Written by Azizi Powell
Latest revision- July 25, 2018
It might suprise African Americans to know that some Africans don't have love for African Americans. Indeed, some Africans-I'm looking at you Nigerians-use an informal referent for African Americans that I think is quite mean spirited. That referent is "Akata".
I think "akata" is pronounced ah-KAH-tah. But I'm not sure. Actually, although I've met a number of Nigerians (mostly Yorubas and Igbos) in my adopted city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, I've never heard the word "akata" spoken. And I've never been directly referred to by that word-or at least I don't think I have.
I just found about about the word "akata" last week (October 2011) when I happened upon on this 2006 discussion thread http://www.nairaland.com/nigeria/topic-12835.0.html "Re: Akata?". (By the way "Nairaland" and "Naija" are hip, modern ways of saying "Nigeria" and "Nigerian"). From that discussion thread, I learned that there are various theories about the origin & meanings of the word "akata". Most commenters on that thread thought that akata was a word of Yoruba origin. While a few commenters on that discussion thread took the position that "akata" wasn't necessarily negative, most commenters agreed that that word had a meaning similar to what Americans call "the n word". Some commenters gave the source meaning of "akata" as "wild cat", "wild fox", or "goat". But those source meanings seemed speculative to me. The word "akata" gained some publicity in the USA by its inclusion in the 1994 Wesley Snipes movie Sugar Hill. Brotha Wesley played a drug dealer who beat on some Naijas who called him "akata" after he learned that (according to them) "akata" meant "cotton picker". However, one commenter discounted that "cotton picker" was what akata really meant because there is no word in Yoruba for "cotton".
Here are several excerpts from that lengthy nairaland.com discussion thread:
Join me in the middle of ecstasy; [tag name] 2008
..."well when I was in Nigeria, people often referred to black americans as "akatas" which is a very stubborn animal kinda like a goat. I know I wouldn't appreciate being called that. But many people back home thought many black americans lacked manners and home training and are very stubborn which is why they nicknamed them "akata". Even till today here in the states, many Nigerians still call black americans "akata" even if its not supposed to mean something negative. It just became a name that stuck.
Also when someone acts in defiance or is very stubborn, Nigerians say "why are you being such an akata?" clearly this is a stereotype as not every black american is "akata"-ish."
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Drusilla (f) June 13, 2006
..."Any African American who hears somebody calling them an Akata, should have the exact reaction [African American commenter] Hero did and cuss the person out.
Better yet, pull out a roll of toilet paper and offer to send it to Nigeria for their mama to learn of this new toilet paper technology.
It's an insult. Why play?"
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food4tot ; June 14, 2006
"The use of the word can be banned but I don't see that happening in Nigeria for instance. Even Americans born to Nigerian parents are called "akata" by their uncles, aunties, cousins (when the go back to Nigeria).
Its a nickname, and sometimes it is used to tease "akatas" about their foreign outlook. I know Nigerians like teasing people just to get them wound up.
You can ban it in US but you will need to do a lot to ban the use of such words in Nigeria. They will just keep on teasing you just to see your colour go red(if you have a very pale skin). That redness would be an amusement to them and they wont stop taunting you until you grow a thick skin to it. That is when they might stop."
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Drusilla (f); June 14, 2006
"food4tot,
It's not about banning. It's not about not calling names. African Americans love to play the dozens as well.
You know and I know, that there are things about Nigeria and Nigerians that if said in public company would make every Nigerian want to crawl in a hole and die. (Unless they are Black people. )
So African Americans are not unarmed if someone wants to play the name calling game.
It is the pretense that this is not what is being said, that bothers me.
Don't piss on me and pretend you are giving me water."
****
I'm just loving the last line of that last excerpted comment. I think I'll borrow it. It sounds so African.
Here's my bottom line. I'm African American and I believe that "akata" is a mean spirited word. As we Black Americans say "Come on, son (or daughter)". For those not in the know, that means "You can do better than that". So my Naija peeps, when I chastise you, know that I do it out of love.
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[ADDED July 25, 2018]
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akata
"Akátá is a word believed to be derived from the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria in West Africa. The term is used among Nigerians and other West Africans in the United States to refer to African Americans, similar to the terms oyibo and oyinbo that Nigerians use for whites.
