It truely does not matter what color a person is; however ethnicity is the challenge when relating to marriage, relationships and family.
I am of Haitian ethnicity and I find it challenging to relate on a cultural basis to Americans, whether black or white.
Therefore I often come across as offensive; and I am very aware of that charateristic which is why I rarely get into the conversations with Americans, There are a few factors that can relate to this experience and they are all related to having direct cultural affiliations with ones Caribbean roots.
I do not know one West Indian or West Indian American who has not had conflicts with Americans.
These conflicts are always related to ethnic and cultural misunderstandings.
So, as Caribbean people we need to let go of the race issue because it is not an underlining factor as it is in the United States.
In the United States race appears to be an underlining factor for countless reasons; edication, employment, relationships, social gatherings etc. However from my Haitian experience class has played a big part in Haiti; however it has not played a deciding factor in whether a person accomplishes their goals, it does not break their spirit down and causes them to loose their sense of self like in the United States.
Instead in Haiti I have noticed that education is used as a tool to creat bigger opportunities.
Do not misunderstand my prospective; I a am very aware of the underliying ethnocentricities that we hold as Caribbean people that have bruised our relationships with our African American counter parts.
However I do not beleive thatmarrying outside ones race is a huge issue in Hait;it's class,and education that are the deciding factors.
Reply to: Msg 6959
Posted by Marie F. on 5/4/08 12:25 AM
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