLY
32. Sarah clarkson

LMAO right I was like....these akatas
-snip-
The word "akata" is a Nigerian reference for African Americans which, in my opinion, is an offensive put-down. Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/10/ataka-is-mean-spirited-word.html for a 2011 pancocojams post entitled "Akata Is A Mean Spirited Word".

****
August 2017

33. Sila Fero
"I really hope people don't think this is African dance. It just doesn't captivate even 1 culture. The fact it's theme, like why make a culture a theme idk...."

**
REPLY
34. Trend Setter Chic
"its their heritage"

**
REPLY
35. adenike akinsola
"Fatima Jay idek anyway all my Africans remember when we used to get teased in school about being African but now it's praised... smh"

**
REPLY
36. Modern Moana
"+adenike akinsola you right"

**
REPLY
37. Taniya Herring
"I am African American but I truly enjoy African culture so much but I am afraid to learn dances and wear certain clothing because I wouldn't want to offend anyone."

**
REPLY
38. HGsoul4ever
"Don't let anything stop. Nigerian here. As long as you're not ignorant and you put in interest, Africans will embrace you. I'd recommend watching Joulezy's videos. She's an African American that embraced her African heritage the right way (except for one or two things). Cheers, dear."

**
REPLY
39. Marie T
"I was wondering where the African part came in. The issue with people trying to "claim their heritage" is that they don't know the culture. They don't speak the language and understand the ways, so they will definitely make mistakes and misconstrue it. If you really want to learn a language in its true intent you have to go to the country. Culture is your surroundings, so I don't get people trying to claim other cultures that you are not surrounded by. Just appreciate, learn as much as you can, and keep looking on as an outsider, but claiming it is....."

**
REPLY
40. Steph I
"Marie T can't say how much I agree with you"

**
August 2017

REPLY
41. Its Daune
"i think she african american the idea is lit but she didnt realky do african dance i love the theme but there was no african besidea the clothes"
-snip-
The word "lit" usually is a superlative that means "high energy". However, in the context of this comment, I think that "lit" means "very good".

**
REPLY
42. Its Daune
"Marie T you dont have to speak the language to know your culture and you dont have to go to the country you can do other things to learn like pen pal etc. Tbh i think she should have just called it a dashiki party or something cause their was no african dancing or anythinh i love the theme it just was not executed"

**
REPLY
43. Marie T
"Meow Caroon I used language as an example of something you fully better understand when you are in its land of origin. Like I said they can study and learn the culture, but unless you have truly lived it, you cannot claim it. That was my only point. I study Asian, Middle Eastern, and Latin culture does that all of a sudden make me any of those things? Heck no. I dont even mind buying you a nice "African outfit", since I do it for my white friends. It just doesn't make you African because you know Wizkid, Nelson Mandela, Kwame Nkrumah, or Tiwa Savage. Also for people who yell cultural appropriation alot why is someone who is not from any African country allowed to use someone's culture as a prop. Beyonce and others are getting away with it, because Africans tend to not be bothered about those things. Had a Kardashian done it.... Oh My!!!"

**
REPLY
44. Marie T
"You can't actually get the full experience of a culture, because you a read a book or watched a movie. Even Africans immigrants in Western countries try to come back to Africa and go right back, because they grew accustomed to another way of life. So I dont know about someone who has never been or even interacted with more than 20 Africans at a time. One African American(black American) youtuber said she didnt want to come live in Africa, because to her she would be benefiting off the lower class. According to her there are only poor and rich people in West-Africa no middle class. Wow. The assumption that should would even just automatically thrive in Africa baffles me. Since she said she was middle class in the U.S."

**
REPLY
45. Faith Ogie
"+sarah clarkson akatas LMFAOOSHSJSSH fr"

**
REPLY
46. Steph I
"Taniya Herring it's okay just do your research and don't appropriate like these girls"

**
REPLY
47. Aycha Sade
"Oooo 🙄😒 why somebody (a lot of y'all) always gotta start that sh&t*, stop making such a big damn deal about country and culture... calling them akatas, y'all sound bitter and foolish, they were having fun that's all it was. DAMN."
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment

**
REPLY
48. Ruby Cupcake21
"I see Africans all the time listening to African American music but you don't see me complaining about how they don't know the culture because I can care less their having fun"

**
REPLY
49. Marie T
"Well I don't know who you are talking to exactly, but I only spoke about knowing the culture in reference to a person who commented that they were trying to claim a heritage. I don't mind people partaking in it respectfully but claiming it is another case."

**
REPLY
50. Steph I
"Ruby Cupcake21 Dashikis being worn and one African song being played is appropriation of African culture I could also care less as long as no one is offended and no culture is appropriated. For comparison it is kind of like African/African American culture being appropriated with cornrows and other things. I'm sure a lot of Africans remember when we were being made fun of for our heritage and now African Americans are trying to reclaim their roots by wearing dashikis/listening to wizkid or something I hope you can see y some Africans are getting offended."

***
REPLY
51. Asma Hayan
"Tia Renee the song is a Somali song called HILOWLE and they're definitely not doing any African dance. HILOWLE is a dance to a song. So idk y they're mixing EAST &WEST Africa. Black Americans appropriate African culture too much. Sometimes even steal it but wanna make fun of us when they want to. In school, it was always the black kids that made fun of African culture but now they wanna "claim their heritage"

**
REPLY
52. Reelani Lola Makiese Mwabula
"There was more than one African song ....does it even matter where they are from they are black! !"

**
REPLY
53. Steph I
"Reelani Lola Makiese Mwabula Not saying we aren't equal or anything but there are stark differences between Africans and African Americans like MAJOR lol this dance isn't rlly African it is an stereotype of how Americans think Africans dance"

**
REPLY
54. Bean Butterfly
"+Steph I totally!!! I agree, I was like when does the African dancing begin"

**
September 2017

REPLY
55. Jane Johnson
"Marie T I agree with you partly however speaking the language doesn't mean you can now claim your culture because I'm Nigerian,I'm black I know African dances but my language is just not very common on the internet so it's hard to learn by myself however I am still of African heritage and know a lot about my culture the only problem was that I grew up in England so I'm bound to learn English.If I grew up in Nigeria I would most likely learn the language to depending on how my parent teaches me"

****
August 2017

56. Don't Haveone
"First and foremost, you all did an amazing job, and I love the African theme! Secondly, for the people who keep commenting about which part of Africa they are from, could you please just enjoy the video Geez!! It's like damn if they do, and damn if they don't. Birthday girl,next time do a Carnival theme birthday party, wear carnival costumes and incorporate some Soca songs to your hip-hop choreography and I wouldn't chastise but be flattered that you embraced the culture. Don't let the negative comments discourage you from learning and embracing your African roots, they all don't think like that. I'm Caribbean living in a America so I understand. ✌🏽"

**
57. Darkskinned_ kid
"Niyah so beautiful to me knowing that she repping my culture 🤘🏾🤘🏾😍"


**
58. Krap Patty
"I'm sorry but what's Part of Africa are they representing? Africa is not a country"

**
59. msCHIevous94
"Lets put on some hooded Dashikis!! Lets be african.. stop it. My culture aint a costume.. yall dnt even know where dashikis orginate from."

**
60. Kehinde Timothy
"As a Nigerian there is almost nothing African bout this. For the people looking for real African music look up Afrobeats which is mostly from Nigeria and Ghana"

**
61. Pryncess
"Im nigerian and my parents would have killed me ohhh, i would have had to wear one of those itchy traditional outfit and danced that dance, dashiki with short shorts, I MUST WANT 16 years to be my expiration date. my parents would kill me."

**
September 2017

62. Maroon Horizon
"why has my continent become a trend?"

**
63. Omar Delmar
"In Africa we dont have sweet 16 dances thats a mexican thing
This is african Americans twisting african culture just like the names
This dance belongs in syrip joints"
-snip-
"syrip" is probably a typo for "strip"

**
October 2017

64. Key Da Phenom
"I'm Nigerian ok...and as much as I appreciate the embracing of the African theme, we are VERY ENERGETIC lol these dances were Ok! The girl with the green dashiki was great to watch; however, they needed to have her stamina if you will and be more coordinated with their transitions as they were slow and out of tempo most of the time."

-end of selected comments-

PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTES
The "Shelsy's Super "LIT" Sweet 16 (2015 BlayFilms)"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeC589nTVH0 which was mentioned near the beginning of this pancocojams post is a Garifuna Sweet sixteen party which was held in the USA. As shown in that video, that party's music consisted of African, Central American, and Caribbean music. Click http://globalsherpa.org/garifunas-garifuna/ for an article about Garifuna history and culture.

**
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2012/02/dashikis-adaptation-of-yoruba-dansiki.html for a 2012 pancocojams post entitled "Dashikis - An Adaptation Of The Yoruba Dansiki".

**
One of the things that I found disconcerting about some comments that weren't included in this compilation was that a number of commenters (who I presumed were African American) didn't appear to know that the "shirts" or "outfits" worn by the female and male dancers in the "Niyah African Sweet 16 Dance" video were called "dashikis" and that these "shirts" were worn by afrocentric African American males to represent our African cultural heritage.

Actually, since at least the 1970s, I've noticed via YouTube videos that the African American adapted form of Yoruba (Nigerian) dansikis have been worn and continue to be worn by mostly male folk singers in South Africa and in East Africa as an immediate symbol of African culture. I think this is because the traditional attire of those ethnic groups would be considered inappropriate for contemporary (Westernized) performances. For example, click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FclwRECHoWc&t=141s for a video of the South African group "Ladysmith Black Mambazo". That group also wears dashikis in a number of other YouTube videos.

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents a long excerpt from a chapter of the 2005 book by Godfrey Mwakikagile entitled "Relations Between Africans and African Americans: Misconceptions, Myths and Realities" (Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA: National Academic Press, 2005).

This post is closely related to this recently published pancocojams post: Comments On A YouTube Discussion Thread About Black Americans Hosting African Themed Parties http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/11/comments-on-youtube-discussion-thread.html.

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural purposes.

I present excerpts of online books/articles and hard to find books and articles in order to raise awareness of this material. Pancocojams visitors are encouraged to read these entire books/articles.

All content remain with their owners.

Thanks to Godfrey Mwakikagile for writing this book and thanks to the publishers of these online chapter excerpts.
-snip-
Also, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2011/10/ataka-is-mean-spirited-word.html for a 2011 pancocojams post entitled "Akata Is A Mean Spirited Word".

****
EXCERPT FROM "RELATIONS BETWEEN AFRICANS AND AFRICAN AMERICANS: MISCONCEPTIONS, MYTHS AND REALITIES"
http://africandiaspora2005.tripod.com/id1.html
[retrieved November 28, 2017; This portion of this quoted work is fully given up to the end of this excerpt. The ellipses ["..."] don't represent any material that isn't quoted.]

"African and Black American Relations: Good or Bad?

Chapter Four: The Attitude of Africans Towards African America
Announcing a new title:

Godfrey Mwakikagile, "Relations Between Africans and African Americans: Misconceptions, Myths and Realities" (Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA: National Academic Press, 2005), 302 pages, softcover edition. $12.95.

[...]

This work looks at relations between Africans and African Americans from the perspective of an African, and of shared perceptions on both sides of the Atlantic. Incorporated into the analysis are stories of individuals who have interacted, worked and lived with members of both groups in Africa and in the United States, including the author himself. Stereotypes and misunderstandings of each other constitute an integral part of this study, explained from both perspectives, African and African-American.

The author, a former journalist in Tanzania and now an academic author whose books are found in public and university libraries arund the world, has lived in the United States, mostly in the black community, for more than 30 years. He articulates his position from the vantage point of someone who has lived on both sides of the Atlantic, focusing on a subject that has generated a lot of interest among Africans and African Americans through the years. And it continues to be one of great misunderstanding between the two sides, in spite of increased contacts and communication between Africa and Black America, and between individual Africans and African Americans in the United States and in Africa.

[...]

Excerpts from "Relations Between Africans and African Americans: Misconceptions, Myths and Realities"

What is the state of relations between Africans and African Americans? How do Africans see black Americans, and how do American blacks see them? What is the experience of Africans with black Americans and what is the experience of American blacks with them, individually and collectively, in general? How are Africans accepted by black people in the United States? And how are black Americans accepted in Africa? Do Africans see Americans blacks as fellow Africans, cousins or distant cousins, or just as Americans?

These are some of the questions answered in this book, written by an African, and based on his experience for more than 30 years interacting with African Americans, and on the experiences of many Africans and African Americans quoted in this study: Godfrey Mwakikagile, "Relations Between Africans and African Americans: Misconceptions, Myths and Realities" (National Academic Press, 2005), 302 pages. Available at:
http://www.lulu.com/godfrey

Here are sample chapters four and five:

Chapter Four:The Attitude of Africans Towards African Americans

AFRICANS don't feel the same way about everything just like other people don't; nor do they think alike anymore than whites, Orientals and others do. But there are some things on which many of them tend to agree or share perceptions because of their common African background and history. One of those subjects is their attitude towards African Americans. But even on this subject one cannot generalize and say that is how all Africans feel or think.

The purpose of this chapter is to explore what is perceived to be a consensus among a large number of Africans on how they see African Americans, and what I myself have observed in my dealings with both in the thirty years or so I have been in and out of the United States.

I am here reminded of what I heard after I moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan, from Detroit in 1976. I moved to Grand Rapids to attend Aquinas College in this conservative and predominantly white mid-western city in southwestern Michigan that is also a Republican stronghold as much as it has been for decades. I was the only African student from Tanzania and the second in the school's history to enroll there. There were a few other African students and they all came from Nigeria, except one student who came from Sierra Leone.

I got to know all the African students well and we interacted on regular basis on- and off-campus. Since they were mostly Nigerians, it was they who invited me to their homes, as much as I invited them to mine, to socialize and talk about what was going on back home in our continent. Now and then, the subject of African Americans crept into the conversation since we were also around them and even went to school with them. We lived mostly in the inner city, which was predominantly black, and we interacted with quite a few of them, inviting them to our homes. The black American students at Aquinas College, most of whom came from Detroit, was another group we dealt with, especially on campus.

But, almost invariably, whenever the Nigerians talked about African Americans, they would use the term akata. I didn't know what they meant by that and I never asked them. It didn't take me long to figure out that they were referring to American blacks. I did not detect any hostility towards them, or a condescending tone when they talked about these cousins of ours in the diaspora. They were always friendly and laughing, although I am not sure I interpreted correctly what the laughter meant most of the time back then. It was not until years later that I found out what the term akata meant after I read an article in the Detroit Free Press by a Nigerian reporter, or someone with a Nigerian (Yoruba) name, who explained what it meant: a brutal wild animal or something like that. It is said to be a Yoruba term.

Shortly thereafter, I again stumbled upon the term on the internet when I was reading an article posted by an African American who was a member of a Yahoo discussion group, Mwananchi (meaning countryman or citizen in Kiswahili), which addresses many issues in a Pan-African context and in a very intelligent if not highly intellectual manner; and one of whose members is the acerbic and highly controversial Ghanaian professor of economics, George Ayittey, who teaches at a university in Washington, D.C.