Translation
Depending on intonation, the "Grammar and Dictionary of the Yoruba language," written in 1858, gives two definitions: Cat or jackals. In the book, the synonym for "wild oats" or akata is agbo, which also refers to a medicinal herb.[1]
In 1913, "The Dictionary of the Yoruba Language" translated akata to mean black panther.[2]
Modern usage
It is unclear how the word became associated with black Americans. One speculation is that the first wave of Nigerian students in 1960s and 1970s United States, upon interacting with the Black Panther movement, referred to group members as akata, with the term eventually becoming shorthand for all African Americans.
Because of perceived tension between African immigrants and black Americans, the word is also perceived to be pejorative. The word was erroneously translated as "cotton picker" in the 1994 film Sugar Hill.”...
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To show that I still love all my Naija family, here are two Nigerian videos that I really like:
Fela Kuti Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense Live at Glastonbury Festival 1984
starfthegreat, Published on Mar 29, 2016
Afrobeat legend performing his hit Teacher Don't Teach Me Nonsense live!
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Darey - "Ba Ni Kidi"
Uploaded by DareyOnline on Apr 27, 2011
"A really fun song with plenty of energy, rhythm and non stop action! The vibe is addictive and sure to get you moving something!!!'Ba Ni Kidi' means 'Give MeThe Beat'. Directed &Produced by Mark Hofmeyr and Soul Muzik."
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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome!
Azizi, I checked the nairaland forum,mostly to see if anyone discussed what first came to mind when I read this.Here's the comment by chinani...
ReplyDelete"think about the nature of West African languages. Use Igbo & Yoruba for example. In both languages words are spelled the same but mean different things b/c our languages are tonal. So anyone who tells you it has a definite meaning one way or another is misinformed."
Some posters think it is entirely dismissive or belittling,but as this poster suggested the actual meaning would depend on the pronunciation.Without the tonal indications it would be impossible to know exactly what is meant.
I don't know if it is a Yoruba word,but I do know that many Yoruba are no longer fluent in the language,as it is considered more modern and sophisticated to speak English,and many people communicate mostly in Nigerian pidgen because it can be understood across cultures and ethnicities.The younger posters may have no idea of the origin of the word and may be more likely to use it as a slur.
When I was in Nigeria I heard the word "oyinbo" several times,and when I asked my husband for the meaning he looked at his brothers as if to ask whether he should tell me. It means white man(or person),and when children were running after our car shouting "oyinbo pepe(pepper)" it was clearly meant as a taunt.I took it to mean that I am as white as a pepper,in other words pinkish.I also know that it can be used derisively or simply descriptively,and I got kudos for coining the phrase "oyinbo tax" for the extra money people wanted to charge for white people.Yorubas do have a great sense of humor and love to tease and sometimes be teased,so I think it will be difficult to get a definitive answer on the word itself.I think it would largely depend on the person using it.
Meanwhile I will ask my Yoruba husband,and some Yoruba friends and family for their opinions,and I'll get back to you.
Sally Adebayo
Thanks, Sally.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your comment. Thanks also for sharing your personal experiences with being called "oyinbo".
I look forward to learning more about the origin and original meaning of "ataka".
I like what is going on here keep it up
ReplyDeletethe correct term is "akata"
ReplyDelete- I myself am nigerian...
Thanks, anonymous.
DeleteI made a typo in the beginning of my comments to that post and continued that incorrect spelling throughout my comments with the correct spelling in the post. That's very poor editing on my part.
I've made those corrections.
Two of my African Cowokers told me their people call us "Akata" and laughed. I had a feeling it was something bad... I'm pretty pissed now. Thank you for blogging this because I had no idea what it really meant.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, anonymous.
DeleteI also don't like the word "Ataka". I published this post to increase awareness of this word. That said, that word doesn't define all Nigerians since I doubt everyone in that nation uses it. Also, that word doesn't define all of the people who use it or who have used it.
I'd like to share this true story that happened to me way back in 1964 which I think is relevant to this topic.
This encounter happened to me when I was a teenager attending a one week summer assembly (a Bible course for young people) at a New Jersey liberal arts college. African American students from throughout the state who attended that religious course were housed on the campus of that college and we ate our meals at the same cafeteria as "real" college students who were attending summer school for their accredited courses.