The writer of the article was hurt and deeply offended by the use of the term akata by some Africans to describe their brothers and sisters in the diaspora and who had the misfortune of having their African ancestors shipped in chains to America as slaves. The same subject again, later in November 2004, came up for discussion and one of the members of Mwananchi, a Kenyan, had this to say:

"I am not in a position to fully address the issues you raised in your recent posting on the perjorative term "akata" used by others in this or other forums to refer to African Americans. I am an old member in this forum but rarely comment on issues raised by others unless I have something meaningful to contribute.

I am from Kenya and the only information I have on the Yoruba is scant and unhelpful in this discussion. I studied the history of West Africa in high school back in the mid- to late 1980s for examination purposes and other than the gods: Sango, Oranminyan and Oduduwa, there's nothing else I can say about the Yoruba.

However, as America wakes up to the reality of a new wave of immigrants from Africa, it is inevitable that a number of socio-political and economic issues will come to the fore pertaining to the interaction that we Africans have with our African American kindred as well as the rest of the host population. As a well informed African who has spent close to a third of my life in America - and still learning - I am very aware that we all share the burden of ignorance of and on each other as we struggle to be part of this mosaic that makes America what it is.

Up until the late 1990s when a clear increase of refugees from war torn countries started pouring into America, most of the African immigrants came to America on student visas. This is the cream of society back home. As of today, there's clear research that shows that Africans in America are some of, if not, the most educated, well paid and upward mobile group of all immigrants in this country. Many people will dispute this and I for one am not well paid, my high education in America notwithstanding.

However, most of us come here with little understanding of the history and complexities of the African American experience in this country. Beside Martin Luther King and Marcus Garvey, very few Africans - even the educated ones - know about the pivotal role played by numerous prominent and other nameless African Americans in the development of this country. Without understanding the history of the African Americans and their relationship with the White establishment, we will forever be wallowing in the cesspool of misconceptions and hearsay.

On the other hand, very few African Americans have an understanding of the new Africans migrating into this country. It is a sad FACT that there are more black men in prisons in America than there are in colleges. This is due to a myriad of factors that are a daily reality of this American life (sorry, Ira Glass).

To most Africans, our experience in America with African Americans is not a pleasant one. May be this is because of the low educational levels of most of the American blacks that we are likely to meet combined with our scant knowledge of the aforementioned African American experience. I, for one, was once told by a not very well educated black brother to learn to speak English properly. I was not offended because I knew the brother did not understand my accent. The setting was not proper for me to teach him a few basics of socio-linguistics.

Speaking of English, I am not sure he'd ever heard of Pope, Chaucer, Moore, Marlowe or Thomas Hardy and how different they would've sounded to him if he ever heard them speak. I studied these literary giants in school in Africa and have even made a pilgrimage to Canterbury, Kent, to drink a beer in the Marlowe: the very pub where my favourite English poet of all, Chrsitopher Marlowe, a contemporary of Sheikh El Zubeir (Shakespeare) was stabbed to death at the age of 29 back in the 1600s. But this is beside the point.

To the bratha, I needed to learn some English. It is saddening that to most African Americans, according to comedian Chris Rock, Africa is far, far away beyond the oceans! True but not so quite exact. A lot of African Americans have been bought into the stereotyping that Africans have perpetually received from the mass media in the West: that we are all dirt poor, ignorant, uncultured and at various stages of starvation living in the Hobbesian world where life is short, bruttish and nasty. Well, there might be some truth to that but NOT quite entirely.

It is imperative for us to address our differences as black kindred in America in every imaginative way. I personally live in a state that is 97% White. It is the second whitest state in the nation wedged between the first and third whitest states. I have minimal interaction with African Americans unless I go to the club for a drink. I know less than 8 African Americans and yet I have lived in the US for close to ten years. As a student of humanities, I know that my minimal exposure to my African American brethren is something I must personally overcome.

I will recommend anyone in similar circumstances to utilize the many opportunities that are available to us in order to bridge this sea of ignorance. The internet, is a prime example. There are quality TV programs out there too that are very informative on the African and the African American experience. PBS and C-SPAN as well as National Public radio offer a window of opportunity to those of us struggling to achieve this goal. That's how I met some of my favourite contemporary African American thinkers: Eric Mike Dyson, Cornell West and Charles Ogletree.

To those who live in places well populated with African Americans, try and attend their church services and other social functions and you will all be amazed how wrong we are in our pre-conceived notions of each other. May be with a little understanding of our respective experiences, we will overcome our differences and even celebrate them with those bonds that tie us together as we try to improve ourselves and stake a better claim in this great American experiment.

Well, for someone who rarely posts, this is so long a letter. I would recommend a book by Mariama Ba by the same title: "So Long a Letter" to those who want a glimpse into the life of a Senegalese woman in the last century in Africa.

Let the discussion continue.

Soul bratha,
Engo Makabe."

This posting on the internet by an African from Kenya highlights the profound ambivalence we sometimes have towards each other, while many of us don't try hard enough, if at all, to bridge the communication gap and learn more about each other.

In fact, the use of the term akata is at the core of this misconception of what we think and know about each other, fuelled by stereotypes manufactured by the white dominant society which portrays Africans as primitive savages, and black Americans as advanced savages in a civilized white society they seem determined to destroy with their propensity towards violence. And that is the meaning of akata which is used to describe black Americans as brutal wild animals.

Yet, for some inexplicable reason, I had never heard the term akata before, until I moved to Grand Rapids, although I lived in Detroit and knew many Nigerians including Yorubas some of whom were my schoolmates at Wayne State University. But they probably used the term as much as the ones in Grand Rapids did. And just like the ones in Grand Rapids, the Nigerians and other Africans who may have used the term in Detroit to describe or insult African Americans were not all Yorubas. In Grand Rapids, there was only one Yoruba student who was also my classmate at Aquinas College. The rest of the Nigerian students were Igbos, and they used the term akata quite often. I don't know if some of them were just joking or used the term in a different context. But I do know that, for whatever reason these Nigerians used the term, many African Americans who knew what the term meant back then would have been highly offended as much as the ones today are, had they heard them call black Americans akata.

There is no question that to many African Americans who know what the term akata means, its use only confirms what they have known or suspected all along: "Africans don't like us; they just don't." In fact, that is one of the subjects that comes up quite often in conversations between Africans and African Americans, with black Americans asking: "Is it true that they don't want us over there?" I have been asked the same question a number of times and have done my best to respond accordingly. I even wrote an article on the subject, published in a school newspaper and quoted in the Michigan Chronicle, in the early seventies when I was student in Detroit.

And there seems to be some credibility to the charge that may be a significant number of Africans, not all of us but probably a large number amongst us, have a negative attitude towards black people in the United States. Some people attribute it to arrogance among Africans who think they are better than American blacks, for whatever reason including cultural differences, loss of identity among black Americans since they no longer have their true African identity that was destroyed during slavery; and even an "identity crisis," as some Africans may see it, contending that black people in the United States really don't know who and what they are: they don't know what part of Africa they came from, and which tribes they originated from or belong to; they are not as African as black Africans in Africa are, because they are racially mixed, with only very few of them, if any, having retained their true biological African identity.

Others, especially African Americans, at least some of them, say Africans are just jealous of them because black people in the United States are better off economically than the vast majority of black Africans most of whom are desperately poor and live in the most backward and poorest continent on earth. There are also those who may feel that Africans are not as civilized as they are. The list goes on and on.

But whatever the case, we cannot deny that problems exists, or that a significant number of Africans don't have a negative attitude towards black Americans. And it didn't just start. I remember reading an interview with Andrew Young by Charlie Cobb, a prominent African American journalist and civil rights activist from the sixties who at this writing was working for a major African news organization, allafrica.com, and who once lived and worked in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, when I was still there before coming to the United States, which is highly relevant in this context. Andy Young said when he was a student at Howard University, he met a Nigerian student who was very bright, probably the smartest on campus according to Young, but who also was very arrogant, thinking he was better than black Americans; and asked Young, "When are you going to get civilized?"

Whatever he meant by that, there is no question that he had preconceived notions about African Americans which did not correspond to reality. And coming from Africa, the "Dark Continent," he really had a lot of nerve to ask Andy Young such a question. It would have been very easy for Young or for any other black American to hit right back and bring the Nigerian to his senses: "Look at who is talking!"

If black Americans are not civilized, how civilized are the Africans? And in what ways black Americans are not? Having dealt with Africans for a long time, Young knew how to handle the situation and probably handled it the best way he could. He explained in the same interview that he grew up with Africans in his house, since his parents were used to taking in African students studying in the United States. As he stated in the interview on July 22, 2002:

"My parents always had African students in our home in the 1940s. They felt that they had been educated by American missionaries - New England missionaries - and that part of our responsibility was to educate others. So, our home was almost a boarding house for African students at no charge.

I [also] started in 1974 with Arthur Ashe bringing [African] students to the US. We'd bring them in and keep them in Atlanta for a while at my house and we'd find places for them at Michigan State [University] or Texas Southern or other colleges. We had a kind of Underground Railroad on education....

When I was a freshman at Howard University, the smartest guy in the school was a Nigerian. And he used to say to me very condescendingly: 'You're a bright boy. When are going to get civilized?'

And there is a Nigerian success tradition that is older than the African-American tradition. It is not as successful as ours but it is older. It's like Jamaicans. They have a hard time listening to us as African Americans. They were ahead of us in their decolonization and West Indian thinkers have always been....Well, it's like Stokely [Carmichael] didn't think he had anything to learn from John Lewis. Our view is seen as somewhat neo-colonial."

What Andrew Young said illustrates a very important point concerning the attitude of a number of Africans, and some people from the Caribbean, towards African Americans. It is condescending; it is also paternalistic reminiscent of what Dr. Albert Schweitzer said, although in a very perverted way, about black people: "With regard to the Negroes,...I have coined the formula: 'I am your brother, it is true, but your elder brother.'"

That is a loaded statement with all that it implies. The conclusion is obvious on who stands where and for how long. Chronologically speaking, the younger brother will never catch up with his elder brother. Also remember this: elders are wiser. And therein lies the arrogance of some Africans and their negative attitude towards African Americans: they are the original Africans, true black people; black Americans are not. They come directly from the motherland, African Americans don't; Africa is the repository of knowledge, wisdom and genuine black African culture. Black America is not. Case closed.

Is that why "Africans don't want us over there?," a question African Americans ask often. "Is it because we are not really black or African? Aren't we really the same people?" Those are legitimate questions. But is it really true that we, those of us born and brought up in Africa, really don't want to have anything to do with black people in America?

Whenever I have addressed this subject, I have always assured my listeners, African Americans, that it is simply not true that "we don't want them over there, in Africa." I also remind them that African Americans are not the primary target or the only people on the defensive against this kind of attack by some Africans. Many people of different ethnic groups - or tribes, whatever you choose to call them - in many African countries also don't like each other anymore than they do black Americans.

It is not selective prejudice against black Americans only. In fact, when African Americans go to Africa, some of them end up being welcomed and embraced by some of the very same people who are at war with members of other tribes right there in their own country.

Also just remember this: hundreds of thousands, and even millions, who have died in wars in Africa - for example between the Hutu and the Tutsi in Rwanda and Burundi, the Hema and the Lendu in eastern Congo, the Tiv and the Hausa in Nigeria, the Igbo and the Hausa-Fulani during the Nigerian civil war in the sixties - all these people who have been tortured, slaughtered, and sometimes even burnt alive, are Africans right there in Africa, killed by fellow Africans. They are not African Americans from the United States. It is carnage, it is hate far more deadly than what is or has been directed against African Americans by some Africans who don't like them.

But whatever hostility exists towards African Americans, overt or covert, it is definitely not an omnipresent phenomenon on the African continent. African Americans have through the years since independence been welcomed in large numbers in Ghana, Tanzania, Nigeria, and in all the other African countries. And many of them have settled there permanently. You will find them today.

Yet, there have been some incidents, not many but enough to raise eyebrows, arising from misunderstandings, mistrust and suspicions of one kind or another including negative attitudes, which may have strained relations between Africans and African Americans in some countries. For example, some members of the Pan-African Congress-USA, the group based in Detroit which sponsored me and other African students in the early seventies, were unceremoniously kicked out of Ghana, right from the airport where they were denied entry into the country. That was not long before the organization offered me a scholarship to go to school in Detroit.

I don't know exactly what the reason was, why they were tossed out of Ghana, but I remember some of them saying they were kicked out for no reason at all. What may have come into play here, like in some other incidents involving African Americans on the African continent, is ingrained suspicions towards all Americans, black and white or whatever, as some kind of spies or agents of the government, working for the CIA or being involved in some kind of scheme to undermine African countries and governments. And it is not difficult to find "sinister" motives behind any trip by any American to Africa, given the highly notorious track record of the CIA and the American government on the continent through the years.

Ironically, Pan-African Congress members were some of the staunchest supporters of Africa, and of leaders such as Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, president of Ghana, a country from which some of them were tossed out in a very humiliating way. And it defies rational explanation to assume that every American who goes to Africa is on a spying mission for the CIA. But whatever the perception, there is no question that it has had tragic consequences in some cases. Perception is reality, no matter how you look at it.

Yet another reason why Ghanaian officials at the airport in Accra may have been hostile towards African Americans who were not allowed to go beyond the airport but were instead put on the next plane back to the United States is the perennial problem many black Americans complain about in their relations with us: the negative attitude of Africans towards African Americans borne of prejudice against their own people, and for no reason, none whatsoever. It's just hate, is the way they see it.

What happened in Ghana to the Pan-African Congress members reminds me of what happened in my country, Tanzania, in 1974. The parallels are almost exact in terms of treatment. Just as the African Americans who went to Ghana from Detroit were kicked out of the country as soon as they arrived, a number of African Americans who had just arrived in Tanzania were caught in the same predicament, detained and tossed out of the country for security reasons. Like those in Ghana, the black Americans who went to Tanzania were some of the strongest supporters of Africa and of African leaders such as President Julius Nyerere, the leader of the very same country from which they were kicked out. But that is the subject of another chapter in this book.

Suffice it to say, regardless of what happened in Ghana and Tanzania and elsewhere in other African countries where African Americans may have run into problems with the authorities, as a case of mistaken identity or deliberate decisions by the authorities of the host countries to kick black Americans out for no justifiable reason, there is ample evidence to show that in general, and in overwhelming cases, African Americans have been welcomed by Africans without any problems and have enjoyed the hospitality extended to them in a way they probably never expected. The best proof of all this is the African Americans themselves who have been to Africa and who live in Africa.

It is true that there has been some distance, in terms of communication and direct contact, that has been maintained by both sides for different reasons mainly because of misunderstanding and preconceived notions about each other. For example, when I was still in Tanzania, I remember seeing groups of African American visitors in Dar es Salaam, the nation's capital, walking up and down the streets, and going into Indian shops - what Americans call stores - without any of the local residents welcoming them or talking to them.

We knew they were black Americans - they were called "American Negroes," or just "Negroes," even by Africans in Tanzania and elsewhere in those days. And we could tell from their accent, the attire, and many times from the way they looked that they were Americans, and not black Africans born and brought up in Africa. They had their own look, hard to describe but easily detectable by us; their Afro hair style, for example, which most local residents didn't have; and even colorful dashikis they wore which most people in Tanzania didn't wear like they do in West Africa. Yet, there was no overt or covert hostility towards them. It's just that neither side took the first step to try and bridge the gap between the two. We were so close, physically and genealogically as well as biologically, yet remained so far apart, face to face.