On that particular day when I was in the cafeteria lunch line I realized that there was a young Black African man standing in front of me. (I recognized him as an African because I had just read a book about some people in that continent having "tribal scars" on their face.)
I remember getting my nerve up and asking that man "Excuse me, are you from Africa?" When the man answered "Yes", I continued by saying "I've read that Africans don't like Black Americans. Why is that?"
I remember that man looking at me and saying "Black people in the United States don't like yourself. Why should anyone else like you?"
That's all that I remember about that conversation. But it left a lasting impression on me. Now, decades later I can truly say that I have high self-esteem and high racial (group) esteem. And that conversation with that man whose name I probably never knew was one of the things that motivated me to get here.
Thank you for so succinctly getting to the heart of the matter, brother who ever you are.
Akata is a Yoruba word that means straw hat or panther. I don't know how it became a word to refer to African Americans, but I am sure that it isn't derogatory at all. I have also heard a theory that it is from the way African Americans speak with loose intonation compared to the heavy intonation of most Africans. I assure you, akata is just like oyinbo, a word for white person. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteOLUMIDE GBADEBO. thanks for your comment.
DeleteI appreciate the information that you are sharing.
From other things that I've read "akata" may not have originally meant something negative, but for some reason it has become a negative referent for African Americans.
I don't think that "oyinbo" has any negative connotations, but it certainly seems that calling someone "akata" can be insulting.
ReplyDeleteakata
Contrary to popular opinion among non-Yorubas and some Nigerians or Africans who does not understand this word, akata does not mean coton picker or slave and it is not derogatory.
It means a cat that doesn't live at home like a wild non domesticated cat, this is used to reference mostly African Americans as they are considered Africans by all Africans but the fact that they don't live in Africa make them akata while those of us who live at home can be considered as Ologbo (cat).
It is no different from an African American calling his buddies "cat" , it is just that the Yorubas recognize the fact that this is a cat that isn't at home.
I am Yoruba who also studied Yoruba in high school and have a better understanding of this word than any none Yoruba or Yoruba who have never studied Yoruba as a language.
It is also another word used to identify Africans who have visited America.
On a recent visit back to Nigeria, a friend was asked about the Iraq war and he directed the question to his friend another Nigerian who was visiting home from America.
" why are you asking me that?, ask the akata here , he can answer it"
The Nigerian have also become an akata because he no longer lives at home.
This is a Yoruba word and only a Yoruba can truly know what it means, for more information search online for Yoruba dictionary, then email the Yorubas listed on the contact page for meaning of akata and they may be able to help you further.
Thanks anonymous for your comments (assuming that both July 13, 2014 comments are from the same person).
DeleteHere's the quote from that website your shared:
Question: "What is the real definition of the word "Akata" which is used by Nigerians in designating African Americans?"
Cashew answered 7 years ago [2006 or 2007)
"Simple Definition: The word akata is actually a word from the language of the Fanti tribe of West Africa.The word was later assimilated into the more popular Yourba language. Although, its basic meaning is "African American" but over time it has come to have derogatory connotations due to tensions between African immigrants and African Americans. The original word is not offensive and the resulting connotation is as a result of misunderstanding and miscommunication.
The term was popularised in Hollywood by the movie Sugar Hill.
The word akata is a Yoruba word, it is used for a cat that does not live at home, the cat that lives at home is called Ologbo or Ologinni,so by calling African Americans akata they are only implying that the African Americans are blacks that don't reside in the continent of Africa though it is often used to refer to African Americans because of the movie it can actually apply to any African Living outside of Africa ,the Yoruba's don't use it as a derogatory word, If a Yoruba called an African who is visiting Africa akata it rather confer some higher social status on them, having been to America (God's own country , as Nigerians call America).
Source: wikipedia - not the best I know "
Why slander Mother Africa because you are angry with a few Africans?
ReplyDeleteLets be real!! Most African people on the continent or in the diaspora use language in a very ,very complex social and cultural way. Akata is a word that can be used by almost anybody, in almost any social situation in so many different ways. Why be so hypersensitive? What is all the fuss about? Is your self-esteem so low that a Nigerian calling you "akata" will crush your spirit and push you closer and closer to the edge?? Why assume the worst possible meaning for "akata" if you don't understand Yoruba culture and don't understand the language?
Olori buruku.
Omowale
Omowale,
DeleteThanks for your comment. However, with all due respect, I disagree with your depiction of me as "slandering Mother Africa" and as "being angry with a few Africans".
Also, I don't believe I'm being "hypersensitive". Nor is "my spirit crushed". Also I don't believe that I "have assumed the worst possible meaning for "akata".
I definitely agree with you that I "don't understand Yoruba culture and don't understand the language".
You will note that this pancocojams post was written in 2011 and is a compilation of quotes from Nigerians about the word "akata" which I had first come across. I updated this post in 2018 when I again randomly came across the word "akata" in my online reading.
I appreciate the number of comments from Nigerians and from others that this post about "akata" has generated.
One love!
Very few people in Nigeria, actually know what Akata means, outside of the context that it refers to African Americans, similar to the way Oyinbo applies to white (even though we never use oyinbo to refer to white as a color of an object).
ReplyDeleteGranted, when Nigerians are talking about Oyinbo or Akata, or really any other group of people, sometimes even other Nigerians of another tribe, it's going to be negative, just being honest. Nigerians are raised to talk trash, mostly as a rite of passage. We often laugh about all the various and creative ways our parents and elderly people insult young people, you can find tons of videos on youtube about such things.
Nigerians, and really just Africans in general, don't have a culture that is heavily interested in analyzing language. I'm trying to imagine myself attending a lecture or having philosophical conversations with friends and family about "Akata", or "Aje Butta vs. Aje Paco." In America, we do that a lot. We analyze words, their meanings, debate over who should be able to say some terms and others. I've spoken to other foreigners, some Asian and some European, and we all kind of see it as being a product of sensitivity, but since I've lived in America most of my life, I see it as more a product of America's culture war.
j2y2k3, I appreciate your comments and I'm intrigued by the statement that "Nigerians, and really just Africans in general, don't have a culture that is heavily interested in analyzing language."
DeleteAs you can probably tell, it's my nature to analyze words and their meanings...I never considered that I do this because of any sensitivity. If I were to attribute it to anything, I'd attribute it to my astrological signs (Virgo rising meaning Mercury rules my natal chart and my Mercury is in Sagittarius in the third house.) I'm not going to explain all of that but be that as it may, I'd love to hear (read) more about Africans not analyzing language.
Jwy2k3, I meant to include a comment indicating that I've read about Nigerians "trash talk". Thanks also for mentioning that.
DeleteI wonder if Nigerians (and perhaps other Africans) are raised to be used to insults because "life is hard" and this toughens them up. That same thing occurs among African Americans...
Yet, I still want to note that the word "Akata" can still be hurtful to Black Americans. So are you saying we [Black Americans] should just "suck it up"? [to use an African American street expression]
Maybe we should, but I think what is hurtful to me about the word "Akata" is that I wanted to think about Nigerians and African Americans as "brothers and sisters" only to find out that Nigerians put down African Americans.
But in the real world, there are heavy duty ethnic and regional conflicts in Nigeria and in other African nations. Given that we (African Americans) shouldn't be surprised that we aren't automatically accepted as "family" by Nigerians and by other Africans.
I don't think Black Americans need to understand the word. It's like an argument with a neo-confederate who wants to see the confederate flag as being symbolic of heritage and not oppression. You can point it out to him, state all the facts, but if he chooses to close his mind to the perspective of blacks, then that's what it is. If Black Americans want to see it as a word that degrades them, and want to take that stance, outside of traveling to Africa and living day to day with other Africans, I don't think arguments or appeals to reason is going to change anything.
DeleteI was born in the U.S. and really until I was 8 and lived in Nigeria, I saw myself as only Black. I still do, but I also see myself as a Nigerian as well now. I get the two perspectives, so I know a lot of Black Americans are always going to struggle with understanding or integrating African views or perspective on things, because many Black Americans look to Africa for solutions to white supremacy. Much of Black American culture, identity and worldview rotates around white supremacy: even many try to interpret African politics or situations via the lens of white supremacy, when they encounter a worldview that doesn't see the world that way, and is also black, it's hard to psychologically mesh with it.