It was a yawning gap that remained through the years even when I was in Detroit. A couple from Detroit affiliated with the Pan-African Congress-USA, and fiercely proud of their African heritage, went to Tanzania in 1975. They stayed in Dar es Salaam, the capital, and the same city where I went to school and worked as a reporter. When they came back to the United States, they were somewhat disappointed because of their experience in Tanzania.

They said no one welcomed them, the people just glanced at them or stared at them and stayed away from them. And I understood their frustration. The deeper problem is that neither side addressed the fundamental problem: lack of communication. Again, as in many other cases, neither side took the initiative to try to bridge the gap although, I concede, it is the local residents, Tanzanians, who, may be, should have taken the first step to welcome their cousins from the diaspora. You welcome visitors or strangers into your house, they don't welcome you.

This partly explains why African Americans say Africans don't want them over there. But that is only a part of it. Most of the people who say that have never been to Africa. And many of them don't even know much about Africa. As one cabinet member under President Robert Mugabe said on BBC when President George W. Bush criticized Mugabe for rigging the 2002 presidential election - forgetting what he himself did in Florida in 2000 - and whipped up sentiments among Americans against the Zimbabwean leader: "Most Americans don't even know where Zimbabwe is." Even Americans themselves, including blacks, couldn't dispute the validity of this statement by the Zimbabwean cabinet minister.
Therefore, while African Americans have legitimate reasons to blame some Africans for their negative attitude towards them, they themselves should also admit that there are many African Americans who also have a negative attitude towards Africa for a number of reasons, including being brainwashed by the white man to hate their motherland by always portraying Africa in a negative light on television, in books and newspapers and magazines; and their own lack of interest in Africa regardless of what the white man says. It is a two-way traffic. One is no more guilty than the other. And it is up to both to bridge the gap. Many Africans and African Americans are doing that. But we still have a long way to go, as has been clearly demonstrated by the stereotypes both sides continue to have about each other, although neither is better than the other.

One of the worst stereotypes is that Africans hate African Americans; conversely, you hear some Africans saying black Americans look down upon them and make fun of them for being backward and uncivilized. There is some validity in all this but, mainly it is a clash of perceptions, and dangerously misleading. As Kwame Essien, a Ghanaian student and president of the African Students Union at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, stated in his article "Dispelling Myths about Africans and African Americans" in the school newspaper, The Carolinian, March 18, 2002:

"I had a great awakening about racial stereotypes when the members of the African Students Union did a presentation during the Shades of Color Conference. The Multi-Cultural Affairs Office deserves applause for the great program. Some of the issues raised by some of the African-American participants were 1. There's the notion that Africans HATE African-Americans. 2. Africans who were born and raised in Africa say that they are the only 'TRUE AFRICANS.' Such stereotypes shows that black students do not know a lot about each other.

I am not speaking for all Africans. Before I address these problems let's say a little about slavery and how it has affected the relationship between blacks in the diaspora.

It is obvious that Africans contributed to slavery, but what most people fail to see is the bigger picture. Slavery was not only intended to exploit free labor from Africans; but it was set up to destroy the black race.

During slavery white supremacists in Europe and America did their best to sever the relationship between Africans and the descendants of slaves. Dr. W.E.B. Du-Bois and others who wanted to bridge the gap between the black freedom struggle in colonial Africa and the civil rights movements in America were terrorized and destroyed by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). They wanted to divide us so that they could suppress us forever. Roots, the film by Alex Haley explains this notion.

The white slave owner terrorized Kunta Kinte, the African slave who wanted to keep his African name and culture. Slaves on the plantations were held hostage and stripped of their African heritage because of the threat it posed to the white power structure. Some of the confusion and mistrust among us as black people could be attributed to the legacies of slavery.

To make the situation worse in the twentieth and twenty first century some racist people capitalized on their monopoly over the media to create more divisions among blacks in the diaspora. Whenever you hear about Africa on the news or in the newspapers you see famine, diseases (AIDS, Ebola), civil war or some negative images of Africans. Why do you think nothing positive is said about Africans? Some blacks outside Africa deny their African roots because of such depressing and distorted images.

In Ghana (West Africa) where I was born nothing positive was said about African-Americans; we only heard about the greatness of white America. Think about the twenty first century media propaganda against blacks. African-Americans are portrayed as criminals, violent and lazy while Africans are treated as 'uncivilized' and backward. They want us to believe this. The media should not mislead US. My opinion is that Africans do NOT hate African-Americans. In the African culture we are not raised to hate any human being. Hate is a human problem; we Africans hate Africans too.
Concerning the issue of a 'True African.' It is ignorant for any African to claim that we are the only 'True Africans,' this is a backward ideology. What about children of African immigrants who were born at Moses Cone Hospital? An African is not defined by a birth certificate from an African hospital, neither are we defined by our Mandingo accent. NO African has the right or the license to approve who qualifies as an African. You are an African if you accept that your ancestors were Africans. Don't be surprised; we have some WHITE Africans too.

We Africans owe African-Americans for the sacrifice they made during the civil war and the civil rights movements. Desegregation benefited Africans too. Without Nat Turner, Frederick Douglas, Ida Wells, and many others, Africans would not have enjoyed the social privileges we have today in America. All of us need to be open-minded and have a dialogue to help us eradicate the stereotypes and ignorance we have about each other. We cannot blame everything on racism and do nothing to change our situation. Let us continue the legacy of Pamela Wilson, Director of Multi Cultural Affairs (deceased), with a 'UNITY DAY' program to address our differences. Please join the African Students Union to help dispel these myths among us.

As Dr. Martin Luther King said: 'We have to live together as brothers and sisters or perish together as fools.'"

What is sometimes so disturbing about some of these negative remarks by Africans when they talk about African Americans is that they come from different parts of the continent, delivering the same message of indifference towards American blacks. And because they are not orchestrated or coordinated, they give the impression that hostility or indifference towards black Americans is a pervasive phenomenon among Africans on the African continent and in the United States as well as in other parts of the world where Africans live. That is simply not true.
Yet, conflicting signals now and then coming from some Africans only reinforce the notion or the perception that Africans in general don't want to have anything to do or have nothing to do with black Americans. And it is not just because they are Americans that they don't want them; it is not because these African Americans were born and raised on American soil, although that may be one of the reasons, such as jealousy. These African descendants in the diaspora are even denied their African heritage by some Africans who call them "white." And as Kofi Glover, a Ghanaian professor of political science at the University of Southern Florida, bluntly states: "Whether we like it or not, Africans and African Americans have two very different cultures."

I am not saying that Glover is one of those Africans who say black Americans have nothing to do with their African cultural heritage or are not African at all; I'm simply saying that he is emphasizing what is an indisputable fact: there are fundamental cultural differences between Africans and African Americans. The culture of black Americans is essentially European. They have been immersed and submerged in the culture of their European masters and rulers for centuries, although there are still remnants of African culture across black America.

It is not their fault that they lost their African cultural identity - which many of them are trying to reclaim - but it is also true that when they lost it, they became Europeanized culturally, although they did not and could not become European for the simple reason that they were still an African people. And that causes some misunderstanding between the two sides, with some Africans going to the extreme and calling black Americans not African at all, as demonstrated by the following examples.

When some African Americans went to Kenya - I think they were business executives or some other kind of businessmen and may be even scholars - and said they were also Africans, their Kenyan counterparts, black Africans, said, no, they were not; they were "white Africans" born in America, as reported by The Economist, obviously because they lost their African culture and identity after centuries of slavery and living in a predominantly white country of which they had become an integral part.

In Ghana also, a significant number of Ghanaians don't accept black Americans as Africans and even have a term, obruni, they use to describe them. They call them "white." The word obruni is used in that context, meaning white, and may be even in a derogatory sense - or to maintain distance - by some people in the case of black Americans; in spite of the fact, the indisputable fact, that many of these very same black Americans whom they call "white" originated from the same place, Ghana, are members of their tribes - the Fanti, the Ewe, the Ashanti and others - and even of their families.

They are their blood relatives, no matter how many centuries apart, separated since the slave trade. As Malcolm X said in one of his speeches, "There is no tree without roots, and branches without a tree." And as Ghanaian president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, stated: "All peoples of African descent whether they live in North or South America, the Caribbean or in other parts of the world, are Africans and belong to the African nation."
And it is consoling to our brothers and sisters from the diaspora when they find out that not all Africans feel this way and treat them as total strangers or outcasts. They learn this when they deal with different Africans in the United States itself; they also find out about all this when they go to Africa and meet many Africans who welcome them and embrace them. There are some problems now and then, here and there, but the hospitality extended to African Americans by Africans makes many of them feel at home in Africa; be it in Ghana, Tanzania, Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Gambia, Senegal, Gambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Swaziland, Togo, Benin, Uganda or any other black African country."...

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides a lengthy excerpt of a 2006 American Masters Film article about African American singer, actor, and activist Paul Robeson. Selected comments from that article's discussion thread are also showcased in this post.

The content of this post is presented for historical and socio-cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Paul Robeson for his life's legacy. Thanks also to St. Clair Bourne and PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) for showcasing information about Paul Robinson and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
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Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/11/information-about-musical-show-boat.html for a closely related pancocojams post entitled "Information About The Musical "Show Boat"& The Song "Ol' Man River" (with comparisons of Paul Robeson's and William Warfield's renditions of "Ol' Man River")".

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EXCERPT FROM THE PBS AMERICAN MASTERS FILM ARTICLE ABOUT PAUL ROBESON
From http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/paul-robeson-about-the-actor/66/ About The Actor; American Masters Film: Paul Robeson 20th Century Renaissance Man by St. Clair Bourne
"Paul Robeson: Singer, Actor, Activist

(Apr 9, 1898 - Jan 23, 1976)

Paul Robeson was the epitome of the 20th-century Renaissance man. He was an exceptional athlete, actor, singer, cultural scholar, author, and political activist...

Born in 1898, Paul Robeson grew up in Princeton, New Jersey. His father had escaped slavery and become a Presbyterian minister, while his mother was from a distinguished Philadelphia family. At seventeen, he was given a scholarship to Rutgers University, where he received an unprecedented twelve major letters in four years and was his class valedictorian. After graduating he went on to Columbia University Law School, and, in the early 1920s, took a job with a New York law firm. Racial strife at the firm ended Robeson’s career as a lawyer early, but he was soon to find an appreciative home for his talents.

Returning to his love of public speaking, Robeson began to find work as an actor. In the mid-1920s he played the lead in Eugene O’Neill’s “All God’s Chillun Got Wings” (1924) and “The Emperor Jones” (1925). Throughout the late 1920s and 1930s, he was a widely acclaimed actor and singer. With songs such as his trademark “Ol’ Man River,” he became one of the most popular concert singers of his time. His “Othello” was the longest-running Shakespeare play in Broadway history, running for nearly three hundred performances. It is still considered one of the great-American Shakespeare productions. While his fame grew in the United States, he became equally well-loved internationally. He spoke fifteen languages, and performed benefits throughout the world for causes of social justice...

As an actor, Robeson was one of the first black men to play serious roles in the primarily white American theater. He performed in a number of films as well, including a re-make of “The Emperor Jones” (1933) and “Song of Freedom” (1936)... At the height of his popularity, Robeson was a national symbol and a cultural leader in the war against fascism abroad and racism at home...

During the 1940s, Robeson’s black nationalist and anti-colonialist activities brought him to the attention of Senator Joseph McCarthy. Despite his contributions as an entertainer to the Allied forces during World War II, Robeson was singled out as a major threat to American democracy. Every attempt was made to silence and discredit him, and in 1950 the persecution reached a climax when his passport was revoked. He could no longer travel abroad to perform, and his career was stifled. Of this time, Lloyd Brown, a writer and long-time colleague of Robeson, states: “Paul Robeson was the most persecuted, the most ostracized, the most condemned black man in America, then or ever.”

It was eight years before his passport was reinstated. A weary and triumphant Robeson began again to travel and give concerts in England and Australia. But the years of hardship had taken their toll. After several bouts of depression, he was admitted to a hospital in London... When Robeson returned to the United States in 1963, he was misdiagnosed several times and treated for a variety of physical and psychological problems... He retired to Philadelphia and lived in self-imposed seclusion until his death in 1976.

To this day, Paul Robeson’s many accomplishments remain obscured by the propaganda of those who tirelessly dogged him throughout his life. His role in the history of civil rights and as a spokesperson for the oppressed of other nations remains relatively unknown. In 1995, more than seventy-five years after graduating from Rutgers, his athletic achievements were finally recognized with his posthumous entry into the College Football Hall of Fame. Though a handful of movies and recordings are still available, they are a sad testament to one of the greatest Americans of the twentieth century. If we are to remember Paul Robeson for anything, it should be for the courage and the dignity with which he struggled for his own personal voice and for the rights of all people."

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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS ARTICLE'S DISCUSSION THREAD
These comments are presented in chronological order based on their publishing date, except for replies. Numbers have been assigned for referencing purposes only.

Pancocojams Editor's Note: A number of the other comments that aren't included in this compilation appear to have been written by students who were assigned to watch this television special and read this article about Paul Robinson.

2008
1. DR. ANKUR DEKA
"Paul Robeson, the black spiritual singer of yesteryear, was the spiritual and moral father of Dr. Bhupen Hazarika -- the versatile octogenerian singer of Assam, the northeastern state of India. When Dr. Hazarika was a student leader of Columbia University was close friend of Paul Robeson. Dr. Hazarika sings around the world in the tune of Paul Robeson...."We're on the same boat brother...."

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2009
2. Stephen b. Logan
"Reading that a person of this caliber existing amidst such horrific prejudice,oppression and ignorance makes me feel cheated. We are all robbed of what he COULD have achieved, yet , somehow, I feel more inspired. He did plenty! It's an honor to be able to share the same planet men such as this have walked. Thanks to Mr. Robeson for bothering to endure all the B.S., and insisting to achieve at least some of his potential."

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3. P. Piork
"Paul Robeson was an extremely talented singer and performer.

He was also a Communist and well aware of the millions that were killed under Stalin in the Soviet Union. Yet he always supported Stalin and refused to criticise him. In fact, when people in the US wanted to petition for the release of Trotskyites who were imprisoned in the US, Roberson refused to support this movement.

Robeson described Socialists as being fascists. For him the only valid political system was Communism. I wonder how his vaunted conscience dealt with the pressure of knowing that millions, innocent millions, including people he knew, were killed by Communism."

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Reply
4. Anne
"Just a quick response to K. Piork. Paul Robeson was an African American, a man who had to deal with the many contradictions of national politics. He was born and lived his life in a country that refused to acknowledge or atone for the suffering and deaths of millions of African American men and women, generations of whom were incarcerated by the American slave system, abused under Jim Crow laws, lynchings, racism, segregation, denial of their voting and citizenship rights, etc. It might be difficult to understand why Communism appealed to Robeson, but in comparison to American "Democracy," perhaps it seemed to promote an ideal of equality that the U.S. was failing to even aspire to. I just wonder if it's a little more complicated than you seem to want to make it."

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2010
5. Steve
"If racism had not stricken this great man what would he have achevied ?...Obama Status , I thought I knew his story but I did not know Graduate with 12 sports letters ,Valavictorian ,Lawyer ,Spoke 15 laungages, longest running Shakespear on Broad way....when american can make movies of gangsters (Alcapone 20 times) and not a word about this great man. if it's not logical it is usually racial"

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6. Alpha man
"This article may be true, however it does not tell how he was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated and because of that, this article is weak."
-snip-
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. is the oldest college based historically Black Greek letter organization. This commenter may have wanted to just point out the fact that Paul Robinson was a member of that fraternity, and not to discredit the entire article.

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7. Super Amanda
"Robeson did speak at Josef Stalin's funeral in 1953, so it was possible to draw a connection to Communism."

Paul Robeson never met Stalin nor did he ever live in self exile within the USSR nor did he attend or speak at his funeral! How many of you actually READ? If you found that information from David Horowitz realize that he is a liar who provides no sources and makes things up about Paul Robeson and his family. He is a lying **** Robeson wrote the eulogy for Stalin at a time when many, many celebrities and artists had hoped for the USSR as a counter balance aganist the segregationist USA and the rape of Africa, Latin America and Asia that personified the "free world." Robeson was not privy (obviously) to the hindsight that we have today about the USSR as well. Even in that era though, American Communists weren’t blindly supporting Stalin, but were demanding local rights like basic workers’ conditions and racial and sexual equality that we now take for granted (even when we fail to live up to the ideals)Rights that the US government could not have cared less about.

"His evasive refusal to denounce Stalin in his House of Un-American Activities Committee hearings is certainly a difficult piece of history for fans to accept; but it’s also not difficult to understand why Robeson would not be particularly eager to deliver these criticisms to the disgraceful HUAC to serve as handy propaganda for a country that had essentially marginalised his ability to speak and segregated him from the global community (Robeson’s FBI files can be found online). Instead, Robeson simply stated that “whatever has happened to Stalin, gentlemen, is a question for the Soviet Union .. I will discuss Stalin when I may be among the Russian people some day, singing for them, I will discuss it there”. (Testimony of Paul Robeson before the House Committee on Un-American Activities, 12 June 1956.)"

From Kit Mcfarlane: https://www.popmatters.com/132444-paul-robeson-in-australia-50-years-later-2496121616.html"Paul Robeson: A Resonant Voice That Will Never Be Fully Silenced", 09 November 2010

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8. The Rooskies
"Propaganda? It isn't propaganda when it's true.

‎"Through his [Stalin's] deep humanity, by his wise understanding, he leaves us a rich and monumental heritage." - Paul Robeson

A heritage that includes thirty million murdered Russians, Poles, and Gypsies, whose bodies lie among us, unspoken for.

Robeson was talented, but he was also an apologist for a mass murderer. That goes to character."

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Reply
9. MM (2014)
"Sorry but you don't provide enough evidence for your criticism. Robeson was responding to what he saw as Stalin's efforts to address racism. He is not here to answer your criticism, but according to Wikipedia entry.."Robeson's comments of praise were made prior to Nikita Khrushchev's 1956 "Secret Speech" at the 20th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union regarding Stalin's purges. Though Robeson would continue to praise the USSR throughout his life, he would neither publicly denounce nor praise Stalin personally following Khrushchev's 1956 revelations."

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10. Neville
"As far as I'm concerned the greatest singer that has ever lived. Probably the first racial equality leader of Americans, well before Malcolm X, Jesse Jackson, Martin Luther King. Something that the article doesn't state is that because of his viewpoints he was considered a Communist and struck from the year books and roll of honour at college. It is about time that he and others like him were given the credit due them."

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11. Colin Stewart
"This article about Robeson on the PBS website glosses over the fact that Robeson undoubtedy was what Lenin would have described as a "useful idiot". Despite all that he achieved, it is overshadowed by the fact that he was an apologist for one of the most evil regimes in History. Robeson knew about the purges and still remained a supporter of Stalin. He also knew American emigres living in the USSR were being arrested and killed but did nothing and said nothing. He was complicit in genocide."

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Reply
12. MM (2014)
"Robeson was not and did not apologize for evil. He did not speak up for Stalin after knowledge of the purges became common. It does not make him complicit in genocide because he did not speak out against it. Genocide has happened many time throughout history and still happens today yet few people speak out against it. That does not make a person complicit. Fact is Robeson was most concerned about the evil going on in this country against his own people. Blacks in America were being lynched and you ask that his primary fight be elsewhere?"

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13. John Mackie
"The USA would be a better place today if it had more citizens like Paul Robeson, a truely great man. It fascinates me that America could produce a person of his talents and one that the average American would have no idea about. Yes it is easy to cherry pick his socialist opinions and actions as a negative but I think you will find that he was very consistent in his treatment of all nations and races when it came to human rights and the rights of the working man. To align him as a supporter of the attocities carried out by Stalin is a major injustice to one of the great men of the twentieth century."

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about the American musical "Show Boat" with special attention to the song "Ol' Man River".

This post also showcases two examples of Paul Robeson singing "Ole Man River" and one example of William Warfield singing "Ole Man River".

Information about these two African American singers is also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Paul Robeson and William Warfield for their life's legacies. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

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EXCERPT FROM WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE ABOUT THE SONG "OLE MAN RIVER" IN "SHOWBOAT" PLAYS AND MOVIES
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Show_Boat
"Show Boat is a musical in two acts, with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, based on Edna Ferber's best-selling novel of the same name. The musical follows the lives of the performers, stagehands and dock workers on the Cotton Blossom, a Mississippi River show boat, over 40 years from 1887 to 1927. Its themes include racial prejudice and tragic, enduring love. The musical contributed such classic songs as "Ol' Man River", "Make Believe", and "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man".

The musical was first produced in 1927 by Florenz Ziegfeld. The premiere of Show Boat on Broadway was an important event in the history of American musical theatre. It "was a radical departure in musical storytelling, marrying spectacle with seriousness", compared with the trivial and unrealistic operettas, light musical comedies and "Follies"-type musical revues that defined Broadway in the 1890s and early 20th century.[1]

[...]

Racial issues
Integration
Show Boat boldly portrayed racial issues and was the first racially integrated musical, in that both black and white performers appeared and sang on stage together.[43] Ziegfeld’s Follies featured solo African American performers such as Bert Williams, but would not have included a black woman in the chorus. Show Boat was structured with two choruses – a black chorus and a white chorus. One commentator noted that "Hammerstein uses the African-American chorus as essentially a Greek chorus, providing clear commentary on the proceedings, whereas the white choruses sing of the not-quite-real."[44] In Show Boat Jerome Kern used the AABA-chorus form exclusively in songs sung by African American characters (Ole Man River, Can't Help Lovin' dat Man), a form that later would be regarded as typical of 'white' popular music.[45]

Show Boat was the first Broadway musical to seriously depict an interracial marriage, as in Ferber's original novel, and to feature a character of mixed race who was "passing" for white. (Although the musical comedy Whoopee! (1930), starring Eddie Cantor, supposedly depicted a romance between a mixed-blood Native American man and a white woman, the man turns out to be white.[46])

Language and stereotypes
The word "ni&&er" [Pancocojams editor's note: This abbreviated spelling for the pejorative term that is commonly called "the n word" is used in this post.]

The show has generated controversy for the subject matter of interracial marriage, the historical portrayal of blacks working as laborers and servants in the 19th-century South, and the use of the word ni&&ers in the lyrics (this is the first word in the opening chorus of the show). Originally the show opened with the black chorus onstage singing:

Ni&&ers all work on the Mississippi,
Ni&&ers all work while the white folks play.
Loadin' up boats wid de bales of cotton,
Gittin' no rest till de Judgement Day.[47]

In subsequent productions, "ni&&ers" has been changed to "colored folk", to "darkies", and in one choice, "Here we all", as in "Here we all work on the Mississippi. Here we all work while the white folks play."

In the 1966 Lincoln Center production of the show, produced two years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed, this section of the opening chorus was omitted rather than having words changed. The 1971 London revival used "Here we all work on the Mississippi". The 1988 CD for EMI restored the original 1927 lyric, while the Harold Prince revival chose "colored folk".[48][49][50]

The Paper Mill Playhouse production, videotaped and telecast by PBS in 1989, used the word "ni&&er" when said by an unsympathetic character, but otherwise used the word "Negro".

Many critics believe that Kern and Hammerstein wrote the opening chorus to give a sympathetic voice to an oppressed people, and that they intended its use in an ironic way, as it had so often been used in a derogatory way. They wanted to alert the audience to the realities of racism:
'Show Boat begins with the singing of that most reprehensible word – ni&&er – yet this is no coon song... [it] immediately establishes race as one of the central themes of the play. This is a protest song, more ironic than angry perhaps, but a protest nonetheless. In the singers' hands, the word ni&&er has a sardonic tone... in the very opening, Hammerstein has established the gulf between the races, the privilege accorded the white folks and denied the black, and a flavor of the contempt built into the very language that whites used about African Americans. This is a very effective scene.... These are not caricature roles; they are wise, if uneducated, people capable of seeing and feeling more than some of the white folk around them.[44]

The racial situations in the play provoke thoughts of how hard it must have been to be black in the South. In the dialogue, some of the blacks are called "ni&&ers" by the white characters in the story. (Contrary to what is sometimes thought, black slavery is not depicted in the play; U.S. slavery was abolished by 1865, and the story runs from the 1880s to the late 1920s.) At first, it is shocking to believe they are allowed to use a word that negative at all in a play... But in the context in which it is used, it is appropriate due to the impact it makes. It reinforces how much of a derogatory term "ni&&er" was then and still is today.[51]

The word has not been used in any of the film versions of the musical. In the show, the Sheriff refers to Steve and Julie as having "ni&&er blood." In the 1936 and 1951 film versions, this was changed to "Negro blood". Likewise, the unsympathetic Pete calls Queenie a "ni&&er" in the stage version, but refers to her as "colored" in the 1936 film, and does not use either word in the 1951 film.

African-American English
Those who consider Show Boat racially insensitive often note that the dialogue and lyrics of the black characters (especially the stevedore Joe and his wife Queenie) and choruses use various forms of African American Vernacular English. An example of this is shown in the following text:
Hey!
Where yo' think you're goin'?
Don't yo' know dis show is startin' soon?
Hey!
Jes' a few seats left yere!
It's light inside an' outside dere's no moon
What fo' you gals dressed up dicty?
Where's yo' all gwine?
Tell dose stingy men o' yourn
To step up here in line![52]

Whether or not such language is an accurate reflection of the vernacular of blacks in Mississippi at the time, the effect of its usage has offended some critics, who see it as perpetuating racial stereotypes.[53] The character Queenie (who sings the above verses) in the original production was played not by an African American but by the Italian-American actress Tess Gardella in blackface (Gardella was perhaps best known for portraying Aunt Jemima in blackface).[54] Attempts by non-black writers to imitate black language stereotypically in songs like "Ol' Man River" was alleged to be offensive, a claim that was repeated eight years later by critics of Porgy and Bess.[55] But such critics sometimes acknowledged that Hammerstein's intentions were noble, since "Ol' Man River"' was the song in which he first found his lyrical voice, compressing the suffering, resignation, and anger of an entire race into 24 taut lines and doing it so naturally that it's no wonder folks assume the song's a Negro spiritual."[56]

The theatre critics and veterans Richard Eyre and Nicholas Wright believe that Show Boat was revolutionary, not only because it was a radical departure from the previous style of plotless revues, but because it was a show written by non-blacks that portrayed blacks sympathetically rather than condescendingly:
Instead of a line of chorus girls showing their legs in the opening number singing that they were happy, happy, happy, the curtain rose on black dock-hands lifting bales of cotton, and singing about the hardness of their lives. Here was a musical that showed poverty, suffering, bitterness, racial prejudice, a sexual relationship between black and white, a love story which ended unhappily – and of course show business. In "Ol' Man River" the black race was given an anthem to honor its misery that had the authority of an authentic spiritual.[57]

Revisions and cancellations
Since the musical's 1927 premiere, Show Boat has both been condemned as a prejudiced show based on racial caricatures and championed as a breakthrough work that opened the door for public discourse in the arts about racism in America. Some productions (including one planned for June 2002 in Connecticut) have been cancelled because of objections.[58]

Such cancellations have been criticized by supporters of the arts. After planned performances by an amateur opera company in Middlesbrough, England were "stopped because [they] would be 'distasteful' to ethnic minorities", a local newspaper declared that the actions were "surely taking political correctness too far".[59] A British theatre writer was concerned that "the kind of censorship we've been talking about – for censorship it is – actually militates against a truly integrated society, for it emphasizes differences. It puts a wall around groups within society, dividing people by creating metaphorical ghettos, and prevents mutual understanding".[59] Specifically, the cancellation was based on protests of plans to have all the black roles to be played in this production by white actors in blackface, as the company had no black members.[60]

As attitudes toward race relations have changed, producers and directors have altered some content to make the musical more "politically correct": "Show Boat, more than many musicals, was subject to cuts and revisions within a handful of years after its first performance, all of which altered the dramatic balance of the play."[44]

1993 revival
The 1993 Hal Prince revival, originating in Toronto, was deliberately staged to cast attention on racial disparities; throughout the production, African-American actors constantly cleaned up messes, appeared to move the sets (even when hydraulics actually moved them), and performed other menial tasks.[61] After a New Year's Eve ball, all the streamers fell on the floor and African Americans immediately began sweeping them away. A montage in the second act showed time passing using the revolving door of the Palmer House in Chicago, with newspaper headlines being shown in quick succession, and snippets of slow motion to highlight a specific moment, accompanied by brief snippets of Ol' Man River. African-American dancers were seen performing a specific dance, and this would change to a scene showing white dancers performing the same dance. This was meant to illustrate how white performers "appropriated" the music and dancing styles of African Americans. Earlier productions of Show Boat, even the 1927 stage original and the 1936 film version, did not go this far in social commentary.[62]"

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS OF PAUL ROBESON SINGING "OLE MAN RIVER"
Example #1: Ol' Man River (Show Boat, 1936), Paul Robeson




TheQuirkyCharacter, Published on Apr 25, 2013

Original version: Show Boat (1927)
Music: Jerome Kern
Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II

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Example #2: Paul Robeson - Old Man River



Joe Stead, Published on Apr 24, 2008

The words of Old Man River were (thankfully) to change many times since the original version was written by Hammerstein and Kerr. The first line "Ni&&ers* all work on the Mississippi etc" moved on to "Darkies all work..." and eventually through being "The old Man I'd like to be" it eventually became "The Old Man I don't like to be". Sidney Poitier explains other changes within the song.
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this summary statement.
-snip-
Here's a comment exchange from that movie clip's discussion thread:

Keanu Paler, 2016
"Why did he change the lyrics?"

**
REPLY
Shawn Jones, 2017
"Keanu Paler because he was an activist. He changed several lyrics. He changed the lyrics at the beginning to say he would NOT like to be like Ol Man River because, "What does he care if the world's got troubles, what does he care if the land ain't free". Then he changed, "Gets a little drunk and you lands in jail" to a more positive, "show a little GRIT and you lands in jail". Then he changed the end from a fearful, "I don't like livin' but scared of dyin'" to a more empowered, "But I keeps laughin' instead of crying, I must keep FIGHTING until I'm dying". The corrections change it from a song of hopelessness to a protest song."