Much of the regional and ethnic conflict in African countries, predates colonization. Africa was divided into conquering empires as opposed to sovereign nation states prior to colonization. When there is peace, it usually comes about because other tribes accept and acknowledge the differences, and let them be. As a Nigerian, my best friend is an Igbo man, I'm Yoruba. If you asked him if he thought whose tribe was superior, he'd claim his own, and if you asked me I'd claim mine. It's often the people who can't accept this rivalry and separateness, that have often been the ones who become African dictators or treat Africans like shit, This might explain another tension between Black Americans and Africans, Africans might be black, but they value their tribal identity way more than their blackness, and they are skeptical or distrustful of people who want them to think otherwise.
Finally, I'd like to bring up the whole thing about language and sensitivity. I believe it was W.E.B. DuBois who said that most Black Americans suffer from a double consciousness. No need to delve deep into this, but most Africans and Caribbeans don't have this issue. There's an inherent stress and tension that comes in the lives of an African Americans, where you're trying to assert your identity and repress the identity that white society wants to on your people. That stress and tension doesn't exist with African or Caribbean Immigrants (it does become more of an issue with 2nd and 3rd generation types, but that's a different discussion). I don't think Africans can help Blacks deal with this, since it's not something they can relate to (even South Africans who've dealt with Apartheid wouldn't be able to), I think this might be another reason why we are more frivolous about language...we're under less stress.
j2y2k3, I appreciate your comments.
DeleteI recognize that you are speaking in generalities, for instance your comment that Africans are under less stress than African Americans. I would imagine that Africans living with the reality or the threat of ethnic and/or religious violence would cause lots of stress.
I'll give your comments some thought and encourage others to chime in to this discussion.
Keep on keepin on!
Thank you, I just want to clarify the part about stress.
DeleteI'm referring to a stress about their own identity/culture. When I was a kid before moving to Nigeria, even then I was very conscious of this stress in white places, moving to and living in Africa unburdened me of it, so I tend to be more sensitive to it than many of my African peers, so I get it.
Poverty, ethnic and religious violence are a different type of stress than say double consciousness (as much as that is covered in the west, Africans mostly stress about political corruption).
Regardless, thanks for listening.
Thanks for your clarification, j2y2k3 and you're welcome.
DeleteAgain, I believe that you are speaking in generalities as I don't think that every African American feels "stress regarding their identity/culture in white places" or that stress is felt to a greater or lesser degrees dependent on the American who has some Black ancestry and the location and context that that person is in.
Hmmm, I don't think I got my point across.
DeleteAre you familiar with the concept of double consciousness?
My apologies for my typos and grammatical errors in my last comment in this exchange. Regarding my last point I meant to write that I believe that [the stress regarding African Americans' identity/culture in white places] is felt to a greater or lesser degrees dependent on the [particular] American who has some Black ancestry and the location and context that that person is in.
DeleteWith regard to you question about whether I'm familiar with the concept of double consciousness, yes.
And at this point, I'll leave the discussion floor open to whoever wants to continue this discussion.
Thanks for your comments, j2y2k3.
Here is an example of the stress that I think j2y2k3 is referring to: You have an encounter with a White person, a Black American's internal dialog after said encounter will generally include any of the following "Did he say that because I'm Black? Was I treated that way because I'm Black? Did she look at me like that because I'm Black? Would my experience have been different if I wasn't Black? " and so on. Africans don't have that internal dialog, at least not naturally. We have grown up with it and it is so ingrained in us that we don't even realize the stress it causes.
DeleteThanks for sharing your perspective on this Lisa.
DeleteYou wrote that "Africans don't have that internal dialog -at least not naturally".
I'm curious, what African nation do you live in or are you from?
Azizi, you are better off in America if you still don't understood what these people are trying to say to you. Nigerians often insult other Nigerian tribes, and some of them consider black Americans to be our own tribe, the Akatas. Yes, it can be used in a negative way as well as a positive or neutral way. Think about the word "special". It can mean extraordinary or retarded, depending on how you use it. You seem to be expecting special treatment from them for some reason, or maybe you're under the impression that all Africans get along -- they don't. In fact, that's probably why they split into so many different tribes...lol. At the end of the day, they aren't discriminating against you. They're just talking sh*t the same way black Americans like to talk sh*t. Now you know where we get it from...ha! Welcome home.