**
REPLY
sheuli peden, 2017
"Thank you Shawn Jones! Thanks to Paul Robeson for the wonderful and uplifting changes that he made for the lyrics"
-snip-
Information about Paul Robeson
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Robeson
"Paul Leroy Robeson ... April 9, 1898 – January 23, 1976) was an American bass baritone singer and actor who became involved with the Civil Rights Movement. At Rutgers College, he was an American football player, and then had an international career in singing, as well as acting in theater and movies. He became politically involved in response to the Spanish Civil War, fascism, and social injustices. His advocacy of anti-imperialism, affiliation with communism, and criticism of the United States government caused him to be blacklisted during the McCarthy era."...
-snip-
For more information about Paul Robeson, click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/11/2006-pbs-article-excerpt-about-singer.html for the pancocojams post entitled "2006 PBS Article Excerpt About Singer, Actor, Activist Paul Robeson (with selected comments)".

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SHOWCASE VIDEO OF WILLIAM WARFIELD SINGING "OLE MAN RIVER"

Ol' Man River - William Warfield and MGM chorus(Showboat)



andrew67ist, Published on Mar 18, 2011

Show Boat is a 1951 Technicolor film based on the musical by Jerome Kern (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (script and lyrics) and the novel by Edna Ferber.

Filmed previously by Universal in 1936, the Kern-Hammerstein musical was remade in 1951 by MGM, this version starring Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner, and Howard Keel, with Joe E. Brown, Marge Champion, Gower Champion, William Warfield, Robert Sterling, Agnes Moorehead and Leif Erickson. None of the members of the original Broadway cast of the show appeared in this version, and Helen Morgan (the original Julie), Jules Bledsoe (the original Joe), and Edna May Oliver (the original Parthy), had already died by the time of this film's release (both Morgan and Bledsoe died before they reached fifty).

The 1951 film version of Show Boat was adapted from the original 1927 stage musical by John Lee Mahin after Jack McGowan and George Wells had turned in two discarded screenplays, and was directed by George Sidney. Filmed in the typical MGM lavish style, this version is the most financially successful of the film adaptations of the play, and is one of MGM's most popular musicals, though arguably one of the studio's less inventive ones. The film, however, was arguably more cinematic than the 1936 version — the boat was seen winding its way down the river several times, and there were two scenes in which the boat was shown leaving the dock, while the 1936 film version was so faithful in following the stage play that the boat was seen moving only at the very beginning of the film.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
-snip-
Here are several comments from the discussion thread for this YouTube example (Numbers are assigned for referencing purposes only)

1. traylorvh, 2012
"This just reaches my soul. He sings with such beauty and feeling it is like he know the pain of that life. My parents were share croppers and picked cotton, there life was hard, but as my mother once told me at leaste they were allowed togo in the front doors in town, where their black neighbors were not. What shameful time in our history.Thank you for this wonderful post."

**
2. Warren Hamlet, 2014
"I have heard people criticize this version as being mawkish. Robeson used it as a protest song which it essentially is. However Warfield probably sang it as the director wanted it sung. Either way it's a memorable rendition. There is no doubting Warfield's great talent. Pity he didn't sing more opera."

**
3. Marvin King, 2016
"William Warfeild had a second tenor-baritone range, what a phenomenal talent. He definitely paved the way for Paul Robeson being 20 years his senior. Regardless of this great talent, it was very difficult as a black man to break into New York City Opera fame during his period. He later became a music coach, but never had the singing career he so deserved, born too soon."

**
REPLY
4. newbei17, 2016
"William Warfield was an absolutely amazing talent, but you got the order backwards. Paul Robeson was born in 1898, and started singing and acting in 1923, at which time William was 3 years old, as he was born in 1920. The MGM Showboat this clip was from was a remake of the 1936 Showboat, which was a source of inspiration for William, who watched the 1936 film as a teenager.
At the time this was made, William was already a big public figure, and the producers actually rewrote the musical score of "Ol' Man River" just so that William, whose voice was a couple octaves too high for the original, could sing it. That in mind, they did a fantastic job, as the feeling of the piece stayed the same and fit very well with the new Showboat."

**
5. dovbearbarleib, 2016
"Warfield is more operatic. Robeson's voice is more down to earth."

**
6. ClaudiaB, 2016
"I love both versions. Both wonderful!"

**
7. Gizmologist1, 2017
"To me, William Warfield's rendition is 100% believable in character. I can feel how dead tired he is and this song comes right from his heart."

**
8.major600, 2017
"The original lyrics would be considered intolerably racist today. Paul Robeson fought for them to be rewritten."
-snip-
Here's some information about William Warfield
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Warfield
"William Caesar Warfield (22 January 1920 – 26 August 2002), was an American concert bass-baritone singer and actor. One of his earliest professional engagements was in Marc Blitzstein's Broadway opera, Regina. His breakthrough came when he gave his recital debut in New York's Town Hall in 1950. He went on to produce a highly acclaimed album of selections from Porgy and Bess with Leontyne Price in 1963.[1]

Biography
Early life and career
Warfield was born in West Helena, Arkansas, the oldest of five sons of a Baptist minister.[1] He grew up in Rochester, New York, where his father was called to serve as pastor of Mt. Vernon Church. He gave his recital debut in New York's Town Hall on 19 March 1950. He was quickly invited by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation to tour Australia and give 35 concerts. In 1952, Warfield performed in Porgy and Bess during a tour of Europe sponsored by the U.S. State Department (he made six separate tours for the US Department of State, more than any other American solo artist.) In this production he played opposite the opera star Leontyne Price, whom he soon married, but the demands of two separate careers left them little time together. They divorced in 1972, but were featured together in a 1963 studio recording of excerpts from Porgy and Bess.

[...]

Warfield was also accomplished in acting and poetry recitation. He played the character De Lawd in a celebrated Hallmark Hall of Fame television production of The Green Pastures, a role he played twice on live TV (both versions survive as kinescopes).[2] He appeared in two Hollywood films, including a star-making performance as Joe in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's 1951 Technicolor remake of Show Boat. His other film was an overlooked item called "Old Explorers", starring James Whitmore and José Ferrer. In a nod to "Show Boat", Warfield played a cameo role as a tugboat captain. Footage of Warfield in "Show Boat" has been included in several TV shows and/or films, notably That's Entertainment!. Warfield played his Show Boat role in two other productions of the musical – the 1966 Lincoln Center production, and a 1972 production in Vienna. He sang Ol' Man River in three different record albums of the show – the 1951 motion picture soundtrack album on MGM Records, a 1962 studio album featuring Barbara Cook and John Raitt on Columbia Masterworks, and the RCA Victor album made from the Lincoln Center production.

He made an appearance on The Colgate Comedy Hour and on a program called TV Recital Hall in 1951, the same year that he made his screen debut in Show Boat. He later appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1955. In 1961, he appeared as a recital soloist on an episode of the Young People's Concerts, conducted by Leonard Bernstein. In March 1984 he was the winner of a Grammy in the "Spoken Word" category for his outstanding narration of Aaron Copland's Lincoln Portrait accompanied by the Eastman Philharmonia [1]. And in the 1990s, he narrated a special jazz arrangement of music from "Show Boat", on the PRI program Riverwalk Jazz. In 1999 Warfield joined baritones Robert Sims and Benjamin Matthews in a trio by the name of "Three Generations". Managed by Arthur White, this ensemble toured the United States giving full concerts of African-American spirituals and folk songs until Warfield's death in 2002.

[...]

Analysis
Many commentators, both black and non-black, view the show as an outdated and stereotypical commentary on race relations that portrays blacks in a negative or inferior position. Douglass K. Daniel of Kansas State University has commented that it is a "racially flawed story",[64] and the African-Canadian writer M. Nourbese Philip claims

The affront at the heart of Show Boat is still very alive today. It begins with the book and its negative and one-dimensional images of Black people, and continues on through the colossal and deliberate omission of the Black experience, including the pain of a people traumatized by four centuries of attempted genocide and exploitation. Not to mention the appropriation of Black music for the profit of the very people who oppressed Blacks and Africans. All this continues to offend deeply. The ol' man river of racism continues to run through the history of these productions and is very much part of this (Toronto) production. It is part of the overwhelming need of white Americans and white Canadians to convince themselves of our inferiority – that our demands don't represent a challenge to them, their privilege and their superiority.[53]

Supporters of the musical believe that the depictions of racism should be regarded not as stereotyping blacks but rather satirizing the common national attitudes that both held those stereotypes and reinforced them through discrimination. In the words of The New Yorker theatre critic John Lahr:
"Describing racism doesn't make Show Boat racist. The production is meticulous in honoring the influence of black culture not just in the making of the nation's wealth but, through music, in the making of its modern spirit."[1]"...

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases two "standard" renditions of the late 19th century Christian hymn "When We All Get To Heaven" and six African American gospelized renditions of that Christian hymn.

"Gospelized" is a term that I coined that means "performing traditional Christian hymns in an African American gospel style". Note that there are more than one "African American gospel styles". However, African American gospelized hymns are almost always sung with a faster tempo than the standard version. Or the tune is "jazzed" up -The sung is played and sung funkier than the standard version.

Also, African American gospelized versions of standard Christian hymns are almost always sung with percussive hand clapping and sometimes also percussive foot stomping accompanied by musicians playing a piano (or keyboard), an organ, and snare drums. Electric guitars may also be played during these gospelized renditions. In addition, African American gospelized hymns often include interjections such as "Oh", "Well" and "Yes" in the beginning of the lines for the chorus, and sometimes also in the beginning of other lines for these songs. These gospelized renditions of traditional Christian hymns also often are sung in call and response patterns and include riffs and/or other lyrics in addition to or in substitution for some of the standard lyrics for these Christian hymns.

The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Eliza E. Hewitt, the composer of this song (In 1898)* and thanks to all those who are featured in these videos. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS OF "STANDARD" RENDITIONS OF THIS HYMN
Example #1: When We All Get to Heaven - Congregational Hymn



Faith for the Family, Published on Sep 8, 2014

Listen to this hymn given at Temple Baptist Church in Powell, Tennessee.

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Example #2: When We All Get To Heaven



greatervisionmusic, Published on Aug 24, 2015

From the "Gospel Music Hymn Sing" DVD ©2014 Gospel Music Hymn Sing Foundation. All rights reserved. www.gospelmusichymnsing.com

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS OF GOSPELIZED VERSIONS OF THIS HYMN
St. James Adult Choir - When We All Get To Heaven



Marcel West, Published on Jan 15, 2009

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Example #2: "When We All Get To heaven" Clara Ward & The Clara Ward Singers



Old School Gospel Channel, Published on Oct 7, 2009

"When We All Get To heaven" Clara Ward & The Clara Ward Singers.I want to dedicate this video to all of my you tube friends and subscribers.The Clara Ward Singers are one of my favorite female gospel group. I know I took it back some years on this song,but this is my song."When We All Get To Heaven"we will sing and shout.I have some love one's I want to see but most of all I want to see "Jesus"

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Example #3: When We All Get to Heaven



nicechaos, Published on Oct 18, 2009

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Example #4: When We All Get To Heaven!



First Missionary Baptist Church Southern Pines, NC, Published on Mar 13, 2012

Bonus video from Pastor and First Lady's 22nd Pastoral Anniversary service. Enjoy!

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus,
Sing His mercy and His grace;
In the mansions bright and blessed
He'll prepare for us a place.

Refrain:
When we all get to heaven,
What a day of rejoicing that will be!
When we all see Jesus,
We'll sing and shout the victory!

While we walk the pilgrim pathway,
Clouds will overspread the sky;
But when trav'ling days are over,
Not a shadow, not a sigh.

(Refrain)

Let us then be true and faithful,
Trusting, serving every day;
Just one glimpse of Him in glory
Will the toils of life repay.

(Refrain)

Onward to the prize before us!
Soon His beauty we'll behold;
Soon the pearly gates will open;
We shall tread the streets of gold.

(Repeat refrain)

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Example #5: Chris Turner - When We All Get To Heaven



humbleisdaway, Published on Aug 24, 2012

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Example #6: When we all get to heaven



Quincy J. Dover, Published on May 1, 2016

St. Gabriel's Episcopal Church, Brooklyn's 11 AM congregation singing this well known hymn at the end of communion on May 1, 2016.

Quincy J. Dover, Organist

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides some information about Maasai people and culture and showcases five YouTube videos of Maasai Gospel songs composed and performed by

Selected comments from two of these videos' discussion threads are also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Stephen Leken for his musical legacy and thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT MAASAI PEOPLE AND CULTURE
From http://www.kenya-information-guide.com/maasai-tribe.html
"The Maasai tribe is the most authentic ethnic tribe of Kenya.

The Maasai tribe (or Masai) is a unique and popular tribe due to their long preserved culture. Despite education, civilization and western cultural influences, the Maasai people have clung to their traditional way of life, making them a symbol of Kenyan culture.

Maasai's distinctive culture, dress style and strategic territory along the game parks of Kenya and Tanzania have made them one of East Africa's most internationally famous tourist attractions. Maasai men

The Maasai people reside in both Kenya and Tanzania, living along the border of the two countries. They are a smaller tribe, accounting for only about 0.7 percent of Kenya's population, with a similar number living in Tanzania. Maasais speak Maa, a Nilotic ethnic language from their origin in the Nile region of North Africa.

The Samburu tribe is the closest to the Maasai in both language and cultural authenticity."...

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From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maasai_people
"Maasai society is strongly patriarchal in nature, with elder men, sometimes joined by retired elders, deciding most major matters for each Maasai group. A full body of oral law covers many aspects of behavior. Formal execution is unknown, and normally payment in cattle will settle matters. An out-of-court process is also practiced called 'amitu', 'to make peace', or 'arop', which involves a substantial apology.[30] The monotheistic Maasai worship a single deity called Enkai or Engai. Engai has a dual nature: Engai Narok (Black God) is benevolent, and Engai Na-nyokie (Red God) is vengeful.[31] There are also two pillars or totems of Maasai society: Oodo Mongi, the Red Cow and Orok Kiteng, the Black Cow with a subdivision of five clans or family trees.[32] The "Mountain of God", Ol Doinyo Lengai, is located in northernmost Tanzania and can be seen from Lake Natron in southernmost Kenya. The central human figure in the Maasai religious system is the laibon whose roles include shamanistic healing, divination and prophecy, and ensuring success in war or adequate rainfall. Today, they have a political role as well due to the elevation of leaders. Whatever power an individual laibon had was a function of personality rather than position.[33] Many Maasai have also adopted Christianity and Islam. The Maasai are known for their intricate jewelry and for decades, have sold these items to tourists as a business."...

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: ENKITING'OTO INO [OFFICIAL VIDEO]. Skiza code 7199716.



Stephen Leken, Published on Jul 26, 2016

Ore enkiting'oto ino, naa ninye enkiterunoto enkai.This is a Maasai phrase that means ( your end is God's beginning.) This song is from the book of 1 kings 17:1,24. May the Lord God bless you as you watch.

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Example #2: ENKUENIA [OFFICIAL VIDEO]. Skiza codes 7199717.



Stephen Leken, Published on Jul 17, 2016

Enkunia is a Maasai word meaning(Laughter). This is a Maasai gospel song composed and written by Stephen Leken.and it's from the book of Esther 6:1, 14. 7:1, 10. May God bless you as you watch.

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Example #3: ENKAI KAANYORR [OFFICIAL VIDEO]. Skiza codes 7199718.



Stephen Leken, Published on Jul 26, 2016

Enkai Kaanyorr is a Maasai phrase meaning (I love you God). May you be blessed as you watch.

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Example #4: SHILISHIL [OFFICIAL VIDEO]. Skiza codes 7199719



Stephen Leken, Published on Jul 18, 2016

Meeta Enkai shilishil. It's a Maasai phrase that means, (God does not entice). This is a Maasai gospel song composed, written and sung by Stephen Leken. The song is from the book of numbers 13:1-33 and 14:1-10. Moses send 12 men to explore the land of Canaan, the land that God promised to give to Israelite. This song tells us how faithful God is. God does not promise you something and He can't give it to you, or show you what He wanted to give you then refuses it again. He is always faithful. As you watch this video, I want you to thank the Lord telling Him, Ashe Enkai amuu miata shilishil, nimitum.(thank you God because you cannot show me something good and refuses it.) May God bless you as you watch.
-snip-
Here are selected comments from this video's discussion thread. These comments are numbered for referencing purposes only:
2017
1. Van Asae
"kali sana my fav maa artiste of all tym. big up bro"

**
2. Kimeto Lilian
"ashe oleng.i have got maa blood.i hear this I cry.its the language of my people.great song."

**
REPLY
3. Carolina Jane
"Kimeto Lilian plz translate for me"

**
REPLY
4. paul sankaire
"Caroline Jane in a nutshell its saying God will bless you as He doesn't discriminate"

**
5. Vero Tutayo
"Proud to be a maasai ,good job"

**
6. stanley matias
"Can someone please translate it for all of us who literally love the song without a clue what's being sung 🙄
His gestures though 👍👊"
-snip-
Here's a probable explanation for the phrase "His gestures though":
Saying or writing "____ + "though" is a contemporary way that African Americans (and by extension other people in the United States) to point out (call attention to, highlight) something, usually with positive intents.

**
REPLY
7. Stephen Leken
"stanley matias thank you. It means God Will never show or promise you something good and when you are about to take it He takes it back. He will always fulfill His promises."

**
8. john kavuu mwangangi
"the most nice songs ever in kenya's life'

**
9. Osotwa Isaya
"Asanteeee"

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Example #5: METUMI [OFFICIAL VIDEO]. Skiza codes 7199720.



Stephen Leken. Published on Jul 18, 2016
Metumi Enkai Nikinyanyukie is a Maasai phrase meaning (There is no God like you). This is a Maasai gospel song composed and written by Stephen Leken. May God bless you as you watch.
-snip-
Here are two comments from this video's discussion thread.
1. petra09933 (2017)
"Super Stephen! Its a beautyfull song..Proud Maasai people dancing and singing..Bless you all"

**
2. vetech valuers (2017)
"Metumi Enkai! Glory to God! be blessed Leken."

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a video of and lyrics for the Maasai song "Kaningeji" by John Ole Asman.

Maasai singer John Ole Asman's "Kaningeli:" song 's is a winner. Its uptempo beat and call & response pattern with its "Yelp!" or similar sounding utterance throughout give it a very contemporary sound. The song's video includes a bit of a story line and its visuals and sound are high quality.

I wish I knew what genre of music this is. Does anyone else agree with me that this song has a kind of Caribbean flavor to it? Also, the "Yelp! utterance reminds me of the currently popular African American "ayye!" call."

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to John Ole Asman and all those who are featured in this video. Thanks also to all those who produced and filmed this video and thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube.


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LYRICS: KANINGEJI ("Rumours")
(John Ole Asman)

Nowadays we live a life of rumours
Everything that you speak about is rumours
Something that you are not privy to*
The husband hates his wife because of rumours
The wife hates her husband because of rumours
Brothers hate each other because of rumours
You hate your neighbor because of rumours
because of rumours

Wewe

When shall you stop rumours
And the husband doesn't go to church because of rumours
Something you are not privy to
You move from one church to another because of rumours
something you are not privy to
And the clothes you wear you had that is on fashion**
When shall you do your own work that you never***
something that you are not privy to
You hate your neighbour because of rumours
When shall you say the truth
You hate your neighbour because of rumours

We are tired of hearing your rumours
It's good to say the truth
Stop going around the village spreading rumours
Don't let pressures get into you because of rumours****
Don't let diebetes get into you because of runours *****

Others don't go to church because they think church is for kids

The leaders that you elect you heard them
You never saw what they did you just heard
You elect a leaders that comes from our tribe******

Stop rumours
Stop rumours
Stop rumours
Stop rumours

[continue with musical riff [saying these words along with other improvised words]
-snip-
Here are some suggested improvements for the English translations:
*Here's something that you may not know

** "in the latest fashion".

** "When shall you do your own work that you never do now"

*** Don't get high blood pressure because of rumours

**** Don't get Diabetes because of rumours

**** You elect leaders who come from our tribe (ethnic group) [or "You elect a leader who comes from our tribe (ethnic group).

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SHOWCASE VIDEO: KANINGEJI John Ole Asman



Dee Videos, Published on Feb 1, 2017

A Masai Gospel song Kaningeji
-snip-
Although this description refers to this as a "Masai Gospel song", I think its lyrics fit better in the "social commentary" category than the Gospel category.

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases seven YouTube videos that document the changes which have occurred and are still occurring in the ways that Maasai females wear their hair.

Every internet article that I've read about Maasai culture indicates that Maasai women wear their hair shaven bald. Although this is the traditional custom for Maasai females, a number of YouTube videos, especially contemporary videos (2016 on) document that many Maasai women also wear their hair in multiple other hairstyles, including short cropped natural hair, various styles of braided hair with or without extensions, and multiple styles of straightened (chemically relaxed) hair.

Although most of the videos that are featured in these post show singers performing religious songs, this post's main focus is the ways that Maasai females wear their hair. Some of these videos will be showcased separately on this blog to highlight those songs and/or other content.

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
-snip-
Click the Maasai culture and Kenyan Gospel music tags to find other YouTube videos of Maasai songs. These videos include other examples of contemporary. Maasai womens' hairstyles.

A closely related pancocojams post that showcases multiple hairstyles that are worn by Samburu women will be published shortly and the link for that post will be included here.

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DISCLAIMER:
This post isn't meant to convey that no contemporary Maasai women is bald headed. Based on YouTube videos, if nothing else, there are Maasai women who still completely shave their hair or who wear their natural hair very closely cropped.

This post also isn't meant to suggest any positive or negative valuation about the custom of shaving any female's hair or any female wearing her hair in any particular hairstyle.

These videos aren't meant to represent all of the various ways that Maasai females wore or now wear their hair.

These examples aren't meant to chronologize the ways that Maasai females shaved their hair or when a number of Maasai females began wearing their unshaved hair in various hairstyles. However, for comparisons sake, the first three videos below (published in 2007, 2010, and 2013) show Maasi women with bald heads or with their natural hair closely cropped. The other four videos (dated 2012, 2016, and 2017) show Maasi women with other hairstyles. Note that the 2012 video also shows some Maasi girls who have hairstyles other than the shaved (bald head) style.

I'm not a hair stylist. Therefore, I may have used incorrect terms for the examples of hairstyles that I've noted which are shown in these videos. Additions and corrections are welcome.

Any information about this topic is welcome in this post's comment section below. Thank you.

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: Maasai Women



xin zang, Published on Jun 29, 2007

These are Maasai women dancing to welcome visitors. The all gather in front of the village. The have very short hair cuts.

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Example #2: Maasai women singing before the ceremony to honor the new Chief Otumoi William ole Nairuko



Marilyn Parver, Published on Sep 18, 2010

The Maasai women of Loita Kenya sing in celebration of Chief Otumoi William Ole Nairuko!!
He is about to be made the Chief of his generation.

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Example #3: A Tanzanian Maasai tribe's singing and jumping dance in their boma



franklinclayfilms, Published on Oct 7, 2013

I was told there are at least 128 different tribes in Tanzania. Most have their own language and customs. The Maasai tribe(s) are known as livestock grazers. The importance or wealth of a Maasai family is determined by the number of animals it has (cows are most prized). A Maasai family lives in a home or enclosure called a boma. The boma provides protection for the animals from carnivores. Adult Maasai men can have more than one wife. There is a hut for each wife in the boma.

The Maasai are known for their unique kind of dance -- they propel themselves straight into the air. One of my primary objectives of this trip in 2013 was to film their dance.
-snip-
Notice that some women shown in this video had short natural hair (hair that is unprocessed), sometimes with one or two lines shaven into the hair: as shown at 1:13 and 1:28 of this video.

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Example #4: Enkisuma(Education) Maryanne Naipasoi Tutuma



Maryanne Naipasoi Tutuma, Published on Mar 29, 2012

Education Is the key to a successful life. OLOLOSHO LAI MAISUMATA.
-snip-
Notice that some of the young girls aren't bald, but wear their hair in various hairstyles.

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Example #5: DORCAS KAREI



DELIGHT MEDIA KENYA, Published on Dec 6, 2016

Sidai Ena Arna Enkai : THE NAME OF THE LORD IS GOOD
-snip-
Here are my descriptions of the hairstyles worn by the women in this video:various

Dorcas Karei- straightened hair with a bun in the back (a hair piece?)

Background singers consist of three woman with very short hair. One female has noticeably relaxed/straightened hair on the top with hair shaved on the sides and the back 3:35. The two other women with very short hair that also appears to be relaxed, forming tiny curls or twists.

The remaining background singer wears her hair in long micro braids [extensions?] that fall past her shoulder.

Also, notice that in this video and other contemporary YouTube Masai videos, Masai women also don't have their earlobes elongated as shown in the video given as Examples #1-#3 in this post.

This video also includes men with various hairstyles. The men are holding wooden staffs.

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Example #6: NKATAMPO-BY ROSELINE LEKIRIMPOTO



TECHBYTE COMPS, Published on Jan 18, 2017
-snip-
This video shows contemporary Maasai women with multiple hairstyles, including braided hairstyles.

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Example #7: SEND OFF YA DR. NAI KIPUYO || MASAI BEST PARTY



MC Luvanda, Published on Feb 27, 2017

Pure experience of masai pre-wedding ceremony.
-snip-
This video has numerous examples of hairstyles that are worn by Maasai women.

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about Samburu people and showcases seven YouTube videos that document the ways that Samburu females wear their hair.

I began searching for YouTube videos on Samburu women to ascertain if the custom of wearing their hair completely shaven is still being adhered to by those women or if some Samburu women are wearing their hair in different styles, as it appears to be the case among some women of the closely related Maasai ethnic group.

As a result of watching the videos that are featured in this post and other YouTube videos of Samburu women, I believe it's incorrect to say that all contemporary Samburu women wear their hair completely shaven.

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/12/youtube-videos-that-showcase-multiple.html for a link to a closely related pancocojams post that showcases multiple hairstyles that are worn by Maasai women.

The comment section of that post includes some quotes from a quora.com blog post and my comments about reasons why African females wear their hair shaven.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SAMBURU
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samburu_people
"The Samburu are a Nilotic people of north-central Kenya that are related to but distinct from the Maasai. The Samburu are semi-nomadic pastoralists who herd mainly cattle but also keep sheep, goats and camels. The name they use for themselves is Lokop or Loikop, a term which may have a variety of meanings which Samburu themselves do not agree on. Many assert that it refers to them as "owners of the land" ("lo" refers to ownership, "nkop" is land) though others present a very different interpretation of the term. The Samburu speak Samburu, which is a Nilo-Saharan language. There are many game parks in the area, one of the most well known is Samburu National Reserve."...

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DISCLAIMER ABOUT THESE VIDEOS:
My focus on hairstyles isn't meant to minimize the importance of other topics that are addressed in these videos such as the efforts to eradicate the traditions of female genital mutilation among the Samburu.

Some of these videos will be showcased separately on this blog to highlight that important topic or to highlight the Samburu cultural music and dance.

**
The only "research" that I've done on this subject is via the internet, and particularly via watching a number of YouTube videos.

**
This post isn't meant to suggest any positive or negative valuation about the custom of shaving any female's hair or any female wearing her hair in any particular hairstyle.

**
Furthermore, these videos aren't meant to represent all of the various ways that Samburu females wore or now wear their hair.

**
I'm not a hair stylist. Therefore, I may have used incorrect terms for the examples of hairstyles that I've noted which are shown in these videos. Additions and corrections are welcome.

Any information about this topic is welcome in this post's comment section below. Thank you.

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
Example #1: Samburu Women Cultural Dance



Kenya CitizenTV, Published on Aug 12, 2008
-snip-
Some examples of non-shaven hairstyles in this video:
1.41 in this video shows a woman wearing her hair in a very short natural ("afro").
2:03 and 3.38 of this video shows a woman with her hair straightened (by chemicals or heat) and worn in ponytail in the back.

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Example #2: SAMBURU WOMEN SONGS WESTGATE.MP4



daniel letoiye, Published on Dec 17, 2011

-snip-
Most of the women in this video wear their hair shaven or very closely cropped . However, as shown at __ in this video, the elderly woman wears her hair in what Jamaicans and other people nowadays would call "locks" ("dreadlocks") and a young woman wears her hair in what African Americans would either call "locks" or a "curly 'fro".

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Example #3: Samburu Women's Conference



Dr. J. L. Williams, Published on Jan 8, 2014
-snip-
This video shows a few women wearing their hair in short cropped naturals or in straightened hair worn in one ponytail in the back.

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Example #4: Power Breakfast: Samburu culture and traditions



Kenya CitizenTV, Published on Sep 30, 2016

Power Breakfast: Samburu culture and traditions
-snip-
The women in this video wear their hair in various types of braided hairstyles as shown in the title photograph of this video. Usually such braided hairstyles are created by augmenting the female's natural hair with hair weaves or hair extensions.

Also, note that the woman talking at 20:02 in this video has a gap in the middle of the lower row of her teeth. I've noticed this custom in a number of videos of Samburu women and Maasai women and men, sometimes with the gap also in the middle of the upper row of teeth. My guess is that having a gap in the middle of one's teeth is a traditional sign of beauty, however I can't find anything on the internet that refers to this custom and I don't know if this custom is still being followed by contemporary urbanized Samburu.

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Example #5 - WARNING: The beginning of this video includes brief scenes of topless women. Also, there are a few instances of profanity in the narration of this video.

The Land of No Men: Inside Kenya's Women-Only Village



Broadly, Published on Sep 9, 2015

Where the foothills of Mount Kenya merge into the desert, the people of Samburu have maintained a strict patriarchy for over 500 years in northern Kenya. That is, until 25 years ago, when Rebecca Lolosoli founded Umoja village as a safe haven for the region's women. Umoja, which means "unity" in Swahili, is quite literally a no man's land, and the matriarchal refuge is now home to the Samburu women who no longer want to suffer abuses, like genital mutilation and forced marriages, at the hands of men.

Throughout the years, it has also empowered other women in the districts surrounding Samburu to start their own men-excluding villages. Broadly visited Umoja and the villages it inspired to meet with the women who were fed up with living in a violent patriarchy.
-snip-
Click https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/kenya-s-umoja-village-sisterhood-preserves-past-prepares-future-n634391 for more information and another video about Umoja village in Kenya. Additional information about this village is found online.

Examples of some of the non-shaven hairstyles that are shown in this video:
Rebecca Lolosoli, the founder and leader of Umoja village wears her hair in a relatively short natural (afro), as seen in this clip at 4:25 in this video.

At 20:27 in this video, the narrator speaks to a Samburu women who has a short hair style that might be the result of her hair being chemically straightened.