ReplyDeleteAnd akata means "panther" in the Yoruba dictionary. It was what they labeled the Black Panthers when they visited Nigeria back in the 1960s. It's really not a big deal and it would be stupid to ban it. That would just make them use it even more. Stop being so sensitive and just embrace it. Personally, I'm proud to be a part of the Akata tribe. We experienced a lot during our time away from Africa. We left in iron chains and came back with gold chains. They tried to destroy us but we're still here. Be proud of that. Be proud to be an Akata.
Hello, unknown.
DeleteI appreciate your comment, but I don't agree with what your assessment of my thinking or feeling. I also don't agree with your conclusions, and I definitely don't consider myself belonging to any panther or Akata tribe.
That said, I'm proud to be of African descent.
We - Yorubas - may not, now, know what the word, Akata, means, but, have no doubt that its original intention was to derogate. And, I'll give you a clue that will remove all doubt as to this intention. Yes, it has come to be used to, faux-mockingly, refer to any Nigerian who may have lived in the US for any period of time; even those who have been merely for a few weeks' vacation. Its intention was to derogate.
ReplyDeleteFirst, the fact we, Yorubas, who coined the term, now, struggle to define it speaks volumes. Without going into too-long-a-tale, we struggle to speak our own language because of the legacy of colonisation that brainwashed us into disparaging our language for the 'superior' Queen's English; this is what Fela Anikulapo-Kuti referred to as colo-mentality. In the elite schools of Nigeria, for example, if you had a reputation for grammatical errors in English or your intonation was not Queen's English enough, you'd practically have no friends. In fact, it's not too dissimilar to the American situation where lighter skinned African-Americans otherise darker skinned African-Americans.
Yes, centuries of enslaving and colonising Africans came to 'end', but, it didn't at the same time. Over all those centuries, the interests that had become vested in the benefits of slavery and colonisation could just not be ended by abolishing slavery and granting independence, can it. We’re talking money, here!
So, we had the constructs of divide-and-rule (that created the ‘accident of geography’, called Nigeria – the most populous black nation, for example) and racism (to take care of the diaspora of the formerly enslaved). It’s out of this construct that colo-mentality was borne, and it necessitated that we coin the Yoruba term ‘akata’; equivalent terms exist in all 200+ Nigerian languages and dialects. So, I’ll hazard a guess that it exists within most African languages.
I came across this webpage because I, too - a Yoruba man, needed to know the exact meaning of the word. The ‘ka’ in akata means ‘to pluck’. When you preface to become ‘a ka’, it means ‘someone who plucks’. So, I wondered if ‘ta’ stands for cotton, hence my search for a translation. But, whether there’s a term for cotton in Yoruba or not, I have no doubt, and I have context, that it’s a derogatory term, because, the Yoruba term that is used to refer to another significant diaspora, in the Caribbean, leaves to room for ambiguity. That term is ‘ireke’, which means sugarcane.
Every Yoruba kid, bar none, who got sent to Britain and US to pursue further studies left with a warning, ringing in their ears, to steer clear of Akatas and/or Irekes. By and large, you hardly heed what your parents tell you, as a kid, thousands of miles away, and, although we used the terms irreverently, I’d like to believe that many of us did not mean harm by it, especially because, in a rather perverse way, we, ourselves, took pride in been called an Akata or Ireke; it meant we looked and sounded less African.
However, the fact that we left the shores of Nigeria with such a message in our ears became a source of great shame for me, because our parents meant it when the said it. I often think that it ought to be a source of great shame for Nigeria, in particular, and Africa, in general that we seek to distinguish ourselves from descendants of enslaved Africans, in the diaspora; to otherise our brothers and sisters. I wonder how the goal of Africa, now, is not to govern and develop itself as to make all these descendants of enslaved Africans proud and, perhaps, even want to return. But, then again, I wonder where; which of the countries will an African-American return to.
1 of 2: A Yoruba man in UK
2 of 2: A Yoruba man in UK
ReplyDeleteIt’s a complex issue, Azizi. It’s a complex issue that necessitates African countries to plunder their respective treasuries for the benefit of Western financial institutions, rather than for their own benefit. A complexity entailed in the ‘pact for the continuation of colonisation’, for example, that puts France in control of the currencies of its former West African colonies, to date. A complexity we will deliver ourselves from, ultimately. But, make no mistake the elites (aka the 1%) of the African nations that slaves were sold/taken from have as much to answer as the Westerner constructors of racism and divide-and-rule (aka the 1%).
Greetings, A Yoruba man in UK.
DeleteI appreciate the information and the perspectives that you shared in your comments.
Your comment is the first time I've read that "a ka" in "akata" means "someone who plucks". Previously, I read that "akata" meant "panther" or "wild cat".
I agree that African economics and African socio-cultural interactions within and outside of that continent with Africans and non-Africans including the African Diaspora are complex issues. Sharing information and opinions helps.
One love!
Btw, Yoruba man in UK, with regard to your comment:
Delete"In the elite schools of Nigeria, for example, if you had a reputation for grammatical errors in English or your intonation was not Queen's English enough, you'd practically have no friends. In fact, it's not too dissimilar to the American situation where lighter skinned African-Americans other[w]ise darker skinned African-Americans." did you mean that lighter skinned African Americans are held in higher esteem by White Americans than darker skinned African American?
If so, that was generally true in the past, but not necessarily true now.
I think the word was meant to be "other-ize". As in lighter skinned AA's treat darker skinned AA's as lesser than themselves.
DeleteLisa, colorism works both ways- some lighter skinned African Americans look down on darker skinned African Americans and vice versa...also some lighter skinned African Americans wish their skin were darker, especially now when a lot of Black people in the USA are talking about "Black girl magic" and "melanin poppin"...
DeleteI've read some really problematic comments from darker skinned Black people about Black and Brown people whose skin isn't as dark as dark as theirs.
The first time I learned about the word Akata was from a YT clip that I viewed on Asian Men/ Black women dating. The creator, a young Ethiopian woman was being nasty to African Americans..saying that no Asian men would want to date them and just kept going of saying " Akata...slave"( for the most part,she wasnt nothing to brag about). That was 20 years ago.
ReplyDeleteThe second time I learned about the meaning of Akata was when I read a book by a Nigerian( Ibgo) woman. The book called " What Will My Mother
Say" by Dympna Ugwu-Oju described the word as " derogatory" and in her country , African Americans or those who were descendants of slavery were classified "osu" to distinguish free born Nigerians from those who weren't.
My opinion of the Akata word. So far, I haven't heard any Nigerian Ive been around saying it and hope that they never would. I dont find a thing flattering being compared to an animal.
Even in African-American culture for any White/ non Black person to compare us to animals is considered to be racist.
I dont care what context Akata is put in, I want no part of it.Everytime that word is used, it is never good ( eg .the " Stupid Akata" clip. Yes, White folks are called" Oyimbo" but it just mean " White"..seemingly there is no xenophobic" attachment to it. At best, it can be seen as a racial classification or racist..not in the same way that Akata is
Anonymous, August 26, 2019 at 12:55 PM
DeleteI strongly agree with your opinion about the derogatory word "Akata".
Thanks for sharing your comment on pancocojams.
One love!
The perspectives so far is interesting. I do not agree 100% that it is derogatory. It may be, based on the intent of the speaker and in what context it is used. I grew up in Nigeria admiring "Akata". When you use it to classify someone in my locality it meant respect, when you speak like an "Akata" you are admired by the girls, as a matter of fact we imitate their dress style and imitate their intonation for effect as we called it then. When someone says he is from Akata it means you just came from the U.S.A. We even coined the word "See Akata and Die" meaning it is desirable to visit the land before you pass on. In Nigeria any word can be used as an abuse irrespective of it's original meaning. A well learned intelligent man when he errs can be called an "Educated illiterate". An intelligent student who is on point all the time can be called "oversabi" meaning he is showoff. In the same context "youtoosabi" meaning same thing is used as praise for knowing too much or the opposite. In my summation I think the original intent when the word was coined was not intended to slight African Americans. In the context of Nigerian/African culture, one African American who errs can be referred to as Stupid Akata and that individual may get stuck on the word Akata instead of the word stupid. In all when an indidivual tells me I do not like to called XYZ I desist. That does not mean I was originally disrespectful. My 2 cents.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous, thank you for sharing your experiences with the word Akata in Nigeria.
DeleteYour experiences/perspectives add to the information about this word - experiences and perspectives that I haven't found elsewhere online before your comment.
I appreciate it.
You're welcome
DeleteWould an African be offended if I called them the “n” word?
ReplyDeleteUnknown, thanks for your question.
DeleteOne response to that question is given below.