At 24:05 in this video, one woman in the group wears her hair in what African Americans would call a natural (afro) and one woman in the group wears her hair (chemically or hot comb) straightened in a ponytail in the back.

At 24:41 in this video, the narrator speaks to a Samburu women who wears her hair in micro braids down below her shoulder.
-snip-
Also, note that 1:00-1:26 of this video features a clip of former United States President Barack Obama speaking about the need to eradicate the traditions of female genital mutilation and child marriage in Kenya, East Africa and elsewhere in the world.

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Example #6: Samburu Lenkupae Traditional African Wedding



Meredith Beal, Published on Nov 9, 2016

Glimpse of a traditional Samburu wedding in Kenya. Samburu are a Nilotic people of north-central Kenya that are related to but distinct from the Maasai. Nearly 4,000 people attended the wedding including members of Maasai communities from all over
-snip-
The women in this video wear their hair in multiple hairstyles, including in completely shaven, various straightened hairstyles including wearing a "bun" hairpiece on the top of their hair, natural hairstyles including short naturals (afros), and wearing hair weaves/extensions.

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Example #7: UCHAGUZI- St. Joseph Catholic Church Choir - South Horr Samburu



Verony Productions, Published on Jan 16, 2017
-snip-
A number of females in this video wear their hair unshaven and in various styles.

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a a two part pancocojams series on Nigeria's Jùjú music.

This post presents some general information about Jùjú music and showcases five YouTube examples of that music.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/12/english-lyrics-for-two-late-1950s.html for Part II of this series. Part II quotes an excerpt from the 1990 book JuJu: A Social History and Ethnography of an African Popular Music by Christopher Alan Waterman. That excerpt provides information about the mid to late 1950s stylistic branch of Jùjú music called "Toy Motion" and includes two English translated lyrics of songs from that branch of Jùjú music: J. O. Araba and His Rhythm Blues "The Swamp" and
J.O. Oyeshiku and His Rainbow Quintette, Excerpt from "This Is The Matter, In Abundance".

Note that J. O. Araba, the composer/performer of one of the songs that is featured in one of the showcased YouTube examples in Part I of this series, is also the composer of one of the songs that is showcased in Part II of this series.

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and entertainment purposes.

Thanks to the founders and innovators of Jùjú music. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT JUJU MUSIC
These excerpts are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.
Excerpt #1:
From http://thenationonlineng.net/juju-music-eye-history/ Juju music in the eye of history
Posted By: Juju music On: July 17, 2016 In: Arts & Life
..."In a newspaper interview, Queen Ayo Balogun who was then the president of the Juju Musician Association at time of the interview corrects some notion about the perceived fetishness of juju music ascribed to its name. Juju, to the layman, is voodoo or jazz. The mere mention of juju may bring to the mind, frenzied incantations, craven images as well as other fetish paraphernalia. Ayo Balogun opined that Juju music had nothing to do with voodoo or black magic; that it rather had everything to do with making music that speaks to social conscience and good citizenry.

The origin of the name juju is an interesting one. Early juju musicians played an array of instruments majorly drums, guitars and their voices. It was not unusual for singers to sing and beat the tambourine. And sometimes in the heat of the groove, they would throw their tambourines high in the air and catch. The translation of the verb throw in Yoruba is “ju” and Yoruba, being a tonal language, repetition is often used to lay emphasis, hence the doubling of the verb throw which is “juju”. This brand of music derived its name from the showmanship of performers who beyond singing throws the tambourine with the view to catch and thrill the crowd. Although the tambourine is not much a consequential instrument tied to the sound of juju music as a whole, it also gives insight to the roots of juju music especially in the early African church.

[...]

Forty plus years after the Nigerian civil war and the boom of Juju music (along with oil sales in Nigeria), the juju superstars that linger on our lips are King Sunny Ade(KSA) and Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey, both one-time apprentices of Moses Olaiya, the musician/comedian, and Fatai Rolling Dollar, the agidigbo music maestro respectively.

[...]

As time would have it, the rise of juju music coincided with the oil boom of the 70s, so that praise singing became a prominent aspect of the music. This ensured that KSA as well as Chief Commander, honey-tongued griots, became not only superstar musicians but millionaires. Hugely talented and prolific, it is best to imagine them as the ying-yang of juju music. Whilst KSA is the graceful entertainer with nimble feet, Obey’s music is more reflective and philosophical—both are accomplished guitarists. As one would expect of music made for dance, KSA’s music is sometimes fast-paced and suffused with innuendoes that conflate dancing prowess with sexual activities. Obey’s closest attempt to a booty call was from his early numbers and his most successful love song, Paulina is at once a sultry appeal and a lover’s prayer.

If the 70s was for oil boom and mirth-making, the 80s was a very unsettling period in Nigeria’s politics and economy, fraught with coups and countercoups. Music and precisely juju music was one of the casualties of this era, the tune of the music moved away from merriment to more reflective and meditative themes, however this was after KSA signed a deal with Island Records. In the wake of Bob Marley’s death, Island Record’s attempted to raise yet another global superstar and the easy charm and charisma of KSA had drawn them to his sound which they re-engineered into a sonic masterpiece which became characteristic of King Sunny Ade’s music...

Names like Dayo Kujore, Mico Ade, Dele Taiwo cluttered the juju musicsape in the 90s, a draconian period of economic austerity occasioned by military rule. In the face of unrestrained hunger and hardship, by all means, culture is one of the early casualties. In this period ironically, juju music enjoyed the fresh breath of Sir Shina Peters(SSP). His triad albums Ace, Shinamania and Dancing Time were so successful in southwestern Nigeria that the widespread popularity trekked to Midwestern states and dared to cross the River Niger!

Shina Peter’s strategy to the juju of his forebears was quite enthralling. As with every genre of art, individual talent and insight was important and what Mr Peters did differently was to quicken the pace of juju music with a column of heavy percussion like the music had never had. His nimble feet and love for sexual innuendo was very reminiscent of King Sunny Ade but his percussion pattern was deliberately different. Even his snare drummer brought a distinctive sound that juju had never known.

Since SSP, juju music has seemingly remained stagnant as a genre. The entire 90s did not produce one single enduring juju artist. By the mid-80s, fuji music was already growing in prominence. Fuji music finding its early origin in the wake-up music of the ajisaari amongst moslem Yorubas wrestled the baton of popularity with juju music. Interestingly, fuji music is the closest in equivalence to American hip-hop music. For one, fuji music was bereft of that subservience to forebears that juju embraced so tightly; young fuji turks were more Faulkerian in their attitude to the reigning masters and even though fuji was not as sophisticated as juju in sound, it was widely embraced across South Western Nigeria.

That juju music has not produced a single influential practitioner since SSP is a reason to assume that the genre has remained stagnant for about two decades. This does not take away from the continual practice of this style of music by local bands and even by its former practitioners, or the thousands of LPs of the albums churned out still enjoying its fanatic audience till date, or that new school practitioners of afrobeats are pinching from the music and taking the substrate to their sonic laboratories to develop something which is at best referential.”

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Excerpt #2:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J%C3%B9j%C3%BA_music
"Jùjú is a style of Nigerian popular music, derived from traditional Yoruba percussion. The name comes from a Yoruba word "juju" or "jiju" meaning "throwing" or "something being thrown." Juju music did not derive its name from juju, which "is a form of magic and the use of magic objects or witchcraft common in West Africa, Haiti, Cuba and other South American nations." It evolved in the 1920s in urban clubs across the countries, and was believed to have been created by AbdulRafiu Babatunde King, popularly known as Tunde King. The first jùjú recordings were by Tunde King and Ojoge Daniel from the same era of the 1920s when Tunde King pioneered it.

[…]
Performance
Jùjú music is performed primarily by artists from the southwestern region of Nigeria, where the Yoruba are the most numerous ethnic group. In performance, audience members commonly shower jùjú musicians with paper money; this tradition is known as "spraying".

One of the centers of the performance of jùjú music is in Ibadan. Most jùjú musicians are based in the zone of market forces, and most of these are in an area of immigrant neighborhoods. There are several contexts in which jùjú music is performed. One of these contexts is ‘the Hotels’. The Hotels are concentrated in the immigrant areas and they serve as taverns, dance halls and brothels….

The jùjú music performed is not the focus of the venue but most patrons prefer live music to records. The bands that perform do not have a guaranteed wage; instead they rely upon donations from patrons. Most bands will only perform during the weeknights, leaving the weekends free for more lucrative gigs.

Another context in which jùjú music is played is at celebrations called àríyá. These celebrations are parties which celebrate the naming of a baby, weddings, birthdays, funerals, title-taking, ceremonies and the launching of new property or business enterprises. These events are sponsored so the musicians are guaranteed payment. The wealth of the hosts and the guests is shown through their reward to the entertainers. It is customary to press the contribution to the musician’s forehead so that everyone can see how wealthy they are. The musicians will often return good payment with praise songs to the donors. Live music is crucial to the proper functioning of an àríyá.”

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Excerpt #3:
From http://honestjons.com/shop/preview/28321
Lagos All Routes
Juju And Highlife, Apala And Fuji
HONEST JON'S RECORDS
..."Unlike the pan-ethnic styles of highlife and afrobeat, juju music is strongly associated with the Yoruba ethnic group, natives of Nigeria’s southwestern region. Juju is a variant on the pan-West African tradition of palmwine finger-picked guitar playing, and is typically performed by Christian Yoruba musicians. The style has origins in the 1920s as an urban folk music. Its modern foundations were put into place by I.K. Dairo, from the late 1950s. Within a decade King Sunny Ade and Ebenezer Obey emerged to dominate the more recent development of juju music. Juju song lyrics typically encompass traditional Yoruba proverbs and aphorisms, excerpted Christian hymns, prayers, and Biblical verses, and verses of praise. Ensembles usually consist of guitars (and sometimes keyboards) supported by various percussion instruments. As with most Yoruba popular music, the hourglass tension drums (‘talking drums) are prominent. In the development of juju music since the 1960s, Sunny Ade has generally been considered the innovator, while Obey has positioned himself as the traditionalist...

‘Sir Shina Adewale’ is not actually the name of an individual — rather it is a combination of the names of juju musicians Sir Shina Peters and Segun Adewale, who formed a band together after leaving the more established juju singer Prince Adekunle. Like a lot of juju from the 1970s on, the minor-key sound of Awa Ni Superstars (We Are Superstars) reflects the influence of Fela Kuti’s afrobeat, while its quick tempo also hints at the fuji-infused direction Sir Shina would take when he eventually formed his own band in 1980."...

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Excerpt #4
From https://www.britannica.com/art/juju-music
Juju WRITTEN BY: Virginia Gorlinski
"Juju, Nigerian popular music that developed from the comingling of Christian congregational singing, Yoruba vocal and percussion traditions, and assorted African and Western popular genres. The music gained a significant international following in the 1980s largely owing to its adoption and promotion by the world-music industry.

The principal progenitor of juju was palm-wine music, a syncretic genre that arose in the drinking establishments of the culturally diverse port cities of West Africa in the early decades of the 20th century. In Nigeria’s port of Lagos, palm-wine music was foremost a song tradition. Roughly, it was a coupling of the melodic and rhythmic contours of European hymn singing with the textual aesthetics of Yoruba proverb- and praise-singing, all performed to the accompaniment of a banjo or guitar (or a similar stringed instrument) and a gourd shaker. As the music grew in popularity, so too did its celebrities, most notably Tunde King and Ayinde Bakare. King is credited not only with coining the term juju—in reference to the sound of a small, Brazilian tambourine-like drum that was used in his ensemble—but also with making the first recording of juju music in 1936. A year later Bakare went a step further by signing a recording contract with the British label His Master’s Voice.

From the mid-1930s to the late 1940s, juju was performed as dance music—in taverns as well as at assorted family festivities, such as naming ceremonies and weddings—without any significant shifts in instrumentation or musical style. In 1948, however, the Yoruba talking drum was added to the ensemble. With its ability to "talk" by imitating the tones and rhythms of Yoruba language, the drum brought with it an instrumental repertoire of traditional proverbs and praise-names (short descriptions of the honourable characteristics of a person) that were inserted into juju performances, often as commentaries on the song texts. Call-and-response choruses (a feature of much traditional West African music) and electric guitars were introduced within the next few years, as was additional amplification to insure the maintenance of a sonic balance between voices and instruments within the expanding juju ensemble.

These developments were largely indicative of a re-Africanization of juju music that paralleled a mid-century rise in nationalistic sentiment. In the years surrounding Nigeria’s achievement of independence in 1960, I.K. Dairo was the country’s most prominent and influential juju musician. Although he added an accordion to the ensemble, Dairo ultimately strengthened juju’s ties to Yoruba culture, primarily through emphasizing the use of Yoruba talking drums and traditional song repertoire. With his band the Morning Star Orchestra (later the Blue Spots), Dairo released many hit recordings in the late 1950s and early ’60s.

Although Dairo retained a following until his death in the mid-1990s, his popularity was rivaled in the mid-1960s and indeed surpassed in the 1970s by younger juju artists and innovators Ebenezer Obey and King Sunny Ade. Obey, most significantly, increased the number of guitars in the ensemble, injected the repertoire with Christian religious messages and social commentary, and pitched his music primarily to the urban upper class. Ade, who had a more populist appeal, further expanded the ensemble to include five or more guitars, an enlarged percussion section, and an electronic synthesizer, in addition to several vocalists. From the late ’60s to the mid-’80s, Obey and Ade volleyed for the largest and most novel ensemble. In the process much of juju’s Yoruba character yielded to a style more heavily influenced by rock and other international popular music genres.

The effect of Obey’s and Ade’s work was the modernization and popularization of juju, as well as its transformation into a veritable commercial genre. It was Ade, however, who was most responsible for garnering for juju a truly global audience. Propelled by the growing interest in world music—an industry concerned primarily with syncretic popular forms—Ade made a tremendous international impact, particularly with the release of his monumentally successful album Juju Music (1982).

As the genre matured, it spawned musical offspring through the work of enterprising musicians who fused it with other African popular styles, such as Afro-beat, fuji, and the Yoruba-based music known as Yo-pop. Such fusions ultimately became juju’s competitors in the marketplace. By about 1990 the juju craze had subsided in the international arena, but the music continued to thrive in its Nigerian homeland. Ade, like many others, recalibrated his style to increase its local appeal, and he played to enormous and enthusiastic audiences into the 21st century."

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SHOWCASE YOUTUBE EXAMPLES
Example #1: Sunny Ade & his African Beats - Syncro System Movement



groovemonzter, Published on Jan 27, 2011

artist: Sunny Ade & his African Beats
song: Syncro System Movement
album: Syncro System Movement (side one

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Example #2: Julius.O. Araba and His Rhythm Blues - Kelegbe Megbe / Yabonsa / Turaka



Planetolusola, Published on Apr 17, 2012

60's juju performance from the legendary J.O. Araba. (RIP)

Video source: Konkombe 2/6 Nigeria Music Documentary (Youtube)

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Example #3: Fatai Rolling Dollar Wan Kere Si Nomba Wa



Wintv 247, Published on Sep 6, 2013

Prince Olayiwola Fatai Olagungu, known as Fatai Rolling Dollar (22 July 1927 -- 12 June 2013) was a Nigerian musician, described by the BBC as a "nationally celebrated performer."[1] He died on 12 June 2013, at the age of 85 or 87, and was praised by Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan.[1][2][3]
He started his musical career in 1953 and mentored a number of musicians including Ebenezer Obey and the late Orlando Owoh, among others. He was known for his dexterity at playing the guitar, Rolling Dollar's last major hit was Won Kere Si Number Wa.