As an African American woman, I would be offended if anybody called me the " n" word and there are other African Americans who wouldn't like it.I don't even like it when we use it. Not only is it racist/ disrespectful but I wouldn't want for anybody to think that would be down with them using it. I have actually told some of my family,friends and acquaintances don't use that word and other anti Black descriptions around me. I love who I am and to call yourself that means you must not. I don't see anything "friendly"about it.
DeleteAs I said before, I wouldn't want anybody to say " Akata" around me. I will never accept that word as being complimentary. My ex fiance was Nigerian and he never used it around me and I wouldn't have tolerated him if he would have,just like I would deal with any non Black person call me the "n" word.
Anonymous, thanks for sharing your comments about the n word and about the word "akata".
DeleteI appreciate reading readers' opinions about these words and about people using either or both of these words around them.
I really don’t think so. I, being a first generation Nigerian in America who frequently travels back to Nigeria, hears the younger generation call each other the N word all the time.
ReplyDeleteMaybe if you were trying to be malicious with the word, yea.
Akata is the name that has stuck but I’m not sure if the original meaning had a negative connotation. If it did, I would say that it ought to not be used anymore.
Follow our Instagram @team_abel, we’re bridging the gap so that we may walk freely back and forth if we wish to do so.
Team Abel, thanks for your response to the question about the n word, and thanks for sharing your opinion about the word "Akata".
DeleteHi Azizi,
ReplyDeleteI'll be pointing you to a music track released in 1975 as well as a facebook link from the musician.
Akata was and is still a word that means jackal or black panther, as a matter of fact, jackal is more accurate as African black panthers are just melanistic leopards.
The title of the track is derived from a Yoruba proverb (which I'm too lazy to translate right now) and the word actually meant a jackal as the singer was using the proverb to refer to a rival in the song.
The fact that some people do not of a word does not give them the right to change its meaning as 'Yoruba Man in the UK' tried to do, there are lots of words in the English language that modern speakers don't know about, it would make no sense to change their literal meaning for that purpose. 'Akata' is a single word.
The word has been abused to an extent that its origin is now being blurred and its meaning obscure; the first step towards a discussion on this word starts with its literal meaning, we can then proceed to having a proper discussion about its colloquial meaning as is used by Africans in the US today.
'Anonymous September 23, 2019 at 6:13 PM' is closer to the point about the original usage of the in relation to African Americans. I have heard the word used by people used to describe a more educated member of their own family, but I am a Yoruba man and so have a better understanding of the word and the context in which it is used. Any word could be used in a positive and negative manner, 'akata' is no different. In addition, the meaning seems to be changing as it is now being used by people who have no knowledge of its meaning or history. Someone mentioned an Ethiopian using the word, the distance between Nigeria and Ethiopia is more than that between the east and west coast of the US, not to mention the language diversity so I find it impossible that an Ethiopian would understand the meaning of the word other than a perception of it gleaned from some ignorant people.
Note: If you have a Yoruba(not just Nigerian) friend, I'd suggest you have him/her translate the music for you in case you have any doubts.
Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4jurS64zEQ
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/61076345281/posts/evergreen-song-of-the-day-kii-seru-akata-released-in-1975-this-is-another-one-of/180968998587861/
Thanks, Temitope for your perspectives on the word "akata" as a Yoruba.
DeleteI agree with you that "Any word could be used in a positive and negative manner, 'akata' is no different".
If indeed the word "akata" is changing its meaning "as it is used by people who have no knowledge of its meaning or history", that wouldn't be any different than a lot of words in any language.
You wrote that you have heard the word "akata" being used to describe a more educated member of their family". I'm curious if you were referring to the contemporary use of the word "akata" by Yorubas and/or other people from Nigeria. Also, was the referent meant to be positive or negative or neutral as just a referent for someone who talked or acted like African Americans or other Black people from outside of Africa such as the United Kingdom?
Here are the hyperlinks that you included in your comment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4jurS64zEQ and https://www.facebook.com/61076345281/posts/evergreen-song-of-the-day-kii-seru-akata-released-in-1975-this-is-another-one-of/180968998587861/.
I used to be friendly with a Yoruba woman who lived in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but she returned to Nigeria years ago. Ditto, for an Igbo woman who I was friendly with. Unfortunately, I don't know any other Nigerians now.
Thanks again!