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Example #4: Admiral Dele Abiodun & His Top Hiters Band - Awa o ni Legba (Audio)



planetolusola, Published on May 5, 2014

1 Awa o ni legba
- Adawa lofi agba han won
- Ajanaku koja eran a mupa leya
- Aba teni je
- Kekerenke
- Ajuwa ye ye o

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Example #5: Juju Music Documentary with King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey, Shina Peters, I.K. Dairo



hitmann83, Published on Jul 29, 2016

Concert Documentary at Tafawa Balewa Square Lagos Nigeria 1987.

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This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams post.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a a two part pancocojams series on Nigeria's Jùjú music.

Part II presents some history of Jùjú music and quotes an excerpt from the 1990 book JuJu: A Social History and Ethnography of an African Popular Music by Christopher Alan Waterman. That excerpt provides information about the mid to late 1950s stylistic branch of Jùjú music called "Toy Motion" and includes two English translated lyrics of songs from that branch of Jùjú music: J. O. Araba and His Rhythm Blues "The Swamp" and
J.O. Oyeshiku and His Rainbow Quintette, Excerpt from "This Is The Matter, In Abundance".

Note that J. O. Araba, the composer/performer of one of the songs that is featured in one of the showcased YouTube examples in Part I of this series, is also the composer of one of the songs that is showcased in Part II of this series.

Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2017/12/some-information-about-five-youtube.htmlfor Part I of this series. Part I presents some general information about Jùjú music and showcases five YouTube examples of that music.

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and entertainment purposes.

Thanks to J. O. Araba and J. O. Oyesiku for the for their musical legacies. Thanks to the founders and all other innovators and performers of Jùjú music. Thanks to Christopher Alan Waterman and all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT JUJU MUSIC
From https://www.allmusic.com/style/juju-ma0000002646/songs
"Juju has been the most consistently popular musical style in Nigeria over the last half of the 20th century, with roots in the traditional, mostly drum-based music of the Yoruba (one of Nigeria's largest ethnic groups). In its fully developed form, juju is a dance music played by large ensembles centered around guitar and percussion: several guitarists play interlocking, complex melodies over a thundering wall of rhythm, led by traditional Yoruba talking drums (whose heads can be tightened or loosened while they're being played, in order to change the drum's pitch and more closely mimic human speech patterns). Lyrics are important as well, drawing upon the large storehouse of Yoruba oral tradition -- poetry, proverbs, praise songs -- and the inherently musical qualities of the language, in which the meaning of some words changes with different pitches.

Early juju music, which emerged as far back as the 1920s, was essentially an intersection between Yoruba drumming and the socially oriented, string-based palm-wine style, which developed in the drinking houses at the time and influenced highlife music as well. Pioneers like Tunde King and Ojoge Daniel made the first juju recordings during the early '30, but while they achieved a measure of popularity, juju didn't really become a sensation until after World War II, with the advent of electric amplification. Tunde Nightingale was the first real juju star, and during the mid-'50s, he was eclipsed by the legendary I.K. Dairo, who greatly expanded the ensemble (from four musicians to around ten) and became the first juju artist to feature talking drums, electric guitars, and accordion -- essentially shaping the sound of the music into its most widely known form.

Chief Commander Ebenezer Obey and King Sunny Ade both began performing around the mid-'60s, and the rivalry that developed between the two during the '70s became a period of intense creative fertility for juju music. Releasing several albums per year, each constantly attempted to outdo the other by expanding their bands, adding new instruments (including keyboards and Hawaiian steel guitars), and increasing the lengths of their songs (each new innovation was dubbed a different "system," spawning hundreds of imitators around Yoruba territory).

At the dawn of the '80s, both Obey and Ade brought their music to the international stage, the former with his 1980 album Current Affairs, and the latter by signing to Island for 1982's Juju Music. In contrast to the more conservative Obey, Island hyped Ade as the inheritor of Bob Marley's populist mantle, but when Ade's follow-ups Synchro System and Aura failed to perform up to commercial expectations, he was dropped from the label. Although Ade and Obey continued to command sizable audiences, the mid-'80s brought a general decline in juju's fortunes. Young Nigerians had begun listening to juju-influenced pop music, and the more percussion-oriented fuji style had begun to capture a share of the market as well. Both Obey and Ade continued to record into the '90s, although on a smaller scale and with less regularity (partly due to an increasingly strict governmental regime)."
-snip-
This complete article was reformatted for this pancocojams post.

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EXCERPT: "JUJU: A SOCIAL HISTORY AND ETHNOGRAPHY OF AN AFRICAN POPULAR MUSIC"
by Christopher Alan Waterman (The University of Chicago Press, 1990)

[page[ 96
"Toy Motion
Toy Motion was another important stylistic branch of juju, popular in the mid-late 1950s. “Toy” (also a term for marijuana) drew upon earlier traditions such as prewar juju and palmwine guitar music. Two Yoruba musicians, members of the skilled African work force established in Lagos during he interwar period, were particularly important in its development. Julius Oredola Araba (born in Lagos, 24 May 1922) and Joseph Olanrewaju Oyesiku (born in Abeokuta, 17 November 1913) were the sons of Christian mission-educated families; and both became skilled technicians for the colonial railway and members of the oldest effective labor union in Nigeria. They were cosmopolitan, educated men approaching middle age, with rich life experiences derived in part from their mobile occupation. Oyesiku served in the Nigerian Forces, traveling to East Africa and Burma, and resided in London for a period in the early 1960s,; Araba’s career included a lightweight boxing title, from which he derived the nickname “Speedy”.

These men didn’t rely upon musical performances for their subsistence. Their musical ideology combined the carefree attitude of the stereotypical palmwine guitarist (“Life is a temporary appointment,” as Araba puts it) and the disciple and refinement of the skilled artisan. Musicians such as Tunde King and Ambrose Campbell, early member of the Jolly Orchestra who left Nigeria for London during the 1940s, and whose songs

[page] 97
are described by Araba as “superb”, functioned as role models for the Toy Motion players. They regarded the juju groups formed by recent Yoruba migrants as technically inept, and composed primarily of illiterates motivated by economic rather than aesthetic considerations.

The juju music produced by an expanding population of “overnight musicians” in Lagos and other Yoruba cities was measured against memories of the clarity and grace of the Jolly Orchestra and the articulate “sermons” of Tunde King. Araba and Oyesiku both appear to have regarded the new juju style as symbolic of undesirable social change.

[...]

Another point of difference between Toy and the dominant large-

[page] 98
ensemble juju style was related to the ambivalent status of praise musicians. While the new juju bands working in Lagos and other cities sang praise lyrics in return for cash donations from their upwardly mobile patrons, Toy musicians regarded the praising of nouveau riche Yoruba patrons as a form of begging. The proper role of the musician, from their perspective, was not to pander to the wealthy, but to provide philosophical commentary on everyday life, and reveal the misdeeds of flawed characters. One Yoruba highlife musician, interviewed in 1967 by Charles Keil, stated that Araba and Oyesiku were “big men with other jobs” who did not have to play at urban hotels and only took a few engagements a year. His admiration for Toy Motion was based upon two criteria: their use of “correct scales”, as opposed to most juju guitarist, who “only tune their guitar to their voice”; and, second, their refined “compositions”, a term associated with Western musical practice (Keil 1966-67: 151-153).

The two following texts illustrate the ethical focus of Toy Motion songs:"

[Pancocojams Editor: In this book these English translations were given after the Yoruba words. I'm showcasing the English translations because I'm unable to properly type the non-English words. Those lyrics -without the accent marks- are given below in the Addendum to this post.]

"J. O. Araba and His Rhythm Blues “Poto Poto” (The Swamp) recorded in Lagos , 1957, Phillips 82911.2

[pages] 98-99

The swamp has crossed the road, anyone who gets splashed
with mud should forgive us , oh
The swamp has crossed the road, anyone who gets splashed
with mud should forgive us , oh
These words are like the proverb of the elders, please forgive us, oh.

If you have money, if you have money
Don’t follow the prostitutes in Lagos town.
If they eat with you, if they drink with you,
If the money runs out, they will say, “Leave, friend!”
If they eat with you, if they drink with you,
If the money runs out, they will say, “Leave, friend!”

If you have money, if you have money
You are a wealthy man in Lagos town, you are the leader of a
Muslim association in Lagos town
If the world eats with you, if the world drinks with you,
If the money runs out they will say, leave, friend”.
If the world eats with you, if the world drinks with you,
If the money runs out they will say, leave, friend”.

The swamp has crossed the road, anyone who gets splashed
with mud should forgive us, oh!"

[pages] 99-100]
"J. O. Oyeshiku and His Rainbow Quintette, Excerpt from “Oro Re O Repete: (“This Is The Matter, In Abundance”), Recorded in Lagos, 1958, Phillips 82050

This is the matter [i.e., the topic for discussion], this is the
matter, this is the matter, in abundance
This is the matter, this is the matter, this is the matter, in abundance

As she was gossiping all over the place, as she was gossiping
all over the place
The wind came and carried her head-tie away, the wind came
And carried her head-tie away
The money fell and got lost, then the earrings fell and got lost
The the cloth [tied around the woman’s body] fell and get lost,
the baby fell to the ground.

This is the matter, this is the matter, this is the matter, in
abundance
This is the matter, this is the matter, this is the matter, in
abundance

In gossiping wife, there is no enjoyment at all
It generally brings misfortune.
It generally causes a house to fall into ruins
It generally causes one to be ashamed
It generally spoils the house

This is the matter, this is the matter, this is the matter, in
abundance
This is the matter, this is the matter, this is the matter, in
abundance"
-snip-
Pancocojams Editor's Notes:
All of the words in this text are as they are found in Christopher Alan Waterman's book, including the author's lyric explanations which he placed in brackets.

According to what I've learned online (in articles, comments, and certain YouTube videos), the Yoruba word "oh" at the end of a sentence is used to emphasize what was said, and doesn't have the same meaning as the English word "oh".

In the second song, the first word that is given as "the" in the line "The the cloth [tied around the woman’s body] fell and get lost" is probably a typo for the word "then".

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ADDENDUM: THE NON-ENGLISH WORDS TO THESE FEATURED SONGS
Pancocojams Editor's Note:
These words are given without the accent marks etc. as they are given in this book.

I attempted to translate these words using Google translate's feature, but the results were mostly gibberish. I wonder if these words are both Yoruba and Nigerian Pidgin English.

Here are the non-English words as I attempted to copy them from JuJu: A Social History and Ethnography of an African Popular Music by Christopher Alan Waterman.

J. O. Araba and His Rhythm Blues “Poto Poto” (The Swamp) recorded in Lagos , 1957, Phillips 82911.2

[pages] 98-99

"Poto-poto daanon l’abata, enti da si l’ara k’o forijin wa-o-e
Poto-poto daanon l’abata, enti da si l’ara k’o forijin wa-o-e
Oro yii wa dabi owe eyin agabagba, e jowo e forijin wa-o-e

B’o ba l’owo l;owo, b;o l’owo l’owo
Ma tel asewo ilu Eko
Ti won b aba e je, ti won b aba e mu
T owo ba ton won a ni ki-o “jade pre!”
Ti won b aba e je, ti won b aba e mu
Ti owo ba ton won a ni ki-o “jade ore!”

B’o ba l’ owo l;owo, b’o ba l;owo l;owo
Olola ni e ni igboro Eko, saraki ni e ni igboro Eko
B’aye b aba e je, b aye b aba e mu
T’ owo ba ton won a ni ki-o “jade ore!”
B aye ba ba e je, b aye b ba e mu
T owo ba ton won a ni ki-o “jade ore!”

Poto-poto daanon l’abata, enit aa si l’ara k o forijin wa-o-e"

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[pages] 99-100
J.O. Oyeshiku and His Rainbow Quintette, Excerpt from “Oro Re O Repete: (“This Is The Matter, In Abundance”), Recorded in Lagos, 1958, Phillips 82050

"Oro re o, oro re o. oro re o repete
Oro re o, oro re o. oro re o repete

Nibi t o gbe nse ofofo kiri, nibi t o gbe nse ofofo kiri
tegun wa fe gele lo, ategun wa fe gele lo
Owo ba ja bo sonun, yeri wa ja bo sonun
Aso waa ja bo sonun, omo ba ja s’ ile

Oro re o, oro re o. oro re o repete
Oro re o, oro re o. oro re o repete

Ninu ofofo sise iyawo ko si igbadun rara
Ibi lo maa nkoba ni
O ma nso ile di ahoro
Oju lo maa nda ti ni
O maa nba ike je-o

Oro re o, oro re o. oro re o repete
Oro re o, oro re o. oro re o repete"

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This concludes Part II of this two part pancocojams series.

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Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a video of an early 1990s performance of the song "Christmas Time" by The Mississippi Children's Choir. The lyrics to this song are also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the composer of this song and thanks to all those who were members of or affiliated with the 1990s Mississippi Children's Choir. Thanks also to the publisher of this video on YouTube and the transcriber of these lyrics.

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LYRICS: CHRISTMAS TIME
(composer?)

Chorus:
Christmas time is a special time of the year
We give all praises to God
For sending Jesus Christ, His beloved Son
Christmas time is a special time of the year
We give all praises to God
For sending Jesus Christ, His beloved Son

Verse:
God sent His Son to save us from sin
Open up your heart and let Jesus Christ come in
He came to give us life more abundantly
That we might live with Jesus throughout eternity

Chorus

Verse

Vamp:
Hallelujah
Glory to Ya
Lord we thank You
For sending us Your beloved Son

Ending:
We thank God for sending us His Son
We thank God for sending us His Son
We thank God for sending us His Son

Source: https://genius.com/Mississippi-childrens-choir-christmas-time-lyrics

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SHOWCASE VIDEO: Christmas Time - The Mississippi Children's Choir/Stephen Johnson/Felicia Brister



Praise In The House Media, Published on Dec 10, 2015

A Family Christmas by Various Artists (VHS, 1994, Malaco)

A Family Christmas is a collection of holiday songs performed by various gospel artists. The structure of the album builds it like a church performance, with the singers and choirs each preaching their message. Fans of gospel music may enjoy this, especially those familiar with these artists, but those who avoid the Christian message of the holidays may want to avoid this.

Track Listing:
1. Oh What A Pretty Little Baby - Rev. Timothy Wright/The Mississippi Mass Choir
2. Christmas Time - The Mississippi Children's Choir/Stephen Johnson/Felicia Brister
3. Silent Night - Rev. James Moore
4. Celebrating New Life - The Anointed Pace Sisters
5. Love Came Down At Christmas - LaShun Pace
6. If It Had Not Been For Love - Willie Neal Johnson/The Mississippi Mass Choir
7. Let There Be Peace On Earth - Milton Biggham
8. Go Tell It On The Mountain - The Mississippi Mass Choir/Rev. Timothy Wright/Lillian Lilly/Duranice Pace/LaShun Pace
-snip-
The man who introduced the choir is Bobby Jones, award winning Gospel singer and host of The Bobby Jones Gospel Hour, a Black Entertainment Television series that aired from January 27, 1980 to July 31, 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Jones_(singer).


